Peterson XL26

[Brewdude]

Short story-

Several years ago I special ordered a Peterson XL26 through the Black Swan Shoppe, in the UK. I wanted a mate to my previous special order XL26 which was produced in 8 months, through the same site.

Kris at the Black Swan Shoppe was the point man on this and kept me apprised of developments, and couldn't have been more helpful as he had previously.

My request wasn't unduly difficult or out of consideration. I wanted that shape, light natural matte finish with no bowl coating or dip staining. Amber stem. Very similar to what Cart (Ron) had received recently. My prior XL26 had a nice red finish, and thought this would be a fine addition.

Well, after 2+ years Kris eventually told me that Peterson could not/would not produce this pipe. No reason was given, so I resigned myself that they had not the right briar to produce this.

And now, on the SP site newsletter I find this exact pipe now for sale, albeit for a price well in excess of what I was quoted-

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/peterson/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=202807

This looks like it has the Peterson bowl coating, but otherwise is apparently everything I had requested 2+ years ago!!

I hasten to add this is not a knock on SP or the Black Swan Shoppe. It's all on Peterson, who had the means but not the will to make this for me despite my prior order.

Frankly this rubs me the wrong way, and I now have reservations about purchasing another new Pete going forward!

Rant off..........

:x


No Cheers,

RR

 

[RDPipes]

Sorry to hear that BD, I reckon we should consider ourselves very lucky for getting the ones we did at the low price we paid. Frankly I don't really like the one pictured because of that big "P" raised on the shank cap, I think it makes it look a bit cheap in a way.
As far as Peterson goes I think they were very kind in making us two special pipes out of there normal operations and the product that they were making at the time. I think we have to understand that there not an Artisan that takes commissions and that they have a factory that is producing many pipes a day and to take time to do a special order for one or two pipes or maybe more is being very kind the way I see it, specially for the price. I reckon they found that the XL26 got to be very popular and decided to raise the price. Some may consider it gouging a bit as I do but, if P&C can gouge Esoterica blends I reckon Pete can gouge there pipe prices. That doesn't mean I like it, just means I'm REAL happy I got the pipe when I did.

Hey! That means were both Special now!

 

[Puffy]

That's a beautiful pipe.Too bad it didn't work out for you.

 

[Old Nate]

Sorry to hear that BD, I reckon we should consider ourselves very lucky for getting the ones we did at the low price we paid. Frankly I don't really like the one pictured because of that big "P" raised on the shank cap, I think it makes it look a bit cheap in a way.
As far as Peterson goes I think they were very kind in making us two special pipes out of there normal operations and the product that they were making at the time. I think we have to understand that there not an Artisan that takes commissions and that they have a factory that is producing many pipes a day and to take time to do a special order for one or two pipes or maybe more is being very kind the way I see it, specially for the price. I reckon they found that the XL26 got to be very popular and decided to raise the price. Some may consider it gouging a bit as I do but, if P&C can gouge Esoterica blends I reckon Pete can gouge there pipe prices. That doesn't mean I like it, just means I'm REAL happy I got the pipe when I did.

Hey! That means were both Special now!

Didn't notice it till you said it, Cart, but that "P" is awful! :scratch:

 

[puros_bran]

Needs a P-lip to go with the giant P, because pipes aren't phallic enough without the extras.

 

[puros_bran]

Hey! That means were both Special now!

I intended to make some jab about you jokers being special but after I just sit here and deleted that entire wall of text one word at a time, really Apple, I suppose it'd be the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[Richard Burley]

Sorry to hear that BD, I reckon we should consider ourselves very lucky for getting the ones we did at the low price we paid. Frankly I don't really like the one pictured because of that big "P" raised on the shank cap, I think it makes it look a bit cheap in a way.

Didn't notice it till you said it, Cart, but that "P" is awful! :scratch:

Hey! I like the raised "P" on one of mine, you silly savages!

" />

 

[ftrplt]

I have a love/hate relationship with Petersons. I love some of their shapes/I hate their P-lip (I do own a few however). They smoke well/their quality control is atrocious. I have three Pete's (an XL26 with the reddish finish, a Mark Twain, and Shamrock) each having a crappy, hidden/covered up fill. No more Pete's for me :evil: I may be stupid, but I'm not that stupid!! :x :x :x :cheers: FTRPLT

 

[leacha]

I have love/hate relationship with Peterson also. I love their shapes and designs. Hate their engineering and quality control.

