Last revised August 31, 2023.
Peterson Pipe Notes launched in late May of 2014 as a way to share the wealth of information about Kapp & Peterson and Peterson pipes that I knew even then would never make it into the The Peterson Pipe: The Story of Kapp & Peterson, the book which appeared five years later in 2019 and won a gold medal for best non-fiction first book from the Independent Publishers Association in 2020. A second printing, in paperback, was issued in January of 2022 and is available through Smokingpipes.com and Vermont Freehand.
At the center of the blog is the book, co-authored by myself and Peterson expert Gary Malmberg, who sells estates pipes on eBay as Second Hand Smokes. While the book and the blog sometimes overlap slightly, the book covers core information about the history, pipes and craftsmanship of Kapp & Peterson and I can’t recommend it too highly for those serious about the marque.
Topics. If the book is the absent hub at the center of the wheel, the posts may be thought of as the spokes, and seem to fall into the following areas:
- SHAPE GROUPS from System pipes to the A, B, D and others;
- LINES both new and old;
- SERIES like the Pipe of the Year and Christmas annuals;
- SPECIAL BULLETINS about the impending release of new pipes;
- HISTORY of K&P, including videos made by K&P;
- INTERVIEWS with Peterson crafts folk, management and enthusiasts;
- DIY information for those interested in restoration, maintenance and modification;
- FAMOUS PETERSON SMOKER PROFILES.
Albert Einstein and his Peterson De Luxe 12B
Subscribe. You can subscribe to the blog via email on the front page. I often know about impending Peterson new releases and by subscribing you can be among the first to know.
Photo courtesy Troy Lambrecht
Pete Shops & Sites. I have shopped at the retailers listed in the Pete Shops & Sites menu and can recommend them all without hesitation. For those living in the US, you’ll find some amazing Petes at the smaller European sites that are either unavailable in the US or no longer in production. All the foreign sites will respond in English to your queries. They all ship with DHL or other quick-service shippers. When in doubt, don’t buy, and when buying, don’t buy if a vendor is shipping via their country’s postal service unless you are prepared to waited several weeks.
12/12/21: Until further notice, avoid eBay sellers in Great Britain using eBay’s Global Shipping Program. All tobacco pipes shipped through GSP are stopped and confiscated. You will not receive the pipe, although everyone has reported being refunded their money.
Certified Pete Geeks. Companioners, collectors and consumers of Peterson pipes routinely refer to themselves as “Pete Geeks.” They are a very broad church, some interested in only the earliest Patent shapes, some in the current collectibles, some in the best bargains they can find on eBay. Some hate the P-Lip, others adore it. But all of them are passionate about it.
Readers are encouraged to comment to posts, especially where they find mistakes or can elaborate on information given in a post. I also welcome suggestions for future posts. This is not really a forum, however, so while I indulge a few Grouches and encourage honest criticism, as soon as I suspect a commentator is trolling, he will be blocked. PPN is a non-monetized blog encouraging the enjoyment of Peterson pipes and tobacco pipe smoking. I respect diversity of opinion but have little tolerance for ill-will against the pipes and none at all for such behavior toward others.
From time to time the blog offers opportunities to participate in a post and receive an honorary “C.P.G.” (Certified Pete Geek) designation and electronic certificate (suitable for downloading and display, of course) along with yearly “Merit Badges” pinned to the original electronic certificate and downloadable.
Questions. If you have questions about the blog, feel free to comment on this page or any of the blog posts. I’ll get back to you, normally the same day or within 24 hours. I moderate the comments section, so play friendly or leave the field.
“Why don’t you podcast or do a video blog on YouTube?” I not only get these questions from those in the hobby but have been chastised by people from the industry side: “if you’d just do a video blog or podcast you might get some decent numbers and then we’d take you more seriously.” The disconnect deserves to be addressed. The most succinct answer I can give is found in a poem by philosophy professor Richard Polt:
Technology can be a good servant, but it’s a demonic master. If you can’t read, then you haven’t advanced to the ranks of the Pete Geek “Thinking Man.” That’s not meant in arrogance or moral superiority, but pipe smoking and Peterson pipe smoking in particular reflect a rich, historically-aware heritage of men who think for themselves, men who are careful readers, men who resist the Control Agents at work in consumer capitalism, the global politics of war, exploitation of the environment, crimes against humanity, scientistic religion and the infinite herd mentalities of social media that go into making the unexamined life not only not worth living but spiritual death. Notice there are no ads on this blog and that I’m not in the payroll of Kapp & Peterson, Laudisi Enterprises or anybody else. The blog is here to celebrate what the Peterson pipe and, by extension, the tobacco pipe itself offers to the welfare and solace of men across the world (and any women who care to join us).
Endorsements.
I have been deeply honored by endorsements from Kapp & Peterson and from Smokingpipes.com. The blog would not be what it is, nor would the Peterson book have been possible without the hospitality, patience and support K&P has given me over the years and currently extends me with the help of Sykes Wilford, CEO of Laudisi Enterprises, Josh Burgess, Managing Director of K&P and everyone at Kapp & Peterson and Laudisi (parent company of K&P). They provide background information, commercial photography, media kits and, just as important to me, friendship. I encourage you to support them whenever practical and possible.
(from Andy Wike, Top 10 Resources for Pipe Smokers, Smokingpipes.com, The Daily Reader)