To filter or not to filter ?
H.S.
Should one just remove the filter and use the pipe without ?
What does the filter do ?
--
--
Henrik
Ol'Smoke
> What is your oppinion on using filter in the pipe ?
about the same as:
1. decaffinated coffee
2. alcohol free beer
3. mentholated tobacco
4. smokeless charcoal
5. artifical turf anywhere
6. filter tip cigars
7. hybrid cars
8. Persian rugs not made in Iran
9. hamburger helper
and that all time favorite:
10. condoms when contraception and disease is not an issue.
> Should one just remove the filter and use the pipe without?
No, best to buy a pipe w/o filter capability.
> What does the filter do?
Enable you to pretend you're smoking a pipe.
(Start here: http://www.aspipes.org/faq/faq.html)
Ol'Smoke
psyf...@yahoo.com
That nasty sucker sits between your palate and the smoldering baccy and
does its very best to mess up the taste.
In Germany the use of 9mm filters is pretty common, you can even find
baccy reviews where the """reviewer""" used activated carbon [sic(k)].
How silly does it get ?
Have you ever heard of a wine tasting, where the taster pours the
precious elixier through activated carbon before actually indulging in
it ? Or someone accelerating his sports car whilst stepping on the
brake the same moment ?
I heard of folks sucking on aged Sobranie #759 or Greg Peases
wonderweeds through activated carbon but I would have to see it to
believe it.
My nightly prayer:
Save me lord from stormy nights, from goopy weeds and filterpipes.
Amen.
Karsten
Juan
Living in Europe, I've got used to the experience of finding that
beautiful pipe at a good price, and then noticing it's a 9mm filter
pipe.
Nevertheless, there's still some hope. I have a couple of stanwells
9mm, and I use the savinelli plastic converter, and they smoke great. I
know that there are pipesters which simply remove the filter, but it's
a too easy draw for me.
Some full bent 9mm pipes (when used without the filter) are drilled
very similar to pete systems, which may be the good side of all this.
POJFS, Juan
H.S.
news:1113399910.3...@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Filters suck, IMHO. Balsa wood filters are ok, but I don't use them.
>
> Living in Europe, I've got used to the experience of finding that
> beautiful pipe at a good price, and then noticing it's a 9mm filter
> pipe.
>
> Nevertheless, there's still some hope. I have a couple of stanwells
> 9mm, and I use the savinelli plastic converter, and they smoke great. I
> know that there are pipesters which simply remove the filter, but it's
> a too easy draw for me.
>
that nasty tasting 'sauce' that newcomers often experience.
Is this not true ? Should i just insert the plastic 'pipe' (i'm pretty sure
its a savinelli pipe) and forget about the filter ?
Juan
your smoking to avoid tongue bite.
Which blends do you smoke?
POJFS, Juan
lobobobo
to you with or without a filter or in a cob or in a briar or in a meer
or in a clay or in a maduro wrapper. I wouldn't presume to tell you
what to smoke let alone how. Try your tobacco of choice with and
wiithout a filter and tell us what you think.
Steffen Helbing
> So far i have purchased filter pipes, because i was told they would remove
> that nasty tasting 'sauce' that newcomers often experience.
> Is this not true ? Should i just insert the plastic 'pipe' (i'm pretty sure
> its a savinelli pipe) and forget about the filter ?
Hi H.S.,
I live in Germany and have a lot of filter pipes because pipes without
filters are sometimes hard to get here. :-(
Forget about the filter but DON'T use that stupid adaptor. It's
sometimes hard to remove and additional work to clean it.
Without a filter inserted a filter pipe doesn't smoke better or worse
than any other non-filter pipe. Perhaps the filter chamber gets a little
bit more dirty. When cleaning thew pipe just bring a pipe-cleaner into
U-shape by bending it half around the tenon and use it (or two) to clean
both sides of the filter chamber.
