falcon vs alco universal pipes

[jrtaster]

i have smoked and enjoyed my falcon pipes over the past few years.
i recently came across a u.k. on-line supplier of alco pipes and, twitching with severe pad, was curious about the smoking characteristics of alco vs my falcons. anyone here who has experience with both and who could offer opinions on both pipes.
thanks in advance!!! jrtaster/john

 

[Bowtie]

After seeing your post I did a bit of research to see what an Alco was. I too enjoy my falcons from time to time and it looks like the Alco would be very similar. Are the bowls interchangeable between the two pipes?
I am interested to see the results of your post.

Jeff...

 

[jrtaster]

jeff, the etailer's website states the alco and falcon bowls/stems are NOT interchangeable. as to the actual design similarities between the two, i don't know but hope someone here will enlighten us both. john

 

[jefe1037]

jeff, the etailer's website states the alco and falcon bowls/stems are NOT interchangeable. as to the actual design similarities between the two, i don't know but hope someone here will enlighten us both. john

that would make too much sense and be too advantageous to the consumer.

 

[williamcharles]

Don't know if you've seen this or not but there's some good reading there. It appears that Alco are/were made by Falcon. All sorts of metal pipes discussed here.

http://www.smokingmetal.co.uk/pipe.php?page=107

 

[jrtaster]

thanks, williamcharles, for that link. i vaguely remember seeing it or a similar one before, but don't remember it's being so extensive. had no idea!!! wow! with the recent demise of kirsten pipes, there seem to be few survivors from what was once a faitly vast range of "metals."

 

[williamcharles]

I hear ya. The metals are definitely disappearing. I have Falcon, Kirsten, Kaywoodie and Dr. Grabow Viking pipes and all give a great smoke. Just recently I got an email from Grabow stating they are discontinuing the Vikings so another one bites the dust.

 

[George Kaplan]

I hear ya. The metals are definitely disappearing. I have Falcon, Kirsten, Kaywoodie and Dr. Grabow Viking pipes and all give a great smoke. Just recently I got an email from Grabow stating they are discontinuing the Vikings so another one bites the dust.

I had no idea Vikings were still in production! Back in the 90's I bought one with its bowl in an antique shop for $5. Later that day, at a different antique shop I found a boxed set, missing the stem and one bowl, priced at 75 cents. I have no proof that these two items ever went together originally, but for $5.75 I really don't care.

 

[Blackhorse]

Being a fan of all things metal and one that my limited collection of Falcons allows to enjoy the occasional Steampunk fantasy I would recommend selecting the path that would lead you to the largest and most economical 'parts bin'. In other words review how many possible stems/bowls each side offers and for what current prices and if your appreciation of the artistic and smoking performance merits of each is equal then choose your direction based on the cost/benefit sort of thing. Not ever having seen an Alco (which is apparently a very limited subset of Falcon and not in current production) but having for years been aware of and presented with purchasing options for Falcons (which is in and of itself a rather powerfull argument) MY choice would be the latter.

BTW: Kudos to our own research expert here...yet another cogent bit of work.

Huzzah...huzzah...huzzah! :cheers:

 

[jrtaster]

blackhorse, can't say if the alco pipe is still in production but there are a selection of new alcos available on-line from james barbour tobacconist in the u.k.
and william charles, the news that vikings were until recently still in production shocked me also. can i ask if you know of a retailer (preferably on-line) who sells new vikings?? ebay pickings even of the used are slim, but f there are new ones available, i'd consider picking up one or two. do you know if the viking and falcons are compatible bowl/stem??
you guys are a wealth of useful info. thanks again!

 

[Blackhorse]

Don't know diddly about the Viking (Dr. Graybow) other than the following found via a one minute google search:

FINAL PRODUCTION OF VIKING PIPES

Recently, we produced the very last, metal- base Dr Grabow Viking pipes. Vikings will never again be produced in America because the metal bases are no longer available. These last Vikings are available with either a smooth finish bowl or a rustic bowl.

Prices are $20.00 for the smooth finish and $19.00 for the rustic.

ORDERING / PAYMENT

If you wish to order the ‘Dr Grabow Special 11’ or the Dr Grabow Viking pipe please do so by noting which variations you want on the enclosed order form.

Dr Grabow Special 11 Bent Smooth Dr Grabow Special 11 Bent Rustic

Price $25.00 Price $24.00

Dr Grabow Special 11 Straight Smooth Dr Grabow Special 11 Straight Rustic

Price $25.00 Price $24.00

Dr Grabow Viking Smooth Dr Grabow Viking Rustic

Price $20.00 Price $19.00

That entry on another site was dated July of 2011. The following link was also provided:

http://www.drgrabow.net/smokingpipes.aspx

You've asked the question reqarding the interchangability of bowls and stems from different makers a couple of times...and I believe if you just think about it a little, you'll come to what likely is the correct conclusion. Makers are out there to win customers over to their brand. Once there, they want that customer to buy THEIR product, not be able to sub in someone else's production. You saw that within Falcon when they designed a new style and didn't make the threads compatible with their other line. I certainly wouldn't expect a Viking bowl to fit a Falcon stem...or a Kirsten or a Comet or any of the other 'droid pipes' with which I'm familiar.

It seems to me there's really only one sensible choice for you. Focus on the one (that I know of) company that still produces stems and bowls, of which there is a great variety, a good amount of estate that shows up now and again, and a sound water trapping design that provides a dry cool smoke...and allows you to dedicate bowls to certain blends (like I do...using different ones for Lakelands, etc.). What's more, they are rugged little buggers. I've got a couple that I toss into my tool box and cart all over the place. I just wrap 'em in a sock (no, like a real sock...I've got plenty of singles) and they take a licking and keep on ticking.

Good luck.

 

[danindayton]

I have both, Vikings and Falcons and the bowls are not interchangable. I seem to remember a mention on this forum about someone selling pipes that were compatible with the Dr. Grabow pipe. Ya had to join Facebook to get to their E store. I passed.

I checked the link and there was no mention of Viking pipes.

danindayton
ilurkalot

 

[loneredtree]

I have read that the Alco bowls fit the Vikings.