Most Effective Filtration?

piperatthegatesofdawn · Jul 25, 2019

Hi all,
This is my first post, so hello, nice to meet you. i've read many of your posts I'm sure!
I've never smoked before so am looking for the pipe filter that removes the most tar and nicotine. I read that balsa is 'supposed' to remove 77% of nicotine, but am wondering whether there are any stats available for the percentage filtered by charcoal filters as a comparison? Does anyone have any idea if they are supposed to be more/ less effective?
I know a lot of you say filters affect the flavour of the smoke, but at this stage I just want the mildest and lowest concentrated smoke possible and see if it's for me.
Any help would be appreciated and I look forward to becoming an actuive member of this forum and learning more on my piping journey!

Chasing Embers · Jul 25, 2019

At best, a pipe filter is more of a moisture trap than anything. Unless you are planning on inhaling the pipe smoke you're really not going to reap much benefit from one except avoiding moisture related tongue bite. That being said, balsa is the best I've seen in that capacity.

mikethompson · Jul 25, 2019

The filter just eliminates moisture from the smoke. You don't want to pull pipe smoke into your lungs at all, you must sip the pipe and swirl the smoke around in your mouth, then exhale. At least that's what I do. The first rule of pipe smoking is that everyone has their own style.
I've had good luck with these in my Brigham pipes. I think they are very similar to the balsa wood filters.

whatever you choose, good luck on your journey and I hope you find something that works for you.

piperatthegatesofdawn · Jul 25, 2019

Thanks for the replies.
No, I have no intention of inhaling, but wanted to limit the nicotine hit to my mouth as much as possible, as I am not used to it at all and wondered if charcoal or balsa would be more effective in that regard. I can't find any studies on activated charcoal efficacy at all!
Has anyone tried both and noticed any difference?

husky · Jul 25, 2019

I am also a rather new relapsed pipe smoker so contradicting someone like Embers is

what it is, but the filter that removes the most "nasties" would be the 9mm with activated charcoal.

All the smoke passes through the filter and not around it as with some balsa, and the activated charcoal

chemically binds stuff rather than just adhere to it.

I have used them before and I use them now but I am going away from filtered pipes

because I want to learn to smoke properly without aids.

mikethompson · Jul 25, 2019

There are plenty of low nicotine blends to try, but everyone's resistance is different. Petersons St. James Flake is too much for me most times for instance.

piperatthegatesofdawn · Jul 25, 2019

Thanks Husky, interesting info.
Do 9mm charcoal filters fit in any corn cob pipes? I can only seem to find 6mm ones.

hoosierpipeguy · Jul 25, 2019

What is your purpose for smoking a pipe if you want to filter everything out? If you just like how you think you look with a pipe in your mouth, buy a big one, drill it out and install some kind of vaping device in it.

ashdigger · Jul 25, 2019

^^^ This

piperatthegatesofdawn · Jul 25, 2019

As stated above, as someone not used to nicotine I want to limit the hit when starting out. Not looking to 'filter everything out' as you put it. There are many contented pipe smokers who use filters, so I'm pretty sure it must be possible!

hoosierpipeguy · Jul 25, 2019

I've not heard of a nicotine filter. Filters primarily remove moisture and tars. For the vast majority of people, nicotine is a primary objective with smoking. I would think the round fiber filters would be more effective as they fill the draft hope while balsa seems more for absorbing moisture. A lot of pipe tobacco's do not pass along much nicotine, try one of those.

scloyd · Jul 25, 2019

First, welcome to the forum.
I only smoke a few bowls a week and I am a nicotine weakling. When I smoke higher nicotine blends I smoke one of my 9mm pipes with either a Adsorba filter or a Blitz filter. It states on the packaging of both that the filters reduce tar and nicotine. How much? I have no idea. I also make sure I don't smoke higher nicotine blends on an empty stomach.
I smoke lower nicotine blends without a filter.
Some people like filters, some don't. Smoke your pipes the way you want...don't let anyone discourage you.

smudgersmissingleg · Jul 25, 2019

I find the charcoal 9mm filters seem to trap the most moisture and reduce the harshness the best, to me the difference is akin to smoking filtered & unfiltered cigarettes in that it just takes the rough edges off.

