Balsa Filter Experiment - What the H_ll?

[Slow Puffs]

So It cleaned up most of my pipes. I have three savinelli's and decided to smoke Medium Virginia Flake in one yesterday. Something I rarely do, perhaps once with savinelli, is use the balsa filter. Hell, why not, the pipe is clean and if this helps, all the better. The savinelli pipe is not expensive but a nice smoker in a `canadian shape.`I think I smoked perhaps 4 pipefuls of MVF. I changed the filter once, noting the wetness and sludge on it.

So I throught I`d give it a quick inner clean this morning before putting it back on the shelf.

The shank was filthier than the the sewer well of the Peterson Standard 301 I cleaned up the other day.

I am talking about at least 20 Q-tips, each end soaked in alcohol, coming out with black sludge and a couple of rolled up kleenex swabs mixed in. :shock: This wasn`t little brown faded tinged coloured Q-tip findings. This was sewer sledge from a politcians toilet !

My theory is that the balsa made the draw restricted causing me to draw slightly harder.

Whatever.... the ants in the anthill on my neighbour`s lawn will be happy tonight. They`ll have kindling for their barbeque :twisted:

 

[bronxbill]

I agree, I used the balsa filters once and never used them again. Felt like I was drawing with something stuck in the stem

 

[Wet Dottle]

You must change the balsa filter EVERY TIME you smoke a new bowlfull.

 

[Anonymous]

You must change the balsa filter EVERY TIME you smoke a new bowlfull.

Agreed, I use them in my Savinelli dry systems and I do feel they have merit in catching some of the moisture. my pipes are a little cleaner with the filter but Will not rule out the fact that it does restrict the draw in some Savs but I have not found this to be the case with the dry systems.

9mm filters on the other hand I stay well clear of!!!!! Way to restricting for me!

 

[Slow Puffs]

You must change the balsa filter EVERY TIME you smoke a new bowlfull.

...

9mm filters on the other hand I stay well clear of!!!!! Way to restricting for me!

That's was going to be my next experiment.... try the 9mm in oneof my Lorenzetti's :shock:

 

[Slow Puffs]

You must change the balsa filter EVERY TIME you smoke a new bowlfull.

I'll try that the next time...

 

[Natch]

I've got some pipes that take the 9mm filter that were drilled right and have a very good, easy draw. For most of my filter pipes and most of the Virginia's I smoke, I usually prefer the balsa filter to the charcoal ones. I tend to prefer the charcoal filters for the latakia blends.

With the balsa filters, I take them out as soon as the pipe is cooled and run them under hot water for a few seconds than dry them well over a day or two. I've found, depending in the tobacco I'm smoking, that I can use them twice or sometimes a third time. I also clean out my pipes after every smoke, and I find that seems to help a lot. Just what works for me.

Natch

 

[Slow Puffs]

I've got some pipes that take the 9mm filter that were drilled right and have a very good, easy draw. For most of my filter pipes and most of the Virginia's I smoke, I usually prefer the balsa filter to the charcoal ones. I tend to prefer the charcoal filters for the latakia blends.

With the balsa filters, I take them out as soon as the pipe is cooled and run them under hot water for a few seconds than dry them well over a day or two. I've found, depending in the tobacco I'm smoking, that I can use them twice or sometimes a third time. I also clean out my pipes after every smoke, and I find that seems to help a lot. Just what works for me.

Natch

I guess that's why I was so shocked... I didn't think SG Medium Virginia Flake would produce so much sledge and guck.

Maybe I'm not a filter guy. When I first started out in the sixties I always used filters with my Medico pipes. But I'll try again......... after a long break.

 

[Jordies]

So why does one use a filter? I have never used a filter. I could understand using a filter if you are one to inhale when you smoke. Is the filter supposed to absorb some of the gunk? How does it affect the flavor of the smoke?