 

[Brewdude]

OK, so there's some recent developments on this-

After seeing the XL26 posted on SP I sent Kris at The Black Swan Shoppe an e-mail expressing my feelings about this. Pretty much the same as my first post on this thread.

Kris again was most courteous and answered in great detail, once again expressing his frustration over the whole 2+ year ordeal. He and I had exchanged numerous communications about this in that time, I might add.

Basically it comes down to him not being able to work directly with Peterson on special requests. Rather, he has to go through the UK distributor just like any other UK retailer. He said that despite the clear communication from me through him, as it goes down the chain until it finally reaches the powers that be at Peterson, the message/request could be diluted or lost.

As well as the fact that Peterson doesn't normally entertain special requests for one-off pipes. Kris cited that there can be a problem with the consumer rejecting the pipe for various reasons, and their policy at The Black Swan is such that if the customer isn't pleased they will take the pipe back and sell it through other means. So they're putting themselves out there in hopes all will be well.

Kris went on to say the UK distributor has taken some flack from customers that have placed special orders and were less than pleased. So apparently they are less inclined to proceed in this fashion.

I hasten to add that the Black Swan Shoppe is the one and only source I've found that would even consider a special order through Peterson. And my prior experience with them for my first (and so far only) XL26 went off without a hitch or hiccup. They advised me it might be a year or more until I took receipt, and it was but 8 mo.

So.....

Today Kris informed me that there was a trade function this coming week, and he usually has a drink with the Director of Peterson and his son after the dinner and would seek to bring this matter up with him directly.

No guarantees of course, but it's a matter worth pursuing. And that he would value this matter as such speaks volumes about his integrity. After all, I'm only one drop in the ocean of his overall business!

:silent:

More info as it develops!


Cheers,

RR

 

[RDPipes]

Glad to hear that you still might have a chance in getting another BD and I have to agree that Kris at Black Swan is an extraordinary person and always seems more then happy to help a customer of any kind.
Wish had a couple more of him here in the states.

 

[RDPipes]

:fpalm:

 

[Stick]

This sort of thing annoys the hell out of me.

An organisation isn't an innate being, it's made up of the people within it.  Unfortunately some companies hide behind their complicated processes in an attempt to deflect the spotlight away from the real issue.

As for the message getting diluted or lost. Very poor. This is what order forms are for and email / the Internet has made the process lightning quick.

8 months to a year sounds excessive too Rande. They must have huge demand with very few staff who are able to deliver.

Surely room for improvement from the big P?

 

[Ocelot55]

Sounds like the issue is a lack of communication and the low volume of work.

When my "pipe mentor" passed away in 2012 I asked Cup O Joes if they would contact Peterson on my behalf to see if they could make a commemorative pipe in his honor (he was a huge Peterson fan). They agreed and the whole project went off without a hitch. The only catch was I had to order 10. This wasn't a huge deal, as I paid upfront and then asked the pipe smokers who ran in our circle if they'd be interested in them. We also gave some to his family. Peterson made his favorite shape, the 05, in his favorite finish, smooth, and had a special silver band with his name and the date of his birth and death. The project probably took 6 months or so, but was handled professionally by Cup O' Joes.

RR, it sounds like in your case there were just too many middle men. Still, it seems like you're making some progress. Hopefully things will turn out satisfactorily.

 

[riff raff]

One of my buddies, who collects some very specific shape was able to contact Peterson directly thru their Facebook page and request two commissions. I forget the name of the person who manages their Facebook page, but they are a Peterson employee and he was very responsive to my friend.

 

[Sasquatch]

Let me speak in defense of Peterson, not because I am a fanboy, but just to shed some light on what is being asked for here.

Peterson makes tons of pipes every day, in big batches of shape and finish. Many of their shapes are fairly rare, requiring pretty big pieces of wood. Many of their finishes are pretty rare, requiring top quality wood.

So the comment "My request wasn't unduly difficult or out of consideration." is actually simply wrong. This isn't a pipe they make every day, or probably every month. It takes a hell of a piece of wood.

