While i do prefer filters today i took the filter out of the Rossi and smoked a boil of union square, have you admit i like the wide open draw, definitely more of a sipping experience but with much more smoke, duh right. The thing is with the wide open draw i get less gurgle than i do with 3mm filterless pipes, makes sense when you think about it as you’re not pulling steam through a restricted area. Just thought it was an interesting revelation on my part.
Confession of a pipe filter lover
- Thread starter Tombstone Smoker
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I know this is an older thread but i wanted to add my 2 cents.
Years ago i smoked both filter and non filtered pipes. Lol infact i would simply not put one of those paper filters in.
This time around my pipe came with a couple of 9mm charcoal filters and it was my first experience with them.
I bought a box of 100 and do a soft dry clean nightly and change the filter.
For me its the less gurgling and ammonia smell that my old dr G gave me.
Infact with this one i don't have any issues.
I adit the other night i cleaned the pipe with alcohol and it is good.
I blame the strange taste on the cheap tobacco i have been using. Lol now it even taste good.
Bottom line:
If the pipe uses 9mm charcoal filters then i will most definitely use them.
If its filterless - then i will definitely use it without and be happy.
Filters and pipes sure have changed since i last smoked a pipe.
Totally Enjoying smoking a pipe again. Smoking less and enjoying less inhaling but thats not to say my pipe sits idle.
Years ago i smoked both filter and non filtered pipes. Lol infact i would simply not put one of those paper filters in.
This time around my pipe came with a couple of 9mm charcoal filters and it was my first experience with them.
I bought a box of 100 and do a soft dry clean nightly and change the filter.
For me its the less gurgling and ammonia smell that my old dr G gave me.
Infact with this one i don't have any issues.
I adit the other night i cleaned the pipe with alcohol and it is good.
I blame the strange taste on the cheap tobacco i have been using. Lol now it even taste good.
Bottom line:
If the pipe uses 9mm charcoal filters then i will most definitely use them.
If its filterless - then i will definitely use it without and be happy.
Filters and pipes sure have changed since i last smoked a pipe.
Totally Enjoying smoking a pipe again. Smoking less and enjoying less inhaling but thats not to say my pipe sits idle.
For what it’s worth the white elephant meerschaum filters tend to be the least obstructive in the sense of they don’t remove as much flavour as the activated charcoal filters but they do seem to remove a lot of the tar etc which makes cleaning my pipes a much less arduous task. They come in 6 and 9mm so works for both some corn cobs as well as others.
Grabow makes the best paper filter in my opinion, and I really like Vauen 6 and 9mm charcoal.
To me, I find it more palatable for health to minimize intake of tars, nicotine, etc…leaving only the cool dry flavor I’m enjoying.
Without research published by the filter companies (despite their claims), I don’t know what real benefit is actually obtained.
Wonder why Europe went so hard for the 9mm filter from a health perspective?
To me, I find it more palatable for health to minimize intake of tars, nicotine, etc…leaving only the cool dry flavor I’m enjoying.
Without research published by the filter companies (despite their claims), I don’t know what real benefit is actually obtained.
Wonder why Europe went so hard for the 9mm filter from a health perspective?
I checked with my wife, and she said a filter was not enough to be sure.
I've never used a filter, and I do feel averse to the idea.
Perhaps if I frequently smoked many bowls a day, I'd feel a little less averse to the idea? I don't know. (I typically smoke a bowl a day.)
Off the cuff, I think that I feel averse for two reasons:
(a) I get very irritated with restricted draws. I like a wide open draw which I just sip. If the only pipes in existence were pipes which made me work harder for the smoke, I'd probably smoke far less frequently.
(b) This is difficult to explain or define, but a previous comment will help me get at my point: A previous commenter said that filters were like automatic transmissions (he meant this positively). Bingo -- except that for me, this is a negative. It's a more modern complication which somehow detracts psychologically from the purity, rawness, simplicity, tradition, and nostalgia of the thing.
But it goes without saying that this is one of those things for which we can safely say, YMMV.
Perhaps if I frequently smoked many bowls a day, I'd feel a little less averse to the idea? I don't know. (I typically smoke a bowl a day.)
Off the cuff, I think that I feel averse for two reasons:
(a) I get very irritated with restricted draws. I like a wide open draw which I just sip. If the only pipes in existence were pipes which made me work harder for the smoke, I'd probably smoke far less frequently.
(b) This is difficult to explain or define, but a previous comment will help me get at my point: A previous commenter said that filters were like automatic transmissions (he meant this positively). Bingo -- except that for me, this is a negative. It's a more modern complication which somehow detracts psychologically from the purity, rawness, simplicity, tradition, and nostalgia of the thing.
But it goes without saying that this is one of those things for which we can safely say, YMMV.
