So I finally got a Falcon...

**HCraven** · 09-22-2012, 18:35

Falcon1.jpg

I happened into my local pipe shop yesterday and found this bent Falcon with a rusticated Dover bowl for sale among their estate pipes. It was barely used and in excellent condition, and they only wanted $20.00 for it, so I jumped right on it.

I've lived here in Fort Wayne, IN for most of my life, and seeing as how the Falcon originated here, I figured that I should at least have one in my collection. I've heard many things about them over the years, including that they are hard to get used to, and, from some sources, that they smoke hot. I'm not finding either of those things to be true. If anything, it seems darn near foolproof, so far delivering me a cool, dry smoke clear to the bottom of the bowl without any special effort whatsoever, just as it was designed to do.

I'm just curious to get other people's impressions and experience with these pipes. They had a bit of a fanatical following on another forum I used to participate in, but I don't see much about them here, so I'd like to hear from past or present owners of them. What do you like or dislike about them? Do you have any special tips for maintenance, or know of any quirks about them?

I'm on my third bowl from this beauty, and I'm wondering what took me so long to get one. Now I just need to score a couple extra bowls...

Herb

**drdca** · 09-22-2012, 22:55

I used to have one, but I can't find it!

I like them and the Kirstens -- they're good smokers!

**Markw4mms** · 09-22-2012, 23:09

Congrats on your purchase! I still don't have a Falcon, but hope to one day.

**T-Bear** · 09-23-2012, 00:40

I've had a number over the years...excellent smokers IMO, but I never took to metal pipes for some reason. All of mine found new homes eventually.

**HCraven** · 09-23-2012, 02:10

Originally Posted by T-Bear

I've had a number over the years...excellent smokers IMO, but I never took to metal pipes for some reason. All of mine found new homes eventually.

They aren't much to look at (though the missus seems to like the look of it), but it does seem to be a reliable smoker, and so appeals to my utilitarian instinct. I'm also enamored of the idea that I could take this one pipe and maybe a spare bowl or two on a trip and be able to smoke it for days on end with no loss in quality of the smoke.

Of course if I could create beautiful pipes like Ted, I would be hard pressed to find time for it in my rotation.

**soundlzrd** · 09-23-2012, 02:14

Nice buy for 20 dollars. I like mine but rarely smoke it. Just never got into the smoking if it.

**HCraven** · 09-23-2012, 02:22

Originally Posted by soundlzrd

Nice buy for 20 dollars. I like mine but rarely smoke it. Just never got into the smoking if it.

After letting that Kirsten slip through my fingers, I had to snap this one up when I saw it. Sometimes I don't think there are any pipe smokers left in this town, but then a good bargain like that appears and suddenly -poof- it's gone!

**HCraven** · 09-23-2012, 16:40

Ok, a few things I've learned by trial and error:

1. When you're finished with your pipe, remove the bowl and THEN dump the ash. No sense letting the moisture and nasties trapped in the humidome come into contact with the bottom of the briar bowl. Speaking of which, I store the pipe disassembled for a little while, at least, so that air can get to all the surfaces.

2. Aluminum DOES still absorb funky tastes and odors. The upside is that it doesn't sink in very deep, and a quick scrub with a pipe cleaner soaked in your choice of pipe sweetner or hi-test every couple of bowls gets it squeaky clean again. Swab the humidome out, too.

...and one thing I learned before I got myself into any trouble, for the benefit of anyone unfamiliar with the Falcon:

3. The mouthpiece is NOT designed to be removed from the aluminum stem. When you see those estate Falcons for sale on eBay all nicely disassembled like that, PASS ON THEM. Someone might be able to join them again, but why start out with a problem when there are good ones to be had for cheap. If a good bowl or two comes with it, though, it might be worth bidding on just for those.

Will update with any more revelations (or epiphanies, since Revelation is so hard to find nowadays) as they come to me.

HC

**Gunsmoke** · 09-23-2012, 16:50

Howdy Herb, Glad you like your' new pipe. I could never get over the look of the things myself. Probably my loss, But I can't see myself with a muffler hanging out of my mouth.
Cheers
Brian