To restore or not to restore… that is the question.

[Wesley pipes]

I was saving this one for last because for the most part it’s just a “take apart and clean” kinda job.
I’m not sure if the bowl is briar or not… probably not. Looks like someone smoked it a lot at some point though. Looks like it’s a Filto brand, funny I didn’t notice that before, you can just make it out one the stem. these are American made around the late 60s I think. I have only ever seen one other in person. It’s supposed to be a cooler Smoking pipe I guess.

 

[Wesley pipes]

This is pretty cool! it still has a filter inside. I wonder if you can still buy these? Other than being old looks like an unused filter, going to put it back inside when I’m done. both rubber gaskets need to be replaced looks like a piece of paper? Holding the plug in, the other is cracked and falling apart. Unfortunately I don’t have any replacements so I’ll maybe try a temporary fix to hold it togethe until I find something.

 

[Wesley pipes]

here It is after the initial cleaning. From the looks of it the pipe has bin cleaned a few times, enough to rub most of the logo off

 

[Wesley pipes]

I used a damp polishing cloth for the aluminum stem, it exposed a lot of micro scratches from previous polishing.

 

[Alanon]

This is pretty cool! it still has a filter inside. I wonder if you can still buy these? Other than being old looks like an unused filter, going to put it back inside when I’m done. both rubber gaskets need to be replaced looks like a piece of paper? Holding the plug in, the other is cracked and falling apart. Unfortunately I don’t have any replacements so I’ll maybe try a temporary fix to hold it togethe until I find something.View attachment 439142View attachment 439143View attachment 439144View attachment 439145

So this looks to me like a variation on the Falcon design, with a dash of the old 19th century design pipe aesthetic, but I’ve never seen this kind of pipe before.

Unlike the Falcon, the bowl is stranger and literally screws into the tube? Could it be brylor of some sort?

It’s interesting that even the mouthpiece has rubber gaskets, you’d think that wouldn’t be necessary to hold it in place given that it goes into a metal tube. They added a metal tube and the paper filter seems to just attach over it? So is the filtration material like a cigarette filter only a different size?

Is the second bit at the other end detachable to facilitate easier cleaning or for some other reason?

Keep up the great work!

 

[Wesley pipes]

So this looks to me like a variation on the Falcon design, with a dash of the old 19th century design pipe aesthetic, but I’ve never seen this kind of pipe before.

Unlike the Falcon, the bowl is stranger and literally screws into the tube? Could it be brylor of some sort?

It’s interesting that even the mouthpiece has rubber gaskets, you’d think that wouldn’t be necessary to hold it in place given that it goes into a metal tube. They added a metal tube and the paper filter seems to just attach over it? So is the filtration material like a cigarette filter only a different size?

Is the second bit at the other end detachable to facilitate easier cleaning or for some other reason?

Keep up the great work!

From what I just researched, this pipe was actually popular for a very short time… for some reason anyway. The filter is like a mini toilet paper tube with a thick sheet of paper at one end. The bowl is wood, maybe some kinda fruit wood, pear maybe? could be Apple. I really don’t think it’s briar. The bowl screws into that tube but the inside has a brass tube lining, probably to keep it from getting too hot. I read that at one time you could get different bowls for them in different colors and materials. unfortunately from what I can tell that second bit does not detach. honestly you should look this pipe up, has an interesting history. Not my favorite kinda pipe, but i think I sorta get it. the cool smoke, interchangeable bowls. the futuristic look, and I guess the Edition of the “filter” was to slow the smoke? Improve flavor?

 

[Wesley pipes]

That’s some nice work! I’m quite impressed with how you can replace stems and find enough good ones that fit in so well.

I do get lucky a lot, but I often have to file, carve, heat, sand down, and bend stems, before I can fit them into bowls.

 

[tartanphantom]

So this looks to me like a variation on the Falcon design, with a dash of the old 19th century design pipe aesthetic, but I’ve never seen this kind of pipe before.

Unlike the Falcon, the bowl is stranger and literally screws into the tube? Could it be brylor of some sort?

It’s interesting that even the mouthpiece has rubber gaskets, you’d think that wouldn’t be necessary to hold it in place given that it goes into a metal tube. They added a metal tube and the paper filter seems to just attach over it? So is the filtration material like a cigarette filter only a different size?

Is the second bit at the other end detachable to facilitate easier cleaning or for some other reason?

Keep up the great work!

The design and engineering elements look more akin to the Kirsten Pipe design concept than the Falcon design, albeit more on the cheaper side. Kirstens have always been more pricey, are extremely well-engineered, and made of high quality materials, despite what some folks may think of their smoking qualities. Not knocking Falcons at all, I own both Kirsten and Falcon pipes, and they each have their strong points.

 

[Alanon]

The design and engineering elements look more akin to the Kirsten Pipe design concept than the Falcon design, albeit more on the cheaper side. Kirstens have always been more pricey, are extremely well-engineered, and made of high quality materials, despite what some folks may think of their smoking qualities. Not knocking Falcons at all, I own both Kirsten and Falcon pipes, and they each have their strong points.

Oh, I remember seeing these in a bent form online somewhere, but I never made the connection. These are quite rare in my neck of the woods, but the Falcons are almost ubiquitous, being a UK export. I suppose that’s why my mind jumped straight to them.

I’m curious, are they good smokers?

 

[tartanphantom]

Oh, I remember seeing these in a bent form online somewhere, but I never made the connection. These are quite rare in my neck of the woods, but the Falcons are almost ubiquitous, being a UK export. I suppose that’s why my mind jumped straight to them.

I’m curious, are they good smokers?

Good smokers? My opinion is yes, but there is a bit of a learning curve, like some other unique designs.

Great smokers? No.

I put Falcons in the same categories. Good smokers, especially if one properly utilizes their “dry ring” system (I make my own out of cut-to-length pipe cleaners). But great smokers? I would say no.

The biggest challenges are just like Briar pipes— heat management and moisture dispersion, both of which require discipline in smoking cadence. The upside to the Kirsten is that the excess moisture can be drained on the fly while smoking, due to the design of the front end end cap and the stem cap, which can both be removed mid-smoke if needed. The other advantage to both is that if you smoke too quickly and overheat, you can put them aside, and they will cool down much more quickly than briar or clay. The bowl systems also allow for multiple sizes and styles of bowls to interchange with the same platform base. However, Kirsten and Falcon bowls are NOT interchangeable between each other, as the mounting systems are completely different.

The Kirsten design has its roots in Industrial Streamline Moderne of the pre-war era, while the falcon has more post-war atomic-age elements in its engineering.

 

[Wesley pipes]

This is the “eBay special “ as it currently is. Now for the fun part. I’m going to revisit every pipe and see what I can do to improve it further. Let’s start with that Dr Grabow i Reshaped into a bent stem. For that pipe I’ll be doing some shaping to that bowl.

 

[Wesley pipes]

 

[Wesley pipes]

View attachment 439349

Almost done. just a little in the front, Then buff it out.

 

[Alanon]

View attachment 439349

Looking good! Do you plan to strip the paint all the way and buff it out or are you going to restain the briar?