Steffen
Jef Martens
I started smoking in 2002, and headed off with a filter pipe. Later on,
I also bought some nonfilter pipes. For me, it just depends on what
tobacco I smoke if I smoke with or without a filter. The spicier ones,
or wetter tobaccos I preferrably smoke with a filter. Mild ones like
pure VA, or when I'm on the boat and I forgot to pack some, will do
some smokes without filter. Sometimes, depending on the age of the
tobacco, get a more distinct taste variety WITH a filter. On the other
trips into tobaccoland, it does not matter to me, it just cools it some
more, and takes away a little of the taste.
The active coal is a way to enlongen your smoke canal, allowing it to
cool off. The smoke cools when flowing through the filter. Maybe if you
have had physics, you may know that charcoal has a particular surface.
It is NOT smooth, even if it seems so, but in effect, the surface of all
charcoal particles inside a filter can equal a soccer field easily.
The carton / cotton cell mixtures that enclose the charcoal particles
also have a very sponge like feature, it collects liquids, either from
the smoke, or your mouth.
Using a filter does help you getting a cooler smoke, but an experienced
pipesmoker will also get the same result using a different drawing /
sucking technique.
The savinelli's are mostly different, with a 6mm balsa filter. I've got
no experience with those, so I cannot profoundly account for this type
of smoking experience.
What I can say is the following:
Smoke it with the filter, then clean your pipe as normal. Write down
your experience preferably during the smoke, and let the pipe rest for a
day. Then smoke it again, but this time, without the filter. Be aware,
as others mentioned already, that you will have to draw air much more
patiently, because of the easier way to get smoke. Then also record your
experience. Try to figure out what is different: is it easier to keep
lit? Does it taste different? How hot is the smoke? Does your pipe
gurgle? Does the pipe get hotter? Do you have to tamp more?
Please do take care of smoking the same tobacco, ohterwise it would be
incomparable, or you should be having an affair with that piece of wood
for over a decade letting you know exactly what happens next. :D
Good luck!
Jef Martens
Corneel Vermeulen
Even though you will get a lot of information and input from the group here,
it will in the end boil down to your personal preference. Do as some in this
thread have suggested by trying it both ways, and see what _you_ like best.
This being said ...
Steffen Helbing wrote:
> H.S. wrote:
>> So far i have purchased filter pipes, because i was told they would remove
>> that nasty tasting 'sauce' that newcomers often experience.
>> Is this not true ? Should i just insert the plastic 'pipe' (i'm pretty sure
>> its a savinelli pipe) and forget about the filter ?
> I live in Germany and have a lot of filter pipes because pipes without
> filters are sometimes hard to get here. :-(
Those crazy Germans and their filterpipes ... The majority of German
pipesmokers seems to prefer filters. Steffen obviously isn't the average
German.
Most people here seem to prefer to smoke pipes without a filter. I'm one of
them.
> Forget about the filter but DON'T use that stupid adaptor. It's
> sometimes hard to remove and additional work to clean it.
Personally I have never used the adapters. It works fine without. I kind of
consider cleaning pipes a chore, and they seem to be a cause for more
cleaning than necessary.
> Without a filter inserted a filter pipe doesn't smoke better or worse
> than any other non-filter pipe. Perhaps the filter chamber gets a little
> bit more dirty. When cleaning thew pipe just bring a pipe-cleaner into
> U-shape by bending it half around the tenon and use it (or two) to clean
> both sides of the filter chamber.
This is good advice.
Anyway, a filter is not something I prefer. Here's why: When you smoke, you
want to get the taste of the tobacco. A filter will ... well ... filter a
lot of that out. Some say it will make for a dryer smoke, which I doubt.
Think about it. An unrestricted airflow smokes dry, but when there is some
obstruction, there will be turbulence. Turbulence will cause for more
moisture. If you want more details on this, you may want to google for this
in the archives. My point here is that a filter in a pipe is obviously a
major obstruction. It does soak up moisture, but what's the use of that if
it also creates it? You'd want a clean, dry smoke. At least, I want that.
