Falcon

[trouttimes]

I have smoked briar, cobb and meer. Falcons keep cropping up. Give me the skinny, why, good, bad? I tend to be trad but I don't want to miss out.

 

[upnorth1]

I hear they're good smokers but their look doesn't appeal to me at all.

 

[blackadderlxx]

They're good smokers. Interchangeable bowls. Their design allows for a drier smoke. Apparently they're love or hate pipes. I personally like mine a lot. It was pretty inexpensive and IMO I really enjoy my burley blends in it.

 

[blackadderlxx]

Almost forgot - they have meer lined bowls available in the US, and if you buy from Europe, they have a few fully meer bowls which can get you into the meer game pretty cheaply.

 

[eggrollpiper]

Definitely worth a shot. One of the few metal pipes still produced. U may need those skinny falcon pipe cleaners as well fyi.

 

[jacks6]

^^ agree with the above. I especially love the interchangable bowls

 

[instymp]

Mine uses regular pipe cleaners.

 

[scloyd]

I have one...an international stem with a briar snifter bowl. I love it. I make my own moisture rings with pipe cleaners. I rinse the bowl out with hot water after every smoke and wipe it dry with a paper towel. More bowls are on my "want" list. I definitely would recommend a Falcon pipe.

 

[mso489]

Several members have posted photos of expansive arrays of Falcons with scores of bowls. I think they're just right for some. Some complain about the small bowls, and a few others about the somewhat restrictive draw, and others about the tech appearance of the metal construction. But clearly others love 'em, and some will have nothing else. The brand originated in the U.S. but was bought decades ago (I learned after posting misinformation ...) and moved to U.K. No Falcons here, but I enjoy posts about them, interesting pipes.

 

[mrenglish]

You can find all black stems if you do not like the silver ones. They are marketed under the Falcon Hunter name. The Classic bowls are much bigger than the standard bowl if you like larger bowls. I've got a meerschaum bowl and a Askwith Morta bowl. I have seen some very nice aftermarket bowls. They are also good for travel as they are sturdy and easy to clean.

 

[warren]

While I deem them ugly, I also find them extremely practical under certain conditions. They really shine when you are in a float-tube, fishing or photographing. No bowls to load, just switch to a full one as necessary. They're not that comfortable to me clenching as one of my bents but, one has to make due according to circumstances.
Edit: I slip them into a pocket on the tube or the vest if they get tiresome.

 

[condorlover1]

I can see the practical factor of such a pipe and I know for a fact there are several devotees on here including my German chum who thinks they are the pinnacle of pipe engineering. To me they resemble a brake line with a hollowed out wooden door knob combined with the mental association of childhood holidays in Blackpool surrounded by older guys wearing socks and sandals, flat caps and smoking St Bruno in a Falcon pipe being dragged around by their wives who were invariably named Doris!

 

[trouttimes]

Wow! What an image. I guess that would be a no vote for Falcons. We sure pushed a button there.

 

[scloyd]

Before you give up on a Falcon check out the international stems. I hesitated on getting one because of the way they look until another member suggested the international stem. Still not the best looking but a great smoker. I'll post a picture of mine later when I'm off my phone and back by my computer.

 

[ashdigger]

This is my favorite Falcon. I customized it by chopping the stem and re affixing with epoxy and then I added a Meerschaum bowl. It's a great pipe.

Here is my second favorite Falcon. It also has a chopped stem. this one has a cob bowl.

 

[scloyd]

I looked at the old thread I started about Falcon pipes and it was ray47 who suggested the international stem. Here's my Falcon. It may not be the best looking pipe...it's a great smoker.

 

[trouttimes]

Scloyd, I do like that it doesn't look so industrial. That may be the way I go to give Falcons a try. I just don't know if I can do the erector set look no matter how good it smokes.

 

[mrenglish]

You should give it a try. I was very skeptical about Falcons as well, until I tried one out. Lucked out and picked up some nice older pieces from the granddaughter of George Hunt.

 

[agnosticpipe]

I personally never liked the looks of Falcon pipes, so I never had the urge to get one. A couple of years ago someone gave me one, the usual common straight one with a fairly ugly bowl. I cleaned it up and gave it a shot. Not bad, in fact if I use the piece of pipe cleaner in the bottom there was no gurgling or heavy moisture coming through. I still didn't like it's looks much, so I sold it. Then about a month ago I saw an older model like the first one I had only it was in a bent shape. Not the deep bends like a lot of them are, just a nice maybe half bent or less. It was very cheap and looked very dirty, but I like the shape and the bowl too. Cleaned up very nice and now I kinda like smoking it. Funny how just finding a different shape gives you a different perspective. Hey, and I still had my Falcon pipe cleaners from the first pipe!

 

[blackadderlxx]

@Ashdigger - that is freaking awesome!!!
My next Falcon acquisition is going to be a meer lined bowl.