Aluminum Pipes: good, bad, same, different?

[uperepik]

About to buy a estate pipe lot that comes with a few aluminum pipes. I had no interest in them at first but Im a little curious now, any thoughts on these pipes?

 

[buroak]

I love my Falcons, but I am not a metal pipe expert.

 

[stvalentine]

People love them or hate them. I am totally convinced of the superior smoking qualities of my Falcon and I am going to try out Kirsten pipes next. Find out for yourself, its the only way! :puffpipe:

 

[ray47]

Maybe this link will help you understand:
http://www.pipesmokerforum.com/forum/showthread.php?806-Some-Notes-on-Falcon-Pipes

 

[uperepik]

Thanks for the info

 

[iamn8]

Aluminum pipes are wonderful because they provide the opportunity to say aluminumnum... aluminumiaminum

 

[wyfbane]

I like al-you-mineeum pipes. They are a great throwback to mid century style. As a person raised in Washington State, Kirstens are a fun link to the times and the glory days of Boeing here in the state.
Falcons are great too. I have a couple old ones. Fun fun pipes.

 

[mso489]

I'm drawn to briar, cobs, and unusual woods like Mountain Laurel and Cocobolo. Aluminum looks a little industrial to me. But mainly, I just don't want to get another PAD seizure going.

 

[condorlover1]

You could always melt them down into something more useful!

 

[toobfreak]

There are an awful lot of different aluminum alloys. It would depend on the right one being used. If it were me, I would make one out of 6061-T6. Real good stuff.

 

[ashdigger]

I like my Falcons and now have three Modded Nose Warmer Cobs for driving and working in the field. I love them!! Easy to clean and maintain and I only need two for extended road trips. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.

 

[newbroom]

Having taken a diving class back in '77 and learning that aluminum doesn't rust, but it does corrode, I became wary of breathing air from metal containers.

Surely the draft of an aluminum pipe becomes 'protected' by a layer of tar, eventually, but it's the idea that the metal might deliver more than smoke that concerns me.

Now, I know, there are other pipes with inner tubes that might be aluminum or some other metal that might be just as much concern, but I've not really heard much about these pipe's performance.

 

[mawnansmiff]

My Falcon pipes are as ugly as sin but they're great smokers ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Deniz, I believe those pipes are actually plastic with a cheap metal bowl. They are made in China and are only suitable for blowing soap bubbles.
Kunstsoff = man-made or synthetic material or substance.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[toobfreak]

[/quote]back in '77 and learning that aluminum doesn't rust, but it does corrode

There are a lot of alloys that have come out since '77, Broom. You would like a pipe made of the alloy I mention above. I took a chunk of it years ago and buried it in my front yard for several years and when I finally dug it up, other than being dirty, it was really unaffected! Among other things, it contains an alloy of Silicon, Copper, Chromium and Titanium. Real durable stuff. They make jet fighters out of it.

 

[pappymac]

My understanding and readily admit it could be wrong is that Falcon pipes are cast - as in melted aluminum is poured into molds and then cooled. Kirsten pipes are machine made in the Seattle suburb of Ballard. Falcons are cheaper than Kirsten but the technical quality of a machine made Kirsten is better.
If you clean a Kirsten after smoking there is no tar buildup in the stem.

 

[brass]

I like Falcons excepting that the bowl sizes are on the small side.

 

[ashdigger]

Brass, it just depends how hard you look. I have some absolute giant bowls.

 

[ashdigger]

I've had Kirstens and I own Falcons. I much, much, much prefer my Falcons. Falcons are extremely simple, BUT Kirstens are the Erector Set of the pipe world. You can customize them until your eyes bleed.
They BOTH deliver a great smoke.

 

[stvalentine]

I recently refurbished two Kirsten pipes and after a thorough clean I don´t dare to smoke them - too many parts to clean! 8O