 

[Wet Dottle]

Slow Puffs,

Sorry for the short answer earlier, but I was at work and had very little time. I don't use filters anymore, but I don't have anything against them. When used right they can produce a very enjoyable, dry and cool smoke. It's a matter of personal preference.

What doesn't work for me is to smoke a filter pipe without a filter. The empty chamber works as a gunk deposit that becomes very messy to clean. There are adaptors that can be used to fill the space, but even that doesn't work well. I've had new stems made for all my filter pipes (kept the original ones just in case I decide to go back). By the way, I never found much difference between the balsa and the charcoal filters.

Actually, George from Precision Pipe Repair (LL in BoB) just made me a new stem. I have this Becker pipe (not one of the higher end ones, but still too nice to throw away) that was bought without realizing it was a 9mm filter pipe. The stem had this insert that was so tight and so well made that I never suspected of it. In spite of thorough cleanings, it started developing a rancid tint whose origin I could not figure. It seemed clean, yet it didn't taste clean. Finally, one day after several hours of soaking in alcohol, the insert just dropped off. That was a surprise, but the mistery was solved: juices kept accumulating between insert and stem, in spite of the tight fit. The pipe was sent to George and now is better than new, thanks to an elegant and perfectly fitted stem that looks better than the original.

Sorry for the long post...

 

[Anonymous]

It depends.

Favoring old(er) (1970 and before) pipes, many of those here have anywhere from excessive headspace up to and including gaping caverns (those made for bulky "fitaments" long since pulled out and thrown away). Provided they're allowed time to dry out, with LL stems, they're exceptionally flavorful pipes with both FVF and high octane English mixtures. (I'm convinced their age has not a little to do with this too, but that's probably a moot issue).

One Peterson (an 80S) has a full-blown condensation chamber in the shank like a system pipe has.

Bottom line is, anything that creates turbulence in the airway condenses tars and moisture out of the smoke.

:face:

 

[Anonymous]

The reason I mentioned 9mm is that I have a Stan 185 that can take a 9mm filter. When inserted it turns a great smoker into a trash smoker. I have had way better luck with 6mm.
Believe it or not, I am a fan of a 6mm filter in some of my Savs.

 

[beaupipe]

So why does one use a filter? I have never used a filter. I could understand using a filter if you are one to inhale when you smoke. Is the filter supposed to absorb some of the gunk? How does it affect the flavor of the smoke?

Different filters do different things. Savinelli Balsa filters, paper filters, and the Brigham Maple filters are there to absorb moisture and, in theory, provide a cooler, drier smoke. Same, I guess, with 9mm paper and meerschaum filters.

Charcoal filters, on the other hand, both absorb moisture and remove some toxins--especially tar. (Charcoal filtration also helps makes vodka more neutral of flavor, but that's a whole other topic). Studies show they do nothing as far as nicotine is concerned.

Personally, I love filters, especially those designed for 9mm pipes. I use charcoal filters regularly and if the pipe is well made, I don't think there is either restriction of draw or loss of flavor. I have a trio of Viprati 9mm pipes that I smoke more than anything else--more than my Castellos, GBDs, Calich pipes, etc. I also have a 5 or 6 Stanwell 9mm pipes that I like far less, but which are not too bad.

I like to try a lot of different tobaccos in a lot of different styles and 9mm charcoal pipes allow me to do that without worrying about bite ever. If I want to smoke 10 bowls of 1Q in a day, I can, and with no adverse effects.

Other than Custom-bilts and Tom Howards, which I love, I haven't bought an unfiltered pipe in a couple of years. I even ordered a trio of DIY kits from Tim West the other day drilled for 9mm filters.

But I'm not evangelizing. The majority (at least outside of central Europe) clearly favors unfiltered pipes.

 

[Sasquatch]

Given that the tar and junk was found in the pipe shank BEFORE the filter, there is no way that the filter is responsible for it.

My guess is that the pipe was dirty but dry when you smoked it, had significant residuals in the shank (as a Canadian is wont to do) and when you smoked multiple bowls, you got it nice and wet and warm and it came back out of the wood.