A little word -- and probably much too brief -- on the history of filters
now. Filters for pipes was an invention of Vauen, a German brand of pipes.
They seem to have influenced the German pipemarket tremendously over the
years. I'm not too sure, but when they developed it, my guess is that they
wanted to find a way to get more income from pipesmokers. A pipe lasts a
lifetime, so you don't buy one that often. You need to find a way to keep
customers buying your product on a regular basis. Making lousy pipes that
need replacing would not be a good idea, because there are other brands out
there that won't follow you with that idea for obvious reasons ;-)
So why not add disposable filters? Market them as a healthier way to smoke
pipes, and more people will be attrackted to that product. Who wouldn't care
about his/her health? You get the idea. Filters are cheap to produce, so not
a lot of cost is involved from the manufacturer either. It would be a
win-win situation.
To make a long story short: Vauen was very successful at this, and are the
sole responsables for those crazy germans smoking filter pipes.
However, a filter does have an impact on the taste of the tobacco. You can
taste less. This is why a lot of manufacturers of tobacco have produced
blends with smoking a filter in mind. Those are mostly German, no need to
tell you why, *and* aromatics. If you would smoke one like that without a
filter, it'll be gooey, wet, and harsh. Smoke it with a filter, and it'll
smooth out, and have a normal (for aromatics) taste.
As I stated above, it will come down to what blends you prefer, and more
importantly, what you prefer in general. For me this means smoking without a
filter. For you this may be something else. Only you can tell.
If my pipe gurgles, I can run a cleaner through my pipe, all the way to the
bowl to soak up moisture, or remove a crumb of tobacco that is blocking the
airway. A filter would come in the way for that.
Another thing is that I like thin, slender shanks. Filterless pipes make
this easy (or easier) to find. A 9mm (or even 6mm) filter will cause
problems for this. You can find my collection on my website (URL provided in
my sig: click pipes --> collection). However, this is a very personal
aesthetic preference which you may not share.
Anyway, I hope I was able to pass on a little information, and that it could
be of some value for you. IMHO this may give a more clear view on the pros
and cons ...
HTH,
--
Corneel Vermeulen
email: corneel....@gmail.com
URL: http://corneel.patat.org/
justscience
I find that the carbon filled varieties tend to eliminate noxious
perique smoke components that irritate my mouth and bitter compounds
from underaged latakia. Several overspiced Pease blends thereby become
enjoyable. Vauen sponge types help sop up excess moisture (no, they
don't CREATE it) and trap water soluble, bite-producing ammonia. If
your mouth prefers these compounds, bully for you and go without. If
you do use them, remember to remove them when done, because they
release the nasties in storage.
xmp
> I started smoking in 2002, and headed off with >a filter pipe.
i smoke cobs a lot. one time i forgot to remove the filter, and it turned
out to be a nice smoke. so now i've started using them. there might be a
health benefit with the dryness and filtering??
plan on trying filtered briars next.
michael
Dale Miller
I tried a cob without a filter and I guessing cause of the short shank
and stem, I got a mouth full of ash. But Michael is right the filter is
better on the cob..
Cheers
Dale
Briarroot
> What is your oppinion on usion filter in the pipe ?
> Should one just remove the filter and use the pipe without ?
Only a few of my pipes, (made by Savinelli) take filters. I've never
used them. I don't want anything to come between me and my favorite
tobaccos. ;-)
> What does the filter do ?
>
Removes some tar and nicotine from the smoke stream. Collects excess
moisture. Alters the flavor of the smoke.
Regards,
Tim Parker ... Germain's Medium Flake in a no-name billiard
BillC
prefered pipes without filters until recently. For the past month I
have been experimenting exclusively with filters and have found a few
things.
