Bending A Falcon Bit, Can It Be Done?

[Briar Boy]

So this week I got a bent Falcon and the bit is not bent enough for me, i like my bowls horizontal when I clench, it may just be my bite but the bowl sits up in the air causing the fluid to run into the airway tube. I'm wondering if the bit could be heated and bent a bit further so it's more horizontal when clenched, I have bent vulcanite and acrylic but the Falcon stems are made of a different plastic, anyone ever done this?

 

[shaintiques]

Never have but I would think it would bend just like any other stem if using a heat gun.

 

[tbradsim1]

What are you bending, the aluminum tubbing or the stem. I think I read the plastic can't take much heat.

 

[menuhin]

I agree that bits from Falcon pipes are made of some other kind of plastic other than vulcanite and acrylic. I would like to know that that is. Have never wanted to bent it though.

 

[shaintiques]

I might have a broken one I can experiment on for you. I'll check.

 

[tbradsim1]

AST after thinking about it I wouldn't"t use a heat gun, I would use hot water, less chance of a screw up. I may be wrong but that's my take.

 

[Briar Boy]

AST after thinking about it I wouldn't"t use a heat gun, I would use hot water, less chance of a screw up. I may be wrong but that's my take.

Tried that first (boiling water) with the same line of reasoning in mind, no effect at all.

 

[tbradsim1]

I"m trying to remember are those stems Nylon? What's the take on bending nylon, I used to work with Nylon ropes on shrimp boat and it will burn fast. Be careful.

 

[mortonbriar]

i reckon try bending the aluminium a little more, you could shove some thin brass rod or something down there to keep it from closing up, although that could be difficult to pull back out, it could also go terribly wrong and I would rather that was not my fault thanks ha
isaac

 

[mortonbriar]

on second thoughts maybe its worth replacing the stem with vulcanite?

 

[tbradsim1]

To keep the aluminum middle chamber from closeing up if you want to bend it you fill it up with sand plugging both holes after filling. In the old days you bent tubeing and filled with sand to keep from kinking.

 

[ssjones]

After messing with a number of Falcons in the past few months, I would say "no" because of the material of which it was made. They don't respond in the same say vulcanite stems respond to heating teeth indentions and it appears the material has no memory. I bet bent Falcon stems are cast that way, unlike a vulcanite stem which is made and then bent.

 

[blueeyedogre]

I have a Falcon stem that I haven't done much with as the bowl was completely shot. I haven't bother with ordering a new one yet as the stem is pretty chewed up. Is it possible to remove the original plastic bit and have a vulcanite or lucite stem made for a Falcon like a forever stem for cobs? I saw some Falcon mods that were pretty sweet where a guy cut about an inch out of the stem making it a nosewarmer and others where the aluminum "air pipe" was replaced with brass tubing. Falcons would make a fun little project if you can do something about the cheap plastic bit.

 

[ssjones]

Sure, a new stem would be required to have the tenon cut to fit the stem and accept the metal tube. Cost effective? That is the wild card.

DON'T TRY to take the stem off by twisting, that usually bends and ruins the tube. Some come off easily, or don't try.

 

[Briar Boy]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I have come to the conclusion that the nylon Falcon bits do not reshape, instead I lessened the bend in the aluminum shank a little with success.

 

[shaintiques]

Yeah found that out the hard way. Now to find the one I ruined and experiment with bending.

 

[Briar Boy]

Yeah found that out the hard way. Now to find the one I ruined and experiment with bending.

I only did a very slight alteration to the bend, the inner tube is press fit at both ends and is paper thin, I can see that too much bending my result in kinking of the inner tube, use caution

 

[throbinson]

Not sure if the same but, I have a Koolsmoke metal pipe, and not bending, but just polishing, as soon as that stem touched the buffing wheel it distorted like silly putty.
Never had that happen before, and rather than fix it, I used it as an opportunity to try fitting a new stem to it made from vulcanite, and after hours of sanding (no tenon cutting tools) it fits better than the original and looks good.
If looking to bend the metal stem... as someone mentioned, use to fill pipes with sand and cap the ends, heat and bend. Sand kept it from buckling, and would pour out when done.

 

[darwin]

Make sure that sand is really really dry.

 

[mso489]

Thanks for the short course in pipe materials, guys. I've always thought of aluminum as somewhat brittle and fragile -- durable as cast, but not in reshaping, but not much experience to back this up. I've always thought of the bent Falcon as a little awkward looking, but don't own a Falcon, bent or straight. (The old Grumman canoes made of aluminum, as a re-adaptation of aluminum products after WWII aircraft production ceased) were always great summer camp canoes and learners' canoes but pretty hard to repair once damaged.