Nothing to do with the Balsa, except that perhaps you drew on the pipe a bit harder than usual.

Just my .02, and it's probably worth half that.

 

[Slow Puffs]

Good thots coming in.

A found a box of "adsorba" 9mm charcoal filters among my pipe thingies. I decided to try it in a Lorenzetti. First, I couldn't figure out which is the "ceramic" end so with the help of my wife, decided it it was the "white" not the "green" end. First thing I noticed was how it impeded the draw dramatically. Next I went to pass a pipe cleaner (opps - force of habit). I'll be interested to examine the shank after the bowl is finished.

 

[Slow Puffs]

Given that the tar and junk was found in the pipe shank BEFORE the filter, there is no way that the filter is responsible for it.

My guess is that the pipe was dirty but dry when you smoked it, had significant residuals in the shank (as a Canadian is wont to do) and when you smoked multiple bowls, you got it nice and wet and warm and it came back out of the wood.

Nothing to do with the Balsa, except that perhaps you drew on the pipe a bit harder than usual.

Just my .02, and it's probably worth half that.

Sasquatch, I thoroughly cleaned this pipe, especially the shank prior to using the balsa and it had some rest time. But again, the next time I smoke it without the balsa I'll see what the results are.

The variant is that I smoked 4 bowls in a row without cleaning, relying solely on the balsa filter. So you could be right. the shank needs to be thoroughly cleaned after ever smoke.

I guess that may answer something for me. I was hoping that a filter would greatly reduce the gunk that builds up in the shank. Apparently it doesn't. If that is the case, filters have little use for my purposes. But as wetdottle suggested, maybe the balsa should only be used for one smoke before being tossed.

 

[Sasquatch]

Paul, I don't know how you clean your pipes, ordinarily, bu if you do clean a pipe to your ordinary satisfaction, then take a pipe cleaner with some alcohol on it, rum or vodka, and insert it into the shank, and let it sit for 10 minutes or so, you'll pull out a really gross pipe cleaner, is my guess. I've definitely had pipes that I thought were clean and which were demonstrating as clean, and then found out the the shank had leeched up a bunch of yucko.

 

[Slow Puffs]

Paul, I don't know how you clean your pipes, ordinarily, bu if you do clean a pipe to your ordinary satisfaction, then take a pipe cleaner with some alcohol on it, rum or vodka, and insert it into the shank, and let it sit for 10 minutes or so, you'll pull out a really gross pipe cleaner, is my guess. I've definitely had pipes that I thought were clean and which were demonstrating as clean, and then found out the the shank had leeched up a bunch of yucko.

You scared me :affraid:

I dug out an extra fluffy pack of long's. I soaked it thoroughly in Vodka and did the test on the same Savinelli and another Savinelli.

After letting it sit, the pipe cleaner came out with a light yellowish tinge and that is quite acceptable to me.

Then I thought I would also test a Peterson donegal that I smoke a lot. The result was the same.

Phew :lol:

I didn't spend two weeks "casually" cleaning the inner works of my pipes, I spend a great deal of time on the shanks.

I think now I'm obsessed as well as possessed... trying to figure out if various filters have any benefit on helping to keep the shank clean. I think I already know the answer. Another sign that I've had too much time on my hands lately. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting thread here gents...... I am with Sasquatch all the way here about his outlook on filters!
As far as Charcoal filters go, and I know I may pee a couple of you guys off and I do apologize, I really dont like em at all. Went through a stage where I tested them and my conclusion on the 9mm filter is that it was hideously restrictive to the draw. Had a run in with Big Ben and denicotea. Labored draws and silly tongue bite.

 

[Sasquatch]

Well that's real good, Paul - some guys don't keep clean pipes though they think they do.

So that validates your assumption that the filter in this case is either causing condensation and not dealing with it, or leading you to smoke the pipe in a way that is causing more problems than usual.

The solution is obvious, so that's the good news!