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saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,192
5,116
Practicality says that filtered pipes smoke the same without the filter, with or without the adaptor. But I reject a filtered pipe because however small, the draft must be affected by it. Because any typical barbarian like me cannot detect a difference doesn't change the impediment of the portion of the enlarged shank. Splitting hairs, I know, but hey, what else is a forum for?
 

DanWil84

Lifer
Mar 8, 2021
1,691
12,665
40
The Netherlands (Europe)
Being from europe getting unfiltered pipes is not hard, but most are filtered. I always worked around it, but my latest Stanwell uses a 9mm (which I didnt see when ordering, so it wasnt intentional) I could work around, but I hardly do that as the result is mostly not what I want when I do that. I smoked it only once and for me it did smoke like any other unfiltered pipe. I used a activated carbon filter from Stanwell.
 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,234
Austin, TX
I love filtered pipes, I don’t smoke them with a filter or an adapter. Keeps the draw wide open, never have an issue.

I’ve heard some people say they act similar to a reverse calabash, though, I don’t know what that means, I never bothered to understand what a reverse calabash is.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,211
60,638
It's true, pipes built for filters are not guaranteed to smoke well without any filter or adaptor, however, from experience, I find that most of them do. The potential problem is that the irregularities in the airway with the filter or adaptor removed could cause turbulence that makes the draw uneven and too open. Even the 9 mm filter pipe I own, a gift Austrian Kemberling smooth bent Rhodesian, smokes elegantly well with no filter or adaptor. The draw is more even than with the filter; I tried it out just to see. But it is a pipe by pipe determination, no guarantees.
 

Piping Abe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 27, 2021
604
1,695
North Dakota, USA
Majority of my pipes accept 6mm filters. I do use a filter, but very rarely. I’ve never had any draw issues or any issues really when not using a filter. In fact the only issues I’ve ever had with a wet smoke is when I used unfiltered pipes.
 

karam

Lifer
Feb 2, 2019
2,604
9,927
Basel, Switzerland
I have a couple of filtered pipes, removed the filter and adapter, no big deal. Haven't found a detectable difference in smoking but there can be a bit of finagling to run a pipe cleaner through while smoking.
Same. I don’t like the tight or uber tight draw with the filters. A friend and fellow pipe smoker claims unfiltered smoking is very harsh.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Briar Lee
Jul 28, 2016
8,083
42,798
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
Being from europe getting unfiltered pipes is not hard, but most are filtered. I always worked around it, but my latest Stanwell uses a 9mm (which I didnt see when ordering, so it wasnt intentional) I could work around, but I hardly do that as the result is mostly not what I want when I do that. I smoked it only once and for me it did smoke like any other unfiltered pipe. I used a activated carbon filter from Stanwell.
except for those few higher end British manufacturers and few in Italy(Castello&Radice )which pipes mostly come unfiltered
 

marconi

Part of the Furniture Now
May 17, 2019
696
5,349
England
All of my pipes I smoke with either 6mm or 9mm carbon filters. I have tried non filtered pipes and IMO they give a harsh wet smoke.Carbon filters smoke clean and dry.All Iam left with is white ash all the gunk is in the soggy filter which is what it’s there for.
As for balsa and paper filters complete waste of time IMO.
 

mikethompson

Comissar of Christmas
Jun 26, 2016
11,863
25,748
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ahh the old filter debate.

Recently scientists and archeologists discovered the remains of burnt tobacco in a cave, along with some cave drawings. The deciphered the drawings and it was actually two Paleolithic gents debating the merits of a filter on their pipe.

I will weigh in and say that it depends on your filter. I don't much care for the charcoal canisters, but the Brigham maple wood filters work great.