I'm about to purchase a stanwell hca churchwarden and I was wondering which kind of filters I should get. Are there some that are better than others? Please help me out!

I've used a few different kinds, and more or less I haven't been able to tell the difference. The brands smoke pretty much the same, and I don't even taste much difference between the filters that use charcoal and those that use crumbs of meer.

The 9mm Savinelli balsa filters are the only really different ones--they're just like the kind they make in 6mm for many of their pipes. Different shape, different airflow.

Agree on the above concerning the charcoal types, go for what ever is cheapest. However, for certain gentle Virginias, I prefer the Savanelli balsa filters. They really just soak up a bit of the condensation. If you run them under hot water right after the pipe cools, I find I can get a couple of uses out of them before I notice a taste difference.

Don't try that with the charcoal ones! But do take them out and let them dry well and again you might get a second use of them. Personal preference dictates whether you use them once or a few times.

Natch

Ok thanks for the advice guys. Have you guys smoked a stanwell hca?

My HCA gets loaded about every other week. Our resident pipe maker, Sasquatch, made me a much larger bowl that takes the same Stanwell 9mm stem, and being larger, I tend to smoke it more. Both great smokers, though. The HCA bowl is just a bit thinner walled than I like and can get a tad hot if I'm not careful (and I'm seldom careful in life!).

Natch

I've had a few filter pipes, ala Dr. Grabow and Savinelli, and I've got to say that I much prefer unfiltered pipes. Actually, when I'm window shopping the internet (or anywhere else for that matter), I'll gaze at a filter pipe, but won't even consider buying it. IMO, putting anything in the airway restricts airflow and ultimately causes a less rewarding smoke.

That being said, if you buy one and just don't use a filter (or their little adapters) you get a wide open draw which makes smoking your pipe quite pleasurable. You just have to be careful and really sip on them.

My preference for 9mm paper filters listed in order are:
Big Ben
Sandia--hard to find but almost as good
Vauen
Generic--cheap but not worth the effort

The Savinelli 9mm balsa filters are not bad but aren't as effective as paper filters in reducing moisture.

Jim..my ha'pence

When I use 9mm filters (mainly for some "wet" aromatics) I prefer either the paper or charcoal filters made by Vauen. I hate the balsa filters as they get goopy, messy and everything else I could think bad about them. The problem is trying to find the Vauen filters.

Oh I actually didn't know you can smoke pipes without the filters in them. I always thought it would be bad for the pipe itself but I'll give it a shot. If that doesn't work out I'll probably just go for the cheapest, non-generic ones.

If you don't put anything in the chamber, it will act somewhat like a Kirsten, a large central chamber will drop the pressure and temperature of the smoke and create condensation (which in a Kirsten is a good thing, that's what its design is all about). If you're pipe has some bend to it and you clean it out after each smoke, it shouldn't be a problem.

They also make adapters that are roughly the same size as the 9mm filters, but with a single hole down the middle, about the same diameter as the draft hole is. The effect is pretty much like smoking a non-filter pipe. I've got a couple of those adapters that I don't use. PM me your address and I'll slip one in the mail.

Natch