@deadpool,that's the idea. Since mine were a gift, I have two complete Falcolns - but I could use the same stem for both bowls. I do take 'em apart and clean the trap out thoroughly after each smoke. They're fun for a change of pace. I keep contemplating getting another bowl or two, but have not done so.
@deadpool - That would be correct. I'm cleaning the bowl it came with now and plan on ordering both a meerschaum bowl and a briar bowl. I will probably use the old bowl for my English and Latakia blends.
I have already cleaned the inside of the aluminum body and it's a shiny inside as out. The mouthpiece has a metal stinger and it's been immersed in Everclear since yesterday. This afternoon I'll finish cleaning and polishing the mouthpiece.
I don't know how I missed this post, seems I was away march 7. The forerunner of the Falcon was the Alco. I had 1 that was a favorite for short smokes. It had a single, thicker Aluminum stem and the same style Humidome with the same style bowls but they weren't interchangeable with the Falcon's.
So what bowls can you use on a falcon besides falcon bowls? Are any other brands interchangeable? @PappyJoe How are the stems attached on a Kirsten? Threaded? Push-in? Are the stems easy to replace? I have 3 Falcons now but need more bowls, I have a chance to get a Kirsten but stem needs replaced.
@wolf41035 - the stems on Kirsten pipes are easy to replace. You can order them direct from Kirsten. The mouthpiece just pushes in and are held in place by an o-ring. The Kirsten have five basic parts: The bowl, bowl adapter (on pipes made since 1958) the body (or stem), front valve and mouthpiece with stinger. There is a screw that goes through the bottom of the bowl and the bowl adapter which attaches the bowl to the body of the pipe. The valve on the front is there so you can pull it out and drain the moister from the pipe. The mouthpiece and stinger assembly also just pushes into the body of the pipe. When the valve and mouthpiece are removed, you can easily run a paper towel or tissue through the pipe to clean it.
I am assuming when you say the stem needs to be replaced, you are talking about the mouthpiece/stinger assembly.
Falcons and such should cover all metal type or removable bowl type pipes, we can discuss what bowls, stems and mouth pieces can be changed over fixed, repaired and so on. Which Bowls will fit on which pipes? Will the falcon type copies fit on a falcon pipe stem? We know the Kirsten is a different set up and them bowls will not work on Falcons but is there another pipe made like the Kirsten that parts will interchange? Lets talk about these pipes and their copy cats and see what is the same and what is different. I am still trying to find out how the mouth piece is put on a falcon, can it be removed and replaced? No one seems to know this question! If it is glued in can you ream out the mouth piece where it goes into the stem and make another mouth piece fit?? Kirsten's, you can change about everything on them and you can still get new parts for them, the prices can be high but personally from what I have been seeing and hearing the prices are worth it to fix one up, what do you guys think? Let's liven up this post...
Talked to a guy that restores pipes for a living, he said to try to heat the stem and broken mouth piece and try to pull it out, he said they are heated and pressed in. Said if I get it out to get a mouth piece just a little to tight for it and heat and press it in. Said he has never fixed a falcon before but that is what he has heard from a few other pipe restorers he knows. Going to give it a shot, can't hurt since the mouth piece is shot and I would have to scrap it and buy a new stem! lol
As posted on the other thread, got the falcon from the mailman right after I made the comment above, the pipe mouth piece is not damaged at all, it was just filth built up on the mouth piece! Info was good to know though!
@Woodsman -- <<a small gap between the mouthpiece and stem, don't buy it.>>
I've had that trouble with two used Carey's I bought on ebay. I solved that problem by going to Staples and buying a bag of very tiny rubber bands, about one centimeter in diameter, like orthodontists use, but in colors. Those two pipes now have stylish colored bands. The rubber bands are just thick enough to fill the gap, and they fit flush to the bit so they look like they came with colored bands. I have not had to put on new bands yet, and it's been almost two months.
The Falcon mouthpiece is attached to the center tube in such a way that it is damn near impossible to re-attach, the Alco is removable but not the Falcon.
Just ordered a Falcon stem and bowl from Premier Pipes, somewhat a replacement for a stem and two bowls I had years ago. I think I may have sold it to a coworker. I remember my Grandfather having a Falcon which he only smoked in his office/den, nit certain why. Anyway, I spent a bit of time searching for a Falcon pipe, seems my usual e-source vendors were out iofstock, even Premier Pipes were unable to provide several bowls which were out of stock at the time of my purchase. No worries, plan to purchase a couple of additional bowls in the near future.
@pipeman83 I've been considering a Nording Eriksen as well and think I'll be pulling the trigger on one before the night is through. I'll let you know what I think of it. The reviews at Pipes & Cigars are all over the place from one star and terrible comments to 5 star and rave reviews. Possibly smokers who are content to settle for a Dr. Grabow may be more apt to accept a Nording Eriksen than someone with a taste in finer quality pipes. But for a price of around $24.00 I'm willing to chance it. Throughout my life I've spent more and got less so I won't set my expectations too high - then maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised if it proves to be a winner. The Nording brand is recognized for quality so I can't imagine they'd tarnish their reputation on an inferior product line. Besides, I already have a bag of Keystones so I'm halfway there.
@motie2, thanks for the URL. I already emailed you from my iPhone. For some reason, I can't ever comment on this site from the phone even after I log in. But I'm on my iPad now.
@ghostsofpompeii, after seeing your post I looked at the Nording Keystone and ordered one this morning. I wanted the orange but it was out of stock so I got the white one instead. I haven't found anywhere to get just the bowls so I could switch them out like I do with my Falcons.