For those who might be interested and may have missed it, here are some quotes from my earlier threads about filers.
Actually I've always felt the word "filter" was a misnomer when applied to the balsa. It's really more of an absorber. From what I can tell it does not affect the taste other than smoothing it when the blend is overly wet.... such as some aromatics.
I have several Savinelli filter pipes I use to smoke an occasional aromatic. Here's how to save money on the filters. Instead of buying the actual filters. I go on ebay and buy a pack of balsa wood rods in the right size (3/16x1/8"). I cut them to length and that's it. Cost is about 10% the cost of filters and they work just as well. A tip: if you cut the ends on a slight angle the pipe draws better.
Actually I've always felt the word "filter" was a misnomer when applied to the balsa. It's really more of an absorber. From what I can tell it does not affect the taste other than smoothing it when the blend is overly wet.... such as some aromatics.
I have several Savinelli filter pipes I use to smoke an occasional aromatic. Here's how to save money on the filters. Instead of buying the actual filters. I go on ebay and buy a pack of balsa wood rods in the right size (3/16x1/8"). I cut them to length and that's it. Cost is about 10% the cost of filters and they work just as well. A tip: if you cut the ends on a slight angle the pipe draws better.
An experiment anyone can try with an Army Mount. Taste the difference (if any) with and without a filter. I detect very mild if any flavor difference, and I see a difference after smoking between the bowl and mouthpiece sides of the filter.
I speak for the charcoal filters in particular. I think they are effective in removing “junk” from the smoke stream without out messing with flavor.
I speak for the charcoal filters in particular. I think they are effective in removing “junk” from the smoke stream without out messing with flavor.
I have used filters exclusively since day-one. In some pipes, and as has been mentioned here already, I surmised that filters would accentuate the collection of moisture and gurgling. My Savs gurgle reliably nearly every smoke. OTOH, some filter pipes will probably never gurgle, e.g. MM cobs or Dr. Grabows. (I'm beginning to think that gurgling is at least partially related to the height above the bottom of the bowl that the draw hole enters the bowl.)
The are some pipe brands that I'll never own, e.g. Kaywoodie, which to my knowledge has never issued a pipe that takes a filter. I think some Dunhills take a filter, but I rarely see them, which is fine with me.
Lastly, while some here commiserate about PAD and TAD, in my case it is FAD...LOL
Edit: I have a Celius freehand that was beautifully restored by G. Debos, no filter, no smoke (don't tell him).
The are some pipe brands that I'll never own, e.g. Kaywoodie, which to my knowledge has never issued a pipe that takes a filter. I think some Dunhills take a filter, but I rarely see them, which is fine with me.
Lastly, while some here commiserate about PAD and TAD, in my case it is FAD...LOL
Edit: I have a Celius freehand that was beautifully restored by G. Debos, no filter, no smoke (don't tell him).
I never used a filter and I'm not going to, conditioning took care of my mouth burn and excess moisture is easy to take care of by myself. I also like to have as little drag on the draw and as much taste or mouth-feel as possible. My second pipe came with a free acitvated charcoal filter in it but I threw it away,
never even gave it a chance to leech off any kind of experience.
For excessive gurgling I, again, recommend pieces of sepiolite/Meerschaum placed on the bottom of the chamber, perhaps even in the shank if it doesn't drag too much. I've seen boxes of those Meerschaum pieces for sale online and I never compared prices but logic tells me that less processed material should be cheaper than those fancy filters. Maybe try it with bare pieces of activated charcoal, it might be cheaper.
Just be carefull to remove and not inhale any dust that might come from those pieces, I think that might be the only drawback. For the busy people a regular filter might still be the best alternative.
never even gave it a chance to leech off any kind of experience.
For excessive gurgling I, again, recommend pieces of sepiolite/Meerschaum placed on the bottom of the chamber, perhaps even in the shank if it doesn't drag too much. I've seen boxes of those Meerschaum pieces for sale online and I never compared prices but logic tells me that less processed material should be cheaper than those fancy filters. Maybe try it with bare pieces of activated charcoal, it might be cheaper.
Just be carefull to remove and not inhale any dust that might come from those pieces, I think that might be the only drawback. For the busy people a regular filter might still be the best alternative.
It's interesting your "Savs" or, I assume, Savinellis have a gurgle problem. Do you ever change the filter? I have about a dozen Savs and don't have a problem with gurgle from any of them. I do change the filter after about 3 smokes though...
Yup, change the filter after each smoke. It's probably just me.It's interesting your "Savs" or, I assume, Savinellis have a gurgle problem. Do you ever change the filter? I have about a dozen Savs and don't have a problem with gurgle from any of them. I do change the filter after about 3 smokes though...