Filters of all kinds are much more popular in Europe than the US and you won't find much love for them here (that's been my experience anyway).

As with most things in pipe smoking the best way is to try filtered & unfiltered and see which you prefer.
Chris

scloyd · Jul 25, 2019

@piperatthegatesofdawn - here is an interesting blog/article from master blender Russ Ouellette about filters. Tobacco Pipe Filters Explained
Read it and decide for yourself.

husky · Jul 25, 2019

As a newbie myself I don't think you have to worry about a to strong nicotine hit.

If I smoke once a day or once every other day there is no sign of addiction whatsoever.

Should you find that it does feel a bit much then just put the pipe down for a while.

Read the good advice for new smokers on this site, based on that get a pipe you like and just try it!

Good luck.. and welcome!

piperatthegatesofdawn · Jul 25, 2019

@scloyd - An interesting read, thanks. I totally get the argument that for those who smoke primarily for nicotine will just draw on the pipe harder and hold the smoke for longer thereby negating the effectiveness of any filter BUT for the likes of me who are used to no nicotine at all, then a filtered pipe with a lower level of nicotine would surely just become my norm?
Maybe just getting the least strong tobacco I can find is the answer to begin with. Anyone in the UK have any recommedations for a good, light, beginners smoke?

spartacus · Jul 25, 2019

here is an interesting blog/article from master blender Russ Ouellette about filters. Tobacco Pipe Filters Explained
Read it and decide for yourself.

Good article. I have also heard that you can reduce the nicotine if you don't retrohale.
I need to retrohale to get the full flavor of the blend so that won't work for me.

Chasing Embers · Jul 25, 2019

If I smoke once a day or once every other day there is no sign of addiction whatsoever.

Sounds like you've been listening to muttonchop. Any regular tobacco use over a long term will create forms of addiction.

alaskanpiper · Jul 25, 2019

If I smoke once a day or once every other day there is no sign of addiction whatsoever

This will vary greatly from person to person, some people are much more prone to addiction in general, or with certain substances than others.
At the end of the day what Embers said is correct, nicotine is an addictive substance to anyone, your ability to counter that, the severity of withdrawals, and your ability to get through said withdrawals is a large spectrum for users of any addictive substance.
If you keep using it regularly, your tolerance to its effects, and your physiological and psychological addiction to it will build, that is a universal truth among all substances. How difficult it is for you to overcome that is what may differ.
Of course, people will have different definitions of what constitutes regular use as well.
As to the OP, in my experience balsa wood filters are the best for absorbing moisture. As far as tar and nicotine, I have no idea which sort of filter is most efficient, or if there is a correlation between that and moisture absorption.

mso489 · Jul 25, 2019

European pipes smokers have taken to the 9 mm charcoal filters in a major way, so that's a definite testimonial. I'm a moderate smoker, a bowl a day and days off, so I don't use filters, but think they would be good for pipe shows and pipe clubs where you smoke more than usual, or to tame an especially strong blend selectively on occasion. Welcome aboard. I have long thought filters are not well explained to beginners, so they buy filter pipes, or unfiltered pipes, without knowing what they're doing. Someone more authoritative than me might write a one-pager on filters and ask if Kevin or a mod might post it for general info for beginners, to ease their learning curve. There are many different filters and moisture traps, and adaptors to avoid filters, so there are things to know.

Most Effective Filtration?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Lurker

Captain of the Black Frigate

Lifer

Lurker

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Lurker

Lifer

Lifer

Lurker

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lurker

Lifer

Captain of the Black Frigate

Enabler in Chief

Lifer