Falcon Gets Me Brotherhood of the Briar

[12pups]

Just now, posting about my Piccadilly, my "dog alarms" went off to let me know the mailman was here. Needing a signature usually means something has arrived from overseas. Yep! My Falcon is finally, after all this time, here. HB-GEN SMBowl straight stem.
But with it came a felt sleeve and a little certificate -- don't you dare call it hokey -- announcing my membership in the Brotherhood of the Briar.
Dear Brotherhood of the Briar. I accept.
Thanks, Bobs Briars of Kidwelly!
Joe 12Pups

 

[12pups]

Okay. What's the trick? I've edited my pictures down... down... down... Still taking up the same space on the screen.

 

[mso489]

Looks good to me (both certificate and pictures). Puff on!

 

[kcghost]

Cool Deal!!

 

[jah76]

Great looking Falcon Joe. Hope you enjoy it as much as I love mine.

 

[leacha]

Being a Falcon fan I wouldn't dream of calling it hokey. With the pics you have I think it's cool.
Nice post!

 

[bryanf]

Nice Falcon!
I also got one about a week and a half ago and have been smoking it non-stop since. It smokes great, but make sure you break it in as they recommend. I didn't do so, and proceeded to just load bowl after bowl like I usually do, and burned out the bottom a bit. I've since fixed it by shaping the bottom of the bowl with my knife, and it actually smokes better now anyways.
I have the apple bowl. So far everything I have smoked in it (flakes, burley, Virginia's) have smoked excellent! I really love mine. I keep a paper towel in my pocket, and rip a piece off to mop up the humidome after each smoke. I don't like smoking it with a filter ring.

 

[dread]

I love my falcon pipes and smoke them more than any others. They are particularly good for traveling.

 

[mikestanley]

I have my first Falcon after 25 plus years of pipes. The meerschaum bowls offered by meerqueen did it. I have to say, I love both the bowl and the pipe. Best with your new pipe.
Mike S.

 

[apatim]

So, tell this newbie about the Falcon pipes. I searched and see that they are inexpensive... What makes them special?

 

[rigmedic1]

My falcon smokes cool and dry. Cannot beat them for the price.

 

[dread]

As said above, they smoke cool and dry. With the right bowls they are actually quite forgiving as you learn to smoke. They are ludicrously easy to clean (though thin pipe cleaners or at least tapered are needed), and you can buy multiple bowls. I travel a lot for work and I can travel with one stem and a couple of bowls and smoke plenty whilst taking up very little space.

 

[12pups]

Pipe cleaners -- you can order special "Falcon thin" pipe cleaners. Got me a hundred of them off the Web.

 

[12pups]

Gotcha, Bryanf -- saw you post that one. Good pointers. Thanks!

 

[jah76]

Apatim. These are just my observations on Falcons.
1. There different, being a metal stem, and a detachable wood or meer bowl. For me "different" can be fun.

2. Due to that design they have a built in air pocket, which in my opinion benefits many tobaccos in terms of taste and smoking. IMO, they give you a very dry smoke.

3. They are great, car, yard, and travel pipes. Dirty hands because your in the garden? The metal stem doesn't care. You don't need to worry about nicking them up in your glove box. And with just 2-3 spare bowls you've got a decent rotation for your trip.
If your looking at estate Falcon's one thing to pay attention to is the threaded part of the bowl. Often times if the seller isn't a piper they have no idea the bowl even unscrews. These bowls can get burned out and cracked on the bottom a bit easier since the briar is thinner there. So you order a $20 buck broken Falcon then drop another $30 bucks on a new bowl.
I don't claim my Flacon is my BEST pipe, but it is one of my most reliable and durable. That goes a long way with me, especially at work. I have never used the moisture ring, but I know folks have cut and bent some pipe cleaners to make their own.
FYI. The stem CAN come out, but as far as I know it's not supposed to. I think their glued in pretty well. Also there are a few different variations. I've been waiting to see a "shillelagh" slip through these guys' beady little eyes so I can pick it up cheap.
I could buy one, but I'm you know...cheap. I'd much rather buy a few extra tins of tobacco.

 

[12pups]

So far, the only drawback I have is balance. The stem -- is it aluminum? -- is so lightweight and long, I feel a little like someone is trying to pry my teeth open with it if I don't hold it.
That, and it swings like a weather vane in my teeth.
Ain't all bad. I didn't know I would enjoy having a pipe pointing that obtuse an angle from my face.
But I'm a hand-holder, anyway. So for me, not a drawback much. For clenching I like my little Kaywoodies or, now, my Piccadilly pocket pipe (as seen in my avatar).

 

[dread]

You could also try a falcon with the "dental bit" which, I believe, was designed for people with dentures or other dental work. It is shaped a bit differently with channels cut into it. Look around on eBay for an estate stem with the dental bit, or just buy a new one outright - they are pretty inexpensive. That may help with the moving around in your mouth. And estate falcons are the easiest to clean and sanitize of all estates I have purchased. They do need to be cleaned because the taste of the last smoked tobacco lingers. But it is stupid easy to do, especially with a falcon extra thin pipe cleaner.
As I said, I travel a lot and that is the pipe I take (I own 3 stems and a bunch of bowls). Whether for business or out camping or working around the homestead they are the perfect pipe for it.

 

[apatim]

Jah76, thanks for the excellent explanation! I see no reason not to buy one or two... or more. ;-)

 

[bryanf]

I find the bit is a little slippery also.
I cut a little piece of rubber tubing, maybe an 1/8th inch wide, as a member here suggested, and put it behind the button. That helps a lot with clenching.
I actually flicked it off somewhere when flicking out moisture from the stem, so now there's just a bunch of bite marks which keep it from swiveling around. The only thing I don't like about the Falcon is the Nylon stem. Wish it were Acrylic or Vulcanite. I may even take some rough sandpaper to mine to give it some grip.

 

[plateauguy]

12 ~ Congratulations on your Falcon purchase!
I have 6 of them (2 Shillelaghs) with numerous bowls. In the summertime I reach for these hardy little pipes continually. Great travelers.
You can get Meerschaum bowls at the Meerschaum store (advertised on the Left side of the listings)- they're beautiful and really set the pipe off from the norm. 4noggins has a wide variety of briar bowls available.
Enjoy your new pipe in good health!