Weird I have tried those balsa filters and I found I could taste them very much while smoking, to the point where they were interfering with the taste of the tobaccos I was smoking. In fact, all I got was pretty much the balsa wood.
Filters that Minimize Taste Modification.
- Thread starter smmirza
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if you can taste the balsa, smoking out of a briar must drive you nuts.
For those who may have missed it, this is from a previous post.
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") and 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.
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") and 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.
Not scrolling through all the responses but here is my contribution.
Meerschaum filters by white elephant. Night and day for taste.
I couldn’t taste the tobacco with activated charcoal. I switched over to meerschaum and I immediately placed an order for another filter pipe. It’s that much better.
I’ve never tried Balsa
Meerschaum filters by white elephant. Night and day for taste.
I couldn’t taste the tobacco with activated charcoal. I switched over to meerschaum and I immediately placed an order for another filter pipe. It’s that much better.
I’ve never tried Balsa
That's a very smart and decent response to a personal observation. Good job.
Charcoal filters are going to mute the flavors much more than other types of filter such as Savinelli balsas and Medico/Dr. Grabow paper tube filters, which act more as moisture absorbers than actual filters, IMO.
My response was.....genuine. If you can taste the balsa wood, which is a much more neutral wood than briar, then smoking out of a briar must really drive you nuts because it has more flavor to impart on the smoke.
I have used the Savinelli Balsa filters, the white elephant meerschaum filters, and Dr. Grabow paper filters, and I have not noticed any difference in the taste of the tobacco. All 3 work well for me when I use them.
If you dry your tobacco a little more, puff slow, and use a filter it should help with the tongue bite. A P-lip pipe would also help as the smoke goes up and not directly on your tongue. Another suggestion is to watch Matches860 on YT and see how he puffs on a pipe. I've found his technique works well for eliminating tongue bite.
If you dry your tobacco a little more, puff slow, and use a filter it should help with the tongue bite. A P-lip pipe would also help as the smoke goes up and not directly on your tongue. Another suggestion is to watch Matches860 on YT and see how he puffs on a pipe. I've found his technique works well for eliminating tongue bite.
I bought these on amazon and actually liked them better than Savi's and they have a bit different shape to them as well. I get more "out of them".
This question pops up with some regularity, and I enjoy referring folks to a great article on this very site: Your Smoke's All Wet. My additional word of advice is that if you're a new or infrequent smoker, then 2 main things will help: keeping yourself hydrated, and practice. With some time and consideration, your mouth tissue will get used to being subjected to superheated steam.
Unfortunately you’re going to have to try em all to figure it out. My findings have been that Balsa filters work best. I do believe they filter, and I think they did it well. There was a thread on here where someone cut a cross section and found it’s effects.
If you have a spigot it should be safe to pull it off mid smoke and swap the filters around to tell the difference.
If you have a spigot it should be safe to pull it off mid smoke and swap the filters around to tell the difference.
I roll up some burley and place that in the space for the filter.
Really? If I would taste the briar but not the balsa, then I would really be worried.
+1 and make sure your tobacco is dry. My worst tongue bite came from trying to smoke overly wet tobacco.
These filters work just fine for me. They also seem to interrupt the airflow less than paper filters.
I have smoked with most kinds of filters but haven't used them on any regular basis, since I smoke moderately and find they mute flavor to some degree. But my experience makes me think that 9 mm filters are probably the best in terms of actually filtering the smoke, as opposed to reducing moisture.
Also, the idea that 9 mm filters are popular in Europe where tastes for food are cultivated and sophisticated, and there appear to be more pipe smokers per capita, makes me think that they probably interfere with taste the least.
I do notice that most pipes designed to take filter of various kinds smoke just as well without them.
Savinelli balsa filters, Grabow and Medico 6 mm paper filters, and my one stinger pipe seem to smoke well enough with their filters, but the taste is always better with none. If I persisted smoking with a filter, I might only smoke more.
Also, the idea that 9 mm filters are popular in Europe where tastes for food are cultivated and sophisticated, and there appear to be more pipe smokers per capita, makes me think that they probably interfere with taste the least.
I do notice that most pipes designed to take filter of various kinds smoke just as well without them.
Savinelli balsa filters, Grabow and Medico 6 mm paper filters, and my one stinger pipe seem to smoke well enough with their filters, but the taste is always better with none. If I persisted smoking with a filter, I might only smoke more.
I bought a bunch of these in 9mm and 6mm when Savinelli ones were unavailable. I usually use the 6mm adapters instead of filters, but like having the option of filters for goopy aromatics on occasion.