1.) Paper/ balsa/ metal filters do very little. Activated charcoal
does a very good job at smoothing and cooling the smoke with very
little flavor loss and often times the flavor that is lost is bitter or
harsh. The filters do a very good job at removing virtually all
moisture from the smoke. This isn't an issue of gurggling in the pipe
it is an issue of drawing smoke into the mouth that contains absolutely
no steam and therefore no bite. It is an interesting tradeoff as often
times blends are dried out some to be smoked cooler but in fact to me
this affects the amount of flavor from the smoke. With a filter the
tobacco can be smoked fresh from the tin with little flavor loss.
2.) Filters are better with some tobaccos. It is not just a matter of
aromatics I have found like another poster stated that many English
blends with underaged Latakia smoke much better ie. smoother and
cooler. The same is true for Virginia blends in that the smoke is
dramatically cooled. This is not a matter of technique I didn't have
problems with tongue bite when I smoked without a filter, although
sometimes when I smoked multiple bowls my mouth would get dried out to
a degree. Filters eliminate this.
3.) There is a noticable but small aftertaste with the charcoal
filters and this has been to me the biggest drawback. I have noticed
that filters with two ceramic tips have less aftertaste and that if the
Vauen filters are used backwards there is much less aftertaste. I have
sought out meerschaum filters and will try using those for awhile when
they arrive.
4.) The draw remains very good with the filters.
I think many poeple have had a single bad experience with a bad filter
or perhaps just heard bad things about them without ever trying them.
I will still smoke pipes without filters on occassion but I will smoke
filtered pipes with more frequency. Maybe even moreso after trying the
meerschaum filters. Meerschaum pipes with filters are very good.
But of course I would encourage everyone to try both ways for themself.
I would also add that I would not reccomend anyone smoke a pipe
specifically designed to use a filter without a filter as you will get
alot of turbulence, gurggling etc...
Another thought: cake is essentially charcoal and many people feel
that pipes with some cake smoke cooler than those that need broken in.
This is because less moisture in the form of steam is drawn into the
mouth because the cake absorbs it. Filters act like super broken in
pipes. Of course not everyone agrees with the concept of cake so again
YMMV.
My 2 cents for the moment
bill
Hubert Krzemien
> What is your oppinion on usion filter in the pipe ?
> Should one just remove the filter and use the pipe without ?
> What does the filter do ?
You can't buy a Vauen without a filter, in DanPipe catalogue all but few
pipes are made for 9mm only, even Peterson systems. At most tobbaconists
most of the pipes are 9mm ones. If they aren't they propably have that
stupid metal thing, which makes your pipe gurgle. I have few filtered
pipes, but since I usually buy estates most of my rotation is
filterless. For aromatics Vauen charcoals might be a good choice, they
kinda smooth out the flavor. For other blends go for balsa filters or
try to smoke without. Merschaum is no good IMO. That's my advice.
Regards
HK
H.S.
> I would. Try it and see what happens. You'll probably have to slow down
> your smoking to avoid tongue bite.
>
> Which blends do you smoke?
>
this group !!!
I have no preferred brand - allthough i do like sweeth tasting tobacco.
A brand called Uncle Louie - Whiskey - i find very nice - but i am so open
to new tobaccos, unfortunately it is SO hard to find tobacco samples here
(Denmark - believe it or not :-) ) and spending $15+ just to find out it
wasn't at tobacco i like, makes it quite costly.
But i think a sweet tobacco, liquorish and with only a small smell in the
room will be my 'holy grail of tobacco' - any suggestions ?
H.S.
news:3c4t48F...@individual.net...
> Forget about the filter but DON'T use that stupid adaptor. It's
> sometimes hard to remove and additional work to clean it.
>
> Without a filter inserted a filter pipe doesn't smoke better or worse
> than any other non-filter pipe. Perhaps the filter chamber gets a little
> bit more dirty. When cleaning thew pipe just bring a pipe-cleaner into
> U-shape by bending it half around the tenon and use it (or two) to clean
> both sides of the filter chamber.
>