Filter Pipes

[Isaac]

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.

Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't the filter be absorbing moisture thtat would need to be cleared with a pipe cleaner?

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't the filter be absorbing moisture thtat would need to be cleared with a pipe cleaner?

Yes, but if the airway gets plugged for some reason you can run a pipe cleaner down the stem/shank.

 

[Columbo]

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

Alongside Issac's last point about pipe cleaners and airway cleanliness, one big difference between the balsa and the paper filters (besides materials), is that a balsa absorbs from the outside in, while a paper element absorbs from the inside out. And unlike a raw balsa, good paper filters have a film outer shell, trapping most of that slop in the element.

What I've found is that difference does slightly affect the cleanliness of the stem filter chamber, with the papers leaving a little less than a balsa to mop out later. YMMV.

As to pipe cleaners themselves acting as filters, that was a feature in one old model that we covered over at the Codger Cabin, the Smokemaster in which a pipe cleaner, bent and inserted aside an aluminum condensing rail in the stem, acted as a moisture absorber.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Alongside Issac's last point about pipe cleaners and airway cleanliness, one big difference between the balsa and the paper filters (besides materials), is that a balsa absorbs from the outside in, while a paper element absorbs from the inside out. And unlike a raw balsa, good paper filters have a film outer shell, trapping most of that slop in the element.

What I've found is that difference does slightly affect the cleanliness of the stem filter chamber, with the papers leaving a little less than a balsa to mop out later. YMMV.

As to pipe cleaners themselves acting as filters, that was a feature in one old model that we covered over at the Codger Cabin, the Smokemaster in which a pipe cleaner, bent and inserted aside an aluminum condensing rail in the stem, acted as a moisture absorber.

Which is still a feature on Falcon pipes (coil of pipe cleaner in the aluminum bottom) and a good one as well. Effective moisture trap, no I’ll effects on flavor.

 

[Razorfaust]

I got a couple of filter pipes in my stable. The Savinelli 6mm balsa ones are my least favorite to use, I think they usually get overwhelmed with moisture mid smoke and therefore I seldom use them opting for a delrin reducer and smoke them like that. My 9mm pipes I like better for a few reasons, first they are great lunting pipes. I can go out in the wild without taking a bunch of pipe cleaners with me trying to deal with gurgles etc and just walk and enjoy my smoke. Second is if I have a particularly heavy maybe too moist tobacco it seems to tame it and dry it out and I get a better smoke. Im not bothered by the perceived drop in flavor at all and gets distracting harsh edges of some tobaccos out of there. Cleans some blends up nicely for me and some tobaccos I like better with the filter some days. Ahh variety, nice to change things up now and then.