High Grade Pipe with Filter...Will It Smoke Well Without It?
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I smoke my 6mm filter capable pipes without filters and have no problem at all. There also should be available an insert to keep the draw hole more consistent throughout.
The only filter pipes I have are cobs and one Medico. They all smoke fine without the filter, though some might think the draw is too open; works for me though.
I admit I'd be hesitant to drop big bucks on a filter pipe with plans to smoke it without the filter. It'll probably be fine, but if not...
I admit I'd be hesitant to drop big bucks on a filter pipe with plans to smoke it without the filter. It'll probably be fine, but if not...
There's no reason to think a pipe won't smoke well without a filter unless it won't smoke well with a filter either.
The airflow will be affected by the large opening in the draft hole. The filter hole will be a trap for moisture as well. I wouldn't spend S. Bang money for a filter pipe unless I planned on using a filter.
And if you check, LOTS of Bangs will take a 9mm filter...that surprised me a little. Now I feel pretty good about all my Lorenzetti Constantines that use a 9mm.
It can be fitted with an adapter and should smoke fine. I don't have a Bang, but a few Dunhills that are 9mm filter pipes. I use a Vauen adapter and they smoke very well. I believe Hacker talks about getting a pipe from Bo Nordh or one of those fellows and Bo fitted it with an adapter since Hacker didn't want a filter.
I regularly use Savenelli 6mm adapters to narrow the filter chamber on Savenelli and Dr. Grabow pipes. I find that a filter pipe without a filter introduces too much air into the airway and diminishes the flavor and my control of the draw. However, many Forums members seem to smoke filter pipes without filters and are perfectly happy with it. I agree though, that in that price range I'd want a pipe that smokes to specifications the same way I plan to smoke it. I've never bought any 9 mm pipes just because I don't want to introduce another filter or no-filter adapter into my life. I keep it simple if I can. If someone gifted me with a 9 mm pipe, I would likely get a 9 mm adapter and forget about it.
Definitely use the balsa filters of the pipe will take them. Filter pipes are designed with a filtered amount of airflow in mind. If you don't want filters, I'd say it's best to buy a pipe that was designed as such. With that said, my experience with filters has been positive. One nice thing about the Savinelli balsa 9mm filters is that they're (+)-shaped. This allows me to sometimes break a joint off easily if I want to customize the amount of airflow.
It'll smoke fine without out the filter... if the price is right just think of it as a S. Bang reverse calabash ... I have several pipes made for 9mm filters that I just leave the filters out of.. they smoke as good as my non filtered pipes and my RC pipes... you can use an adaptor if desired, but the smoking effects are none different that BBB did the the 30-60's with their shank chambers.. or the reverse calabash craze of today...
james
james
I don't care for filter pipes without the filter - the draught is too wide open for my taste. I fit Savinelli 6 mm filter adaptors in my Dunhill filter pipes and they smoke great.
That is probably a good way to get into an S. Bang at a lower cost. Many high grade European pipes are filter pipes, many aren't listed as such on Ebay by unwitting sellers.
That is probably a good way to get into an S. Bang at a lower cost. Many high grade European pipes are filter pipes, many aren't listed as such on Ebay by unwitting sellers.
I had a figural Anne Julie pipe drilled for a filter that I bought at a show for a giveaway price and it was the best smoking high end Danish pipe I owned. I did smoke it with a charcoal filter and hated it. I tried a paper filter and didn't mind it as much but the draw was a bit tight but after I put a pipe cleaner though the pipe/filter it opened up but I like I said it smoked perfectly without the filter. If the pipe and price is right I would do it again. 8O
Exactly, I haven't seen a lot of variation between the size of the draft hole in either style of pipe, and even then most of my filter pipes end up with a 3/32" bore at the button. Finding something that even maintains 1/8" to the button is extremely rare.
If a filter pipe feels "too open" without the filter then your preference for draft size is probably close to 1/16".
I'm not even going to try and say there's anything wrong with that either, my Vauen pipes are all 3/32" draft and I haven't had a bad smoke out of one yet.
Actually the closest thing I can think of to ever having a "bad smoke" out of anything was my first bowl in a Maple hardwood pipe, but I'm pretty sure a lot of things went wrong simultaneously on that one.
I agree with SS, without the filter the pipe will draw differently and it is certainly harder to keep them clean. Filter adapters solve both of these issues and can be had in a bag of 6 for a few bucks. It's a no brainer. I have a number of filter pipes, hate filters so they all get adapters and smoke wonderfully. Don't pass on a pipe you really like just because it uses a filter. An adapter will solve your problem.
A section of 9mm wooden dowel with a 3mm hole drilled down the center of it solves the problem. Yeh, you may be able to find adapters, but I tend to just do the easiest thing, since I have wooden dowels layabout my studio. I just replace them occasionally instead of cleaning them up. If you do use a store bought adapter, don't forget to remove them to clean them. Gunk seeps around the edges of them and starts to smell terrible. YMMV
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