New Vauen Pipe In-comming

[maxpeters]

I have been browsing online retail pipe sites lately, and as most of you know, that is one of the first symptoms of PAD. If you ever want to kick the habit, don't go window shopping!
Anyway,I ended up at smokingpipes.com and after perusing their different brands and categories, came upon this nice Vauen Polo pipe.

It is a husky apple shaped 9mm filter pipe made in Germany. Do any of you have any Vauen pipes? This is my first one. I have other filter pipes and don't use the filters in them. Is the 9mm filter on these pipes any better than say, Savinelli's or Brigahm's system?
After ordering it, I read on another pipe forum that there was some problem with the finish bubbling on their cheaper pipes. Do any of you have a problem with that sort of thing?
Anyway, I will post the picture they showed on their site since I haven't recieved it yet.
Vauen Polo Smooth shape 31

 

[nsfisher]

9mm filters are filled with tiny charcoal beads, they do a great job of filtering out gunk but unfortunately also taste. ur choice, i dont use em. but on another note, i do like the brigham rockmaple filters

 

[kamikazesasquatch]

the vauens I have are rustic so I don't know about the finish bubbling. But I love how they smoke. I removed the filter from mine.

 

[clanobucklin]

It's a nice looking pipe - let us know how it smokes when you get it.

 

[rigmedic1]

Yes, please let us know how it performs. I haven't pulled the trigger on a Vauen, but I have heard a lot of good about them.

 

[baronsamedi]

Probably my favorite pipe shape

 

[maxpeters]

I recieved this pipe from smokingpipes.com really quickly. I have been putting it though it's paces since it arrived.

I have smoked it probably 8 times, and have already formed some opinions. First of all, and what I wanted to know mostly, was how the 9mm filter system worked on this brand. To cut to the quick, I removed the filter after about the first 10 min. It did not impress me at all.

The filter fits into the stem. Either Vauen cut the filter reservoir too long, or it's supposed to work this way, which I can't believe is the case, as it's really annoying. When puffing, the filter sucks up against the rear most area of the reservoir, making it feel like it's obstructing the airway. You can feel it suck back. When you slightly blow, you can feel it slip forward, which frees up the airway. Since I puff more than I blow, the airway feels obstructed during most of your smoke. So I just took it out.

Which created another problem. The air hole leading from the reservoir to the bowl did not match up with the airway leading down through the stem. This makes it almost impossible to run a cleaner through it when it starts to gurgle. Also the condensation comes up to the reservoir and settles in the bottom where your cleaner can't reach. You find that out when you pull the stem off. The moisture spills out.

Solution? What I did was put one of Savinelli's 6mm balsa wood filters in it instead. Not a perfect fit, but it works. No gurgle. No pipe cleaners needed. Great!

You just have to change filters before each smoke. That problem solved, there are some very nice details about the pipe that I rarely see of inexpensive pipes. And this was faily inexpensive at only $ 67.50.

The first was the recessed rim. It makes filling the bowl somewhat easier. The second thing was the lip of the stem. It is slightly beveled towards the smoker, which makes it very comfortable to put in between your lips. These are little details which inhance the smoking experience I think. I have never had a pipe lip like this on any of my other pipes. It is really nice feeling to bring it to your mouth for a puff. It feels like a much thinner lip, but the rear still has enough lip to hold in your teeth without difficulty.

The finish is very shiny, which make me somewhat suspect. I don't know what the finish is, or if the briar can breath or not. It doesn't seem to smoke hot though. Most pipes with a varnish finish will, although I do have an older Hilson pipe with a finish that has never lost it's luster, and it has always delivered a cool smoke.

There are no fills in the pipe, although it does have several pits up around the top of the bowl. All in all, for what I paid for it, I think it accounts for itself rather well.

 

[dylan793]

Nice looking pipe for sure. I like bowl rims that have the inner rim angle into the bowl. That's a nice touch. I've yet to purchase a pipe designed for a 9mm filter, or any filter. I just couldn't be bothered with it :?

 

[classicgeek]

I have a Vauen 3108 Rhodesian that I bought when I was in Portland Oregon two summers ago:

It came with the churchwarden and a short 1/2 bent stem. Most of the time I use the short stem. I never bothered with the filter. The pipe itself is a great smoker. It's one of my larger pipes, so I load it up when I've got a good long while to relax. I'm not sure why, but it always has seemed to really absorb the tobacco flavouring. I don't mind it at all, but if you were worried about ghosting a pipe, this one would give you fits.
Simon