Pros and Cons of Filters?

[olkofri]

Oh, man, if the WHO gets ahold of those pictures they'll quickly mass produce posters and warning labels: "non-smoker's lung vs smoker's lung".

 

[anotherbob]

Oh, man, if the WHO gets ahold of those pictures they'll quickly mass produce posters and warning labels: "non-smoker's lung vs smoker's lung".

I remember seeing people making these videos that show running a burning cigs smoke through a tube into something to catch it. Then saying that's what a cig does to your lungs. Sorry but no one smokes a cig like that and my lungs aren't made out of cotton swabs or whatever. Funny how little differences can be huge. If they said this shows how much gunk is in cig smoke I'd say wonderful demonstration, but to say that's what one cig does to your lungs. Worse part is public health info goes best when you treat the public as intelligent and deserving of informed consent for their actions.

 

[olkofri]

I remember seeing people making these videos that show running a burning cigs smoke through a tube into something to catch it. Then saying that's what a cig does to your lungs.

Haha. Yeah, I was thinking of those too as I typed my post above.

 

[anotherbob]

Haha. Yeah, I was thinking of those to as I typed my post above.

ever wonder why light cigs have those stupid holes on the filter? Because it makes those kinds of tests show less gunk. That's also why the tobacco is not packed as tight in lights. That said those tests are still better then vivisections on smokers. Though there are limitations that's not the problem the problem is those limitations are ignored to be more dramatic and drama is a good way to cry wolf.

 

[olkofri]

to be more dramatic and drama is a good way to cry wolf.

Current narrative and MO about something else we just can't stop hearing about, huh? ??

 

[anotherbob]

Current narrative and MO about something else we just can't stop hearing about, huh? ??

depending on your sources and stuff. However the current topic clearly has the potential to be very serious. Cause sure it's just a flu and flus kill people too... However we have built in immunity to most flus which means they don't get around so much, it's key significant feature is how fast it moves. Which means that it can overwhelm a health system really quickly and suddenly and then lots more people die. And the thing is it isn't the numbers of dead that matter as much as the dense concentration. This thing is serious, maybe not as serious as some people are acting but still nothing to sneeze at (don't let people sneeze at you either).

 

[olkofri]

Aa- Aa- Aat-CHOOO!!

'Cuse me, anyway, back to filters.

COUGH COUGH COUGH

Can balsa filters...?

 

[Ebarber]

I've just recently gotten back into pipes after dabbling with them a few years ago.
I used to smoke cigars most days and still do but the cigars are more of a rare occasion now.
I'm really enjoying the pipes but I'm still trying to figure it all out so I guess you can call me a semi experienced noob ?.
With all of that being said I have pipes with and without filters and at this point I seem to prefer the 6mm filtered Savinelli's for the most part.
I do have a Savinelli unfinished bent apple second that is unfiltered and I absolutely love that pipe.
It was the first pipe I bought when I first tried smoking pipes and it smokes like a champ. I like the fact I can pass a cleaner through it mid smoke if needed and I never have to take it apart.
Filters vs unfiltered seems to have both pros and cons.

 

[samuelgawith01]

THIS JUST IN FROM DENICOTEA :I Just received an email from Denicotea saying that their crystal filters are intended for use in cigarette holders,and not in pipes.The reason being that pipes may at times burn too hot ,melting the plastic casing and ruining the pipe.Although I had no difficulty using the filters in my pipe,that doesn’t mean it won’t happen to you,or someone else.

 

[DavidT]

My favorite pipe, and daily smoker, is a BriarWorks author that I bought myself for Christmas. It has a 9mm filter. When I say "daily smoker" I mean I've smoked 5-10 bowls a day every day through it since I opened the box x-mas morning. My conclusion...I love my 9mm filter pipe! I don't get any tobacco, or pipe juice in my mouth.

I've experimented with several brands of filters and have found so far that "Stanwell" has the best draw.So I stock up in those.I can get them from amazon for around $32 for a box of 200 (16 cents ea) currently. The price does change so I keep a look out for when it drops and buy several. The end caps are ceramic, so are unaffected by heat, the tubes are paper/cardboard, and they are filled with activated charcoal.The tubes will get saturated after one or two smokes and need to be changed. Sure it adds another cost, but to me it's well worth it.

I do have a few other pipes in my collection, but the non-filtered ones just don't get used much , if any at all at this point. I make exception for the clay pipes I recently obtained. I still can't get my head around how dry those clays smoke. I'll smoke the clay churchwarden filled with Nightcap or Irish Flake just before bed.And I do enjoy the shorter clay on the weekends when I have time to devote to it.

 

[Hillcrest]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

I have pipes that take 9mm, I have Balsa (Savinelli) pipes, and I also have filterless pipes.

Here's my take:

The 9mm filter: It does take away some of the flavor in the smoke, but it also does provide a much cooler and more dry smoke. The flavour will taste more 'bland' with a 9mm filter. If you are a noob, you will not even notice the difference. Experienced pipe smokers will.

Balsa: I wouldn't even call these filters. They are basically just moisture traps. They do not alter the smoke taste, but they prevent gurgling and moisture build up within the pipe. They are really only good for one smoke. If you try to smoke two bowls with the same filter, the pipe will gurgle. They also smell rancid.

Filterless: Highest flavour, highest difficulty. However, ease of access and abundance of pipe options come into play. I don't want to shit on anyone, but most experienced pipe smokers prefer filterless (myself included). This provides a huge range of options for aesthetics, shapes, sizes and brands. Also, naturally, if you don't have to buy filters ($0.10/smoke) then filterless is a cheaper long term option.

I realize this is an old thread but if you read the Savinelli website ...somewhere on there ... they tell you that two university labs conducted studies and the balsa filters do filter 66% of the tar and nicotine out of the pipe smoke. Savinelli originally tested meerschaum, bamboo and balsa and went with balsa for cost effectiveness. I would imagine the charcoal filters do the same or better. As others have stated it comes down to personal preference and any choice has pros and cons.

 

[b1gb2olo]

I have charcoal filters , I see a lot online that they last 3-4 smokes. Should I change it between blends?

Like I smoked an English blend yesterday and today a cherry aromatic.

 

[fireground_piper]

I change mine after every smoke.

 

[Copperhead]

I use 6mm balsa on both 6 and 9mm pipes, simply for the moisture control. I just set it in the 9mm and let it float.

I also purchase my balsa wood from hobby lobby and cut it myself....much cheaper, and I toss them after each smoke.

Smoking without a filter is no problem, either....I just pull the stem out and blow through it when it gurgles. (I know I know....heresy!! but, the shank never seems to be hot, nor even very warm, so I see no issue.)

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

I change mine after every smoke.

Me too. They always look so wet and brown. The thought of reusing them is pretty disgusting.

 

[b1gb2olo]

That's pretty helpful. Are there any other brands of charcoal filters the fit in a savinelli ? Their 100 count is like $40. But I see some others a lot cheaper.