Filter Pipes

[Isaac]

Lets talk a bit about filtered pipes and their lack of chatter....

Filter pipes are very popular in Europe, but not in the US. I was recently gifted a filter pipe, as I was told that it does tend to help with tongue bite. It provides an actual filter of the smoke, but also moisture management. I believe that red virginias, while very tasty, tend to heat up my tongue/gums a bit. I did find that using a filter while smoking some Virginia and VAPER blends did help significantly.

Now there are a few type of filter, sizes excluded. Activated charcoal, Meershuam, Balsa are just a few. For me, while the activated seemed to provide the greatest buffering, it also removed the most amount of flavor. I honestly could not taste any of the tobacco, but the smoke did me no harm. Next up are meerschaum filters. I was honestly thrilled with this option. It provided a good buffer for the mouth, and provided the greatest amount of flavors to some through. It was almost night and day when compared to the activated charcoal variety. There is also a balsa wood variety that I have not come around to trying.

I dont think the price of the filters are that cost prohibited. Forty filters will run approximatly $9-$12, depending on that type you are buying.

I think most smokers owe it to themselves to at least have one filter pipe in their collection.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Welcome to Filter Land
Nearly everything in Continental Europe is sized for 9mm and you are absolutely right in regards to the effectiveness/loss of flavor: it goes Charcoal—>Meerschaum—>Balsa. There also used to be paper filters (Medico?) but I haven’t seen them for a while.

I added to nearly all my pipes Delrin reduction pieces of either the 9mm or 6mm (Savinelli) variety and only use 6mm Balsa in some of my Missouri Meers.

If you look for the preferences of European smokers in general, wet goopy Danish Aros, a heavy filter might not be a bad thing…

 

[Isaac]

Welcome to Filter Land
Nearly everything in Continental Europe is sized for 9mm and you are absolutely right in regards to the effectiveness/loss of flavor: it goes Charcoal—>Meerschaum—>Balsa. There also used to be paper filters (Medico?) but I haven’t seen them for a while.

I added to nearly all my pipes Delrin reduction pieces of either the 9mm or 6mm (Savinelli) variety and only use 6mm Balsa in some of my Missouri Meers.

If you look for the preferences of European smokers in general, wet goopy Danish Aros, a heavy filter might not be a bad thing…

Im going to commission another filter pipe soon, as I am in the customer queue. it is so nice to be able to smoke my vapers/virginias without any form of tongue bite.

A word of warning that I have found. Vauen 9mm filters are actually about 8.5mm. So when i attempted to use a white elephant meerschaum filter, it was too snug. I did a bit of a sanding on the tenon, which accommodated the filter. I really think the Europeans may be onto something.

That being said, i dont really have the need or desire to see how it is with English blends. I dont seem to have any issues in that department.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Im going to commission another filter pipe soon, as I am in the customer queue. it is so nice to be able to smoke my vapers/virginias without any form of tongue bite.

A word of warning that I have found. Vauen 9mm filters are actually about 8.5mm. So when i attempted to use a white elephant meerschaum filter, it was too snug. I did a bit of a sanding on the tenon, which accommodated the filter. I really think the Europeans may be onto something.

That being said, i dont really have the need or desire to see how it is with English blends. I dont seem to have any issues in that department.

I never noticed it but it might be some kind of cheeky proprietary thing. Vauen is selling tons of filters under their Dr. Perl brand. So they will fit in any pipe but you HAVE to use them in your Vauen pipe.

 

[shave/brush]

I find this topic very interesting. The only filter pipe I have is a Savinelli Balsa system. I am interested in your opinion about this type.
Also I never heard of a Meershuam filter system. Could you tell me more about it? Point me to an example please.

 

[Isaac]

 

[shave/brush]

Thanks for the picture. I'm looking forward to what you think of a balsa filter system if you try it.

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

I have a bunch of old Dr. Grabow filter pipes and a couple of old Medicos as well. The filters are still available on Amazon and WV Smoke Shop, but I never bother to use them. I have to toss them after one smoke and removing a soggy paper filter just skeves me out.

I also have a few Brigham pipes and I do use the proprietary rock maple inserts with those. They don't get nasty like the paper filters, and can be rinsed with hot water to extend their life.

I use the Savinelli balsa filters in the pipes they'll fit, Savinelli/Roma of course but also the old Jobeys with the Jobey Link feature.