@pipeman83 The pipe arrived a few days ago and I've given it a pretty good workout since then. I know I'm suppose to let a pipe set for several days between uses but I'm trying to get a idea of what to expect from this pipe so I'm running it through the paces a bit harder than I might a straight briar.
The first thing I did was something suggested at another site ... before smoking clean the chamber under the bowl with whiskey or pipe sweetener to keep from getting any trace of a plastic taste in the initial smoke. I did it and never experienced any plastic taste what-so-ever. So I'm not sure if I would have without cleaning it beforehand ... but I wanted to do everything possible to give the pipe a fair shake, and if it meant a little pre-preparation then so be it. I used a cinnamon flavored whiskey. The flavor of the tobacco is exactly what I'd expect it to taste like in a briar or cob ... no strange aftertaste.
I don't overdo the keystones ... adding only about nine. Any more and you might over do it. They say if you hear a crunching sound you have too many keystones in the chamber.
So after about six or seven bowls I'm completely happy with the pipe. I smoked about four before changing out the stones and cleaning the chamber ... but I actually might have been able to use it a bit longer. Just didn't want to push it. In conclusion for the price of $24.00 I'd say it's a good pipe for the money, does exactly what's expected of a pipe, smokes very cool, and traps the moisture as advertised. And as with Falcons, Eastman, or Kirsten - or any metal or plastic pipes with a removable bowl the chamber can really begin to stink if you don't clean them out regularly. The nasty juices settle in the metal or plastic chamber and then turn into a tarlike paste unlike a briar or cob pipe which absorbs the moisture. The metal or plastic (in the case of the Eriksen) doesn't absorb the juices so they just congeal into another substance. And the longer you wait to clean it - the more effort goes into cleaning it out.
Comments
I don't know how I missed this post, seems I was away march 7. The forerunner of the Falcon was the Alco. I had 1 that was a favorite for short smokes. It had a single, thicker Aluminum stem and the same style Humidome with the same style bowls but they weren't interchangeable with the Falcon's.
Now about Falcons, how hard is it to replace a mouth piece on them? LOL.I also have the chance to pick up a falcon with a broken mouth piece.
Which Bowls will fit on which pipes? Will the falcon type copies fit on a falcon pipe stem?
We know the Kirsten is a different set up and them bowls will not work on Falcons but is there another pipe made like the Kirsten that parts will interchange? Lets talk about these pipes and their copy cats and see what is the same and what is different.
I am still trying to find out how the mouth piece is put on a falcon, can it be removed and replaced? No one seems to know this question! If it is glued in can you ream out the mouth piece where it goes into the stem and make another mouth piece fit??
Kirsten's, you can change about everything on them and you can still get new parts for them, the prices can be high but personally from what I have been seeing and hearing the prices are worth it to fix one up, what do you guys think?
Let's liven up this post...
I had one of the Yello-Boles, not pleased with it.
You can't replace the Mouthpiece of a Falcon, If you see a Falcon on Ebay that has a small gap between the mouthpiece and stem, don't buy it.
@pipeman83 I've been considering a Nording Eriksen as well and think I'll be pulling the trigger on one before the night is through. I'll let you know what I think of it. The reviews at Pipes & Cigars are all over the place from one star and terrible comments to 5 star and rave reviews. Possibly smokers who are content to settle for a Dr. Grabow may be more apt to accept a Nording Eriksen than someone with a taste in finer quality pipes. But for a price of around $24.00 I'm willing to chance it. Throughout my life I've spent more and got less so I won't set my expectations too high - then maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised if it proves to be a winner. The Nording brand is recognized for quality so I can't imagine they'd tarnish their reputation on an inferior product line. Besides, I already have a bag of Keystones so I'm halfway there.
@ghostsofpompeii, after seeing your post I looked at the Nording Keystone and ordered one this morning. I wanted the orange but it was out of stock so I got the white one instead. I haven't found anywhere to get just the bowls so I could switch them out like I do with my Falcons.
@pipeman83 The pipe arrived a few days ago and I've given it a pretty good workout since then. I know I'm suppose to let a pipe set for several days between uses but I'm trying to get a idea of what to expect from this pipe so I'm running it through the paces a bit harder than I might a straight briar.
The first thing I did was something suggested at another site ... before smoking clean the chamber under the bowl with whiskey or pipe sweetener to keep from getting any trace of a plastic taste in the initial smoke. I did it and never experienced any plastic taste what-so-ever. So I'm not sure if I would have without cleaning it beforehand ... but I wanted to do everything possible to give the pipe a fair shake, and if it meant a little pre-preparation then so be it. I used a cinnamon flavored whiskey. The flavor of the tobacco is exactly what I'd expect it to taste like in a briar or cob ... no strange aftertaste.
I don't overdo the keystones ... adding only about nine. Any more and you might over do it. They say if you hear a crunching sound you have too many keystones in the chamber.
So after about six or seven bowls I'm completely happy with the pipe. I smoked about four before changing out the stones and cleaning the chamber ... but I actually might have been able to use it a bit longer. Just didn't want to push it. In conclusion for the price of $24.00 I'd say it's a good pipe for the money, does exactly what's expected of a pipe, smokes very cool, and traps the moisture as advertised. And as with Falcons, Eastman, or Kirsten - or any metal or plastic pipes with a removable bowl the chamber can really begin to stink if you don't clean them out regularly. The nasty juices settle in the metal or plastic chamber and then turn into a tarlike paste unlike a briar or cob pipe which absorbs the moisture. The metal or plastic (in the case of the Eriksen) doesn't absorb the juices so they just congeal into another substance. And the longer you wait to clean it - the more effort goes into cleaning it out.