Your Smoke's All Wet ... or America's Most Underrated Pipe Part

[admin]

Romeowood had the idea of writing an article about pipe filters. I thought it sounded like a good topic that would probably end up being a couple of paragraphs, and mildly interesting.
Wow, was I ever wrong!
This is likely the most extensive writing ever done on pipe filters - AND - it is super interesting! Check it out -
Your Smoke's All Wet

 

[davidintexas]

I have been quite ignorant of filters and really appreciate the article. Quite informative and interesting. Thank you Kevin, and thank you Romeowood

 

[agnosticpipe]

Very interesting, and confirmed some of my findings too. I use the balsa filters fairly regularly, but not much else.

Good work, and thanks for the research!

 

[mso489]

Good thorough expository piece on pipe filters. A great overview for beginners; there is so much to

know and not many places with all of the information. I have several pipes with filters that I find pleasant

for strong blends when I want the flavor but not quite that edge or kick. Moisture isn't a problem for me in

my unfiltered pipes, so that is not a benefit for me.

 

[youngsterpuffer]

I really only smoke filtered pipes, save for my savinelli bulldog. I don't notice much of a change in flavor, and it keeps me from getting all that moisture through the bit. My favorite briar pipe is a little kleenest brand pipe, with a filter, and it gives me the most enjoyable smoke I've ever had.

 

[cortezattic]

Now here's an article worthy of Pipedia! Nice job! :clap:

 

[12pups]

I have settled on a simple guiding principle for my little pipe collection: Smoke them each the way each was designed to be smoked, though I have not been consistent about using filters. (They are kind of gross, but maybe I have to grow up about that).
I don’t think I would have bothered before. But it evolved into part of my pipe-smoking pleasure now, to have different techniques and be competent in each of them.
Yes, I can’t get through a bowl of aromatic in my Kaywoodie without tending to the stinger. But all I do is unscrew the stem, flick the stinger end once, give a quick blow through it, and screw the stem back in. It is immediately back to dry smoking again and a pleasant cool taste.
My innertubes — neither here nor there. I don’t notice them doing much different than my un-stingered pipes, both of which types I keep a fuzzy pipe cleaner nearby and run through probably at least once in a smoke.
To each his own, but I really appreciate this article, since the author’s expertise shores up my confidence in my own preference.
Thanks!

 

[topd]

This is the first article I’ve read dedicated to filters and find that I was quit ignorant… Thanks for the good read!

 

[yazamitaz]

Always good reading when Romeowood pens (keyboards) it.

 

[brudnod]

I have formatted the article in Word format but I don't seem to be able to input it into the forum. PM for the article in Word...

 

[peter70]

The innertubes were IMHO never meant as filter or condensation devices, but were invented in a time, when there were no pipe cleaners. So an exchangable inner tube was the best way to ensure the shank would not get saturated and clogged with smoke residues, which would render the pipe unusable. I wonder, why they didn't prevail. Even after the pipe cleaner was brought to market, there were enough smokers, who wouldn't use them, so the tube would still have a reason afterwards.

 

[layinpipe]

It's funny to think there was a time when pipe smoking was popular, but there weren't pipe cleaners yet invented. It seems to be quite an obvious accessory to have a clothlike substance attached to a long thin rod to clean your pipe after smoking. Instead they put a metal tube down the pipe, lol. I hate filters and if would have known then what i know now, i would not own the few that i do now with the 9mm filter. I don't have a problem with the Brigham Rock Maple filter system though, and have found that they smoke well with or without them. The filters also last a hell of a lot longer being washable and reusable than the charcoal 9mm.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

After reading the comments at the bottom of the article I went straight out and smoked a bowl with a folded up pipe cleaner in my Vauen. Sure enough, it's the first time that the bowl has been dry when I was done (and the pipe cleaner was quite moist).

At 3.5 cents a piece pipe cleaners are actually priced extremely competitive as far as filters go, and given that we're talking about a mechanism that needs a lot of surface area and absorption I wouldn't be surprised if they perform better than most too.
For my next smoke I'm going to try and coil the pipe cleaner so that the smoke has to tumble around a bit when passing through the chamber.

My latest tobacco order also includes two bundles of extra fluffy cleaners.

 

[andrew]

After reading the comments at the bottom of the article I went straight out and smoked a bowl with a folded up pipe cleaner in my Vauen. Sure enough, it's the first time that the bowl has been dry when I was done (and the pipe cleaner was quite moist).

At 3.5 cents a piece pipe cleaners are actually priced extremely competitive as far as filters go, and given that we're talking about a mechanism that needs a lot of surface area and absorption I wouldn't be surprised if they perform better than most too.

Yes that's the best tip I've gotten from this site and any pipe smoker ever. I find it amusing how no matter how hard a company tries to design a filter I don't think it will ever be better than a simple pipe cleaner. After my first try with that after reading about it on here I was sold, it's the nicest driest smoke with absolutely no impact on flavor like the charcoal filters have, plus the most cost effective too. You'll have to cut the fluffy cleaners probably, the first time I tried it with a tapered cleaner and found it impacted the draw a bit, but with a regular straight cleaner it's perfect.

 

[larrylegend]

When I smoke my Missouri Meerschaums, either cobs or hardwoods, I use a standard pipe cleaner cut in half and then folded in half. The first few times I did this, not only did my pipe smoke better, there was no impact on flavor. Also, the pipe cleaner came out rather brown and moist after only a few bowls. The tobacco smoked during this was 1Q so that may have been somewhat to blame. I have done this with FMOT and it wasn't nearly as moist but did still have a brownish tint to it after a few bowls. I will continue to smoke these particular pipes this was as I can discern no difference in flavor and it seems to improve the draw as well.

 

[olewaylon]

Interesting article, lots of info. I had no idea that a filter could block that much nicotine from a smoke. may be nice for some of the light weights and allow them to try some tobacco they might not normally be able to enjoy. for me this is mostly a negative aspect of filters.
"They also claim to absorb 77% of the nicotine and 91% of the tar from the smoke stream, as tested by independent laboratories. "

 

[rockford]

Tried the pipe cleaner trick a few times over the past few days. Wrapped around my tamper into a spring shape and then stuffed into the chamber. Worked like a charm!