I'd leave the rock maple insert out. I think it will smoke better that way, though I don't own one. 6 mm and 9 mm filter pipes do fine without filter or adaptor, in most cases.
Brigham Pipes
- Thread starter Ksigel
- Start date
Many of the Brigham lines have acrylic stems if you don't want vulcanite, so worth a look. But they do change the shape numbers in different lines by adding or subtracting digits, which makes it harder to search for a specific shape.
The Algonquin, mountaineer and voyager lines have a 3 digit shape code. The first digit matches the number of dots on the system and the other two numbers are the standard shape number that goes across all lines. I believe the acrylic stems begin with the Chinook line but I could be wrong.
Oh, I know: I've a number of them. I shoulda added that I found not just the shape appealing but the rustication. Too bad about their choice of stem material.
My first Brigham was a Voyageur volcano: the stem is all greenish yellow now. ?
Thanks. Will do. Will try with and without filter. Standby
I have one 'Canadian Era' Brigham from somewhere around 1981. It's a great little pipe with no issues. I'm a big fan of the maple filters.
I hope you get yours sorted and it serves you well in the future.
I hope you get yours sorted and it serves you well in the future.
I also have one Canadian era Brigham and several others. I use the rock maple filters. I don’t find that they gum up. I do wash them after about 3 smokes or so and replace with a dry one.
I love my Brigham pipes.
If you search the forum, you'll find many discussions we've had in the past about how to extend the mileage of the wood-filters IF you're going to use them.
Either way, pull the filter when cleaning your pipe - don't try forcing a pipe cleaner through, even though it can be done.
Try tightly rapping the wet and dirty filter in a paper towel, insert a fresh filter in to your pipe; and, let the wet and dirty dry out in the paper towel for a couple of days - capillary action will pull a bunch of nasty out of the wood filter - extending the life by a huge amount.
Or, just forget the filter altogether, and just smoke and smile. - Sherm Natman
If you search the forum, you'll find many discussions we've had in the past about how to extend the mileage of the wood-filters IF you're going to use them.
Either way, pull the filter when cleaning your pipe - don't try forcing a pipe cleaner through, even though it can be done.
Try tightly rapping the wet and dirty filter in a paper towel, insert a fresh filter in to your pipe; and, let the wet and dirty dry out in the paper towel for a couple of days - capillary action will pull a bunch of nasty out of the wood filter - extending the life by a huge amount.
Or, just forget the filter altogether, and just smoke and smile. - Sherm Natman
I’ve got a couple of Brighams, and I’ve been impressed with how well they smoke, especially at that price point. Mine are both quarter bent, and I’ve been able to pass a cleaner through the maple inserts without a problem. For a full bent, though, I could see that being difficult. I always take out the insert after each smoke and rinse it in hot water and let it dry thoroughly. They usually last me at least 10 smokes.
I own three myself. One of the Highlander 2021 POTY that is a good long sit and think pipe. Beautiful flame grain on that fella, and smokes great. Then I have one slightly bent billiard and one bent billiard sitter I rotate as my at work pipes. Excellent workhorse pipes. I don’t bother with the filters once they’re broken in, and I run about 10 bowls a day through them at work. Both are in the sub $100 range, I want to say a voyageur and a tundra respectively.
I have the Lowlander from 2020 and the Highlander. Nice pipes, enjoy them a lot.
Does the rapping have to be tight or can your flow be a little off? Does it have to rhyme
Yup. That highlander tamper sealed the deal for me, personally. And the fact that lower end pipes smoke as well as the high ends do has made me a fan of theirs. I think that’s how it should be. You pay more for the rarer blocks of briar, not the quality control.
I have three of the 09 shapes (straight apple) and love the way they smoke. I will be adding make in the future when something catches my eye.
I use the distillators. They can be smoked without but I find the draw to be too lopen without and they are harder to keep clean without the insert.
That said, I feel the same with 6mm and 9mm filter pipes. I always use adapters to tighten up the draw.
I use the distillators. They can be smoked without but I find the draw to be too lopen without and they are harder to keep clean without the insert.
That said, I feel the same with 6mm and 9mm filter pipes. I always use adapters to tighten up the draw.
I may be stating the obvious but you’re supposed to remove the maple wood filter to clean the pipe. They’re replaceable after a few smokes. I have no trouble cleaning my Brigham pipe.
I recently bought a Brigham Algonquin 226, Rhodesian, bent. Have only smoked with it twice, once with the filter, once without. So far so good. It is a beautiful pipe, nicest looking one I own. Would send a pic, but I don't know how on my tablet. Haha low tech, that's me.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Brigham's POY offering is next year. The past two have been much more attractive than their stock shapes. Maybe a Midlander? 
I don’t know where they are going to go with it next year. The powder horn shape is a great shape though. Those pipes are a good solid handful, and the grain is beautiful.
I have a cheap $50 Burley dedicated Italian made Brigham full bent billiard.
I smoke it without the filter and I just wipe down the tenon which gets pretty wet after I smoke and pass a quick cleaner through the mouthpiece.
As long as you keep it clean a cleaner passes through the shank into the bowl quite easily too and supposedly you can break them up still warm which I have done with no problems so this adds to the workhorse appeal.
It has nice rustication and is one of the coolest smokers I own and without the filter the draw is excellent.
a lil presentation at a pipe show
I smoke it without the filter and I just wipe down the tenon which gets pretty wet after I smoke and pass a quick cleaner through the mouthpiece.
As long as you keep it clean a cleaner passes through the shank into the bowl quite easily too and supposedly you can break them up still warm which I have done with no problems so this adds to the workhorse appeal.
It has nice rustication and is one of the coolest smokers I own and without the filter the draw is excellent.
a lil presentation at a pipe show