Had thought about pulling the trigger on a falcon until the Radiator pipes caught my eye. I see one of those being purchased in the future.
Anyone Really Like Falcons? Or Hate ‘Em?
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Speaking of metal pipes: anyone have any experience of the strange little Popeye pipes made by Nording?
Mike
Mike
I own one Alco. It has a Meerschaum lined Dublin bowl with decent grain. I found it aesthetically pleasing enough to buy, but I HATE the stem.
From past posts, I was fascinated by people who own hundreds of Falcons, and many many bowls for any of the shank/stems, of various materials. When people love the Falcon, they can really go whole hog. I've never quite liked the little moisture catcher that is part of the Falcon system, but some leave that out. The fewer the accessories, the better, to me.
If you want a meer bowl, go with a company like IMP, they sell Falcon meer bowls. The ones that Falcon offers are not that great. There is about 4mm of meer in them which reduces the bowl size by a decent amount. I picked up an IMP bowl and for the first time, I enjoy smoking out of meerschaum. I've got 9 stems and 30 bowls in all shapes and sizes. Picked up an Askwith morta stacked bowl and it is an excellent smoker.
When I worked in a pipe shop, we sold a ton of Falcons but I always thought they were a gimmick pipe and never tried one until I picked up stem and a couple bowls from NOS and was pleasantly surprised. They don't replace briars but definitely fill a niche in my pipe smoking. I used to have a 80 minute round trip drive for work and they were perfect for that. Also a perfect pipe for multi day camping excursions.
When I worked in a pipe shop, we sold a ton of Falcons but I always thought they were a gimmick pipe and never tried one until I picked up stem and a couple bowls from NOS and was pleasantly surprised. They don't replace briars but definitely fill a niche in my pipe smoking. I used to have a 80 minute round trip drive for work and they were perfect for that. Also a perfect pipe for multi day camping excursions.
Here is my favorite Falcon. Its been cut down and with the meerschaum bowl it is just a great travel pipe. I often just take it and tobacco for trips up to three days. Easy Peasy. A pipe, a handful of cleaners and baccy. It does not get better than that.
I don't have a Falcon, but I do have Dr. Grabow's answer to the Falcon, an old bent Viking Pipe. It's one of three pipes I bought new as a teenager some 40 years ago. I remember buying it from a Walgreens along with a pouch of Middleton Cherry and some other pouch with green apples on it. Man, that tobacco was a lousy way to try to start pipe smoking. Several scorched tongues later and my first attempts at becoming a pipe smoker for life were dashed before they began. Eventually I stumbled into a Tinder Box, got some good baccy and I was happier. But the whole pipe smoking thing still wound up mostly a failed experiment until I tried again years later, perhaps wiser and more patient. I pull it out now and then to remind me of those days starting out....plus it's a good smoker. I thought about getting a few new bowls for it but I guess the Falcon thread pattern is different so bowls aren't interchangeable.
Yep, that's almost exactly what I think when I look at one. I hated them when I saw them as a child and they offend my eye even now. It could well be the best smoking pipe in the world but I will never know because I just can't bring myself to buy one. I see why people like them. I like the idea myself but they are just plain fugly and the stems look horrible too.
I’ve had my Falcon for a few weeks now, and have given it a good break in. I ended up with a Falcon Extra stem (Brown, reasonably unobnoxious) straight with the slightly bent bit, and a spiral Plymouth bowl. Here are my thoughts: I like how it smokes- cool, dry, and has a good draw, despite the little absorbing pipe cleaner ring in the base (or “humidome” but whenever I say that I envision Mad Max). It’s incredibly lightweight and a good traveling pipe. I dislike how it looks still, but I can live with it. I really dislike the bit material, as it feels like a cross between cheap plastic and those wax lips I had as a kid. It’s a definite step down from, say, Savinelli acrylic.
So that being said, it will serve a purpose, but my briars need not fear that they be decommissioned for the sake of technology, despite the good smoking qualities of the futuristic Falcon.
So that being said, it will serve a purpose, but my briars need not fear that they be decommissioned for the sake of technology, despite the good smoking qualities of the futuristic Falcon.
Yoda, I just used a small hacksaw, but a dremel would do it. I used epoxy to set the outer posts. The center post it friction fit with epoxy to stabilize it.
If I have time this weekend I'll post the whole process.
If I have time this weekend I'll post the whole process.
OK, I apologize. Up front. I'm a snob. There, I said it. I just don't like "drugstore" pipes, & for me unfortunately Falcon falls into that category. My first pipe was a Medico Dublin. (I swear I think the finish was paint or varnish.) I got rid of it as soon as I learned better, which was quickly. To me none of the hanging-cardboard-display types are worth my pouch. When I first worked for Tinder Box, my boss had a small tray of that kind in the far back corner next to the wall, & I asked him why. "Some men just won't buy anything but that." Jim McCloud, God rest his soul, turned me into the snob I am today.....
I don't hate them, but I'm not really a fan of them. Never have been inclined to buy one and don't think I ever will.
Hate is too strong, but strong distaste would be accurate. I had one in the 60's, conveniently lost it.
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