 

[gpjoe]

I use the 6mm balsa filters in all of my pipes that accept filters, mainly for moisture management. I have a Vauen pipe that takes a 9mm filter, and use their brand - same reason.

Because I mostly smoke "bland" Codger blends anyway, and have a yet-to-be-developed palate, I don't sense much difference in flavor when smoking my unfiltered pipes, just more gurgle.

 

[Isaac]

Also, most filters are advertised to last 2-3 smokes. SO its not necessarily a one and done.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Savinelli used to sell excellent 6mm and 9mm Balsa filters but switched to charcoal some time ago. Thanks to @Columbo I stocked the 6mm deep.

I always thought that gurgling/bite was an issue with poor prep or hasty/inexperienced smoking. So it’s interesting to hear that some bite stems from the tobacco variety itself. I’m nowadays a very infrequent smoker so I’m happy to keep it lit and pace myself somewhat.

 

[shave/brush]

I only use the Balsa filters in the Savinelli pipe that came with them. I use it primarily to reduce nicotine. (Got to think safety once in a while.) I don't see a difference with or without it.

 

[KellyG]

I've several filter pipes, both 6 & 9 mm. I use both balsa and charcoal filters. I find no ill effect and the filters obviously filter out moisture and crud. I cut the balsa filters in half to get two smokes per filter. I see no reason to reuse them as they are relatively cheap.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

No mention of Falcons so far. They are my current favourite in terms of moisture reduction. Some may not consider them a filter, as the smoke does not take a torturous path through the pipe cleaner ring... but nor does smoke pass through a balsa filter.

I have got some balsa and meerschaum filters in both 6mm and 9mm. In 9mm, I did have a couple of Mr Brog pearwood pipes that took them, but I evicted them from the line up, in favour of the Falcons. I do still have an Olivewood Bent Brandy that takes 9mm... but only balsa. Being a full bent, the meer cartridges choke off the draught hole. I currently have an adapter in that pipe.

6mm balsa filters are great, as they can be squashed a bit if needed. The meerschaum cartridge filters can not. At the moment, I just have 2 cobs that take 6mm filters, and a Falcon International stem. The meerschaum cartridge will fit in the Falcon, but neither of the cobs, so I have to use balsa with those.

Of all those, Falcon is my favourite, and only needs me to snip off a length of pipe cleaner, instead of spendy proprietary accessories.

Charcoal filters are no fun. Tight flavourless draw in my experience.

 

[Columbo]

Mrs. Columbo has prevailed upon me more in recent years to use a filter. So increasingly I do … occasionally. I offered to use filters all through this Lent. And I have … occasionally.

For me balsas are best, meer chips next (when they fit), and the Vauen charcoals and Grabow papers not too bad. But they all sap a wee bit of flavor. What I smoke tends to burn cool and dry to begin with, so I‘m not sure they help me much there.

I often suggest filters for beginning pipe smokers, as they do soften early miscues. And they are sometimes helpful with some more unruly blends. But I learned on unfiltered pipes, and am an old happy dog at this point. I’ll keep trying.

My son likes filters, so I guess that makes up for my obstinance.

 

[brandaves]

I have a lot of filtered pipes but I've never used filters. My Savinelli filter pipes quickly get the proper spacer and I move along. I've just never seen the point in them really. I rarely get any tongue bite that setting the pipe down a moment hasn't cured. I rarely smoke any wet aro blends smoking mostly Virginias has tamed my cadence. I smoke for the flavor so anything that mutes that isn't something I'm really looking for.

Maybe it would be worth having a box laying around to softer the occasional aro but that's the only reason I see for me personally.

 

[Benzadmiral]

White Elephant, I see, also has handsome pipes, though the stems are a little short for my taste.

 

[Alex Jr]

I Never liked filters. They seem to diminish the flavor to me, and I like a nice open draw.

 

[Njguy1977]

I have some corn cobs that have the filter option and have tried the medico filters and balsa ones. The medico paper filters tend to get a bit messy and goopy after a bowl while the balsa filters work WAY better and really don’t impede the taste. For me the balsa filters keep the smoke dry and you can get 2 or three uses and they don’t get goopy when you’re done. I generally do a 1 and done with them since they really aren’t that expensive and only really use them on aromatics.

Larry

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

One advantage I failed to mention about Brigham's maple filters: unlike any other filter I'm aware of, they will pass a pipe cleaner.