On top of that, they must get a hundred such requests a month from various vendors, many of which can simply be filled as orders from pre-existing stock. Again, the pipe in question isn't one such. It's a catalog item, but just barely. You'd have just as tough a time ordering any number of other high-grade petes because there just aren't that many going.

So the idea that they are sitting with a list of 500 ordered pieces, checking each an every time if that day's production happens to meet one of the 500 orders is pretty outrageous, actually. That's not what they do. If they manage a few custom orders, that's pretty good. This isn't a thing where what they make is custom pipes. These are off-the-rack, production-style pieces. Should they take a day off from that to make your pipe, and throw out 30 blocks of briar hunting for that one perfect specimen-grain smooth? Cuz that's what it takes.


I think the expectation that a huge manufacturer should be able to meet a top-tier single-pipe order with any regularity is out of line.

 

[puros_bran]

Meh, like you know anything about pipes...

I say we mob Peterson torch and pitchfork style. :lol:

Actually I agree 100% with Bigfoot. I'm actually shocked they filled the first order.


Ocelot, were those sold on smokers forums? Seems like I recollect it. Also seems like I remember Puff Daddy purchasing one or two.

 

[Brewdude]

Let me speak in defense of Peterson, not because I am a fanboy, but just to shed some light on what is being asked for here.  

Peterson makes tons of pipes every day, in big batches of shape and finish.   Many of their shapes are fairly rare, requiring pretty big pieces of wood.   Many of their finishes are pretty rare, requiring top quality wood.  

So the comment "My request wasn't unduly difficult or out of consideration." is actually simply wrong.  This isn't a pipe they make every day, or probably every month.   It takes a hell of a piece of wood.  

On top of that, they must get a hundred such requests a month from various vendors, many of which can simply be filled as orders from pre-existing stock.  Again, the pipe in question isn't one such.  It's a catalog item, but just barely.   You'd have just as tough a time ordering any number of other high-grade petes because there just aren't that many going.  

So the idea that they are sitting with a list of 500 ordered pieces, checking each an every time if that day's production happens to meet one of the 500 orders is pretty outrageous, actually.  That's not what they do.  If they manage a few custom orders, that's pretty good.  This isn't a thing where what they make is custom pipes.  These are off-the-rack, production-style pieces.   Should they take a day off from that to make your pipe, and throw out 30 blocks of briar hunting for that one perfect specimen-grain smooth?  Cuz that's what it takes.  


I think the expectation that a huge manufacturer should be able to meet a top-tier single-pipe order with any regularity is out of line.  

Actually, that's not what I was led to believe and I proceeded accordingly with the happy results of the original XL26. My research led me to the Black Swan Shoppe, who were more than helpful and capable.

Yes of course on the rest of your evaluation. And that's basically what I was informed of at the beginning of this adventure......no make that the first adventure if you follow me. Yup, I get it. Make no mistake.

Large chunks of finest flaw-free briar for a bowl like the XL26 in a smooth finish.......few and far between. Roger that. No problema amigo.

What I find hard to abide, is that my original order was simply "LOST", after 2+ years of Kris and I communicating on a semi-regular basis. If y'all really want the blow-by-blow I can reproduce it here. But that's not the point.

Kris took the order, we agreed on the features I asked for, he submitted it to his UK Peterson rep. 1+ year later I asked for an update. Kris went to his Pete rep, and found nothing from Peterson.

Now 2+ years later I ask for an update again, and this time Kris tells me that the UK Pete rep "lost" the original order. And also that Peterson would not go forward with this order. No reason was given. And then they produced an XL26 with the same features.

So that brings us here. However, it would've been courteous for someone to inform me a bit earlier that this lark would not be in the offing.

So...........let's just let it all go at that.

I'm OK either way if this all happens or doesn't. Kris performed due diligence, his rep dropped the ball. End of story.

Cheers,

RR

 

[Sasquatch]

Yeah that sucks for sure, and you've been more patient than I would have been in the same circumstances.

I'd make you one but it's an ugly pipe.

 

[SpeedyPete]

I have love/hate relationship with Peterson also. I love their shapes and designs. Hate their engineering and quality control.

Yes!! Agree 100% :cheers:

I have 2 Petersons and that's more than enough. If I want any more pipes with painted interiors, I will paint it myself.