I use filters with my pipes, not because I’m trying to reduce the tar and nicotine of the smoke, but just because I don’t like getting hot moisture and dottle in my mouth. I like the Medico filters because they seem to provide somewhat less alteration in the airflow than the Dr. Grabow filters, and they’re less expensive anyway. Any thoughts on the advantages/disadvantages of using filters with a pipe?
I have four that use 6mm filters, six that are unfiltered, and one that takes 9mm filter. The 6mm filters take some of the excess moisture from the smoke, but I don’t find they impare the taste over the unfiltered. I use the Medico and the Balsa filters at the moment, but when they’ve gone, I think I’ll probably stick to buying the balsa ones. The 9mm filter does take flavour away, so I tend use that one for toning down tobaccos that I’ve bought that are a little too strong for my taste. If I feel like using it just for the sake of it, I’ll be sure to put something like Commonwealth Mixture in, so there’s still plenty of flavour coming through. One other thing to mention, it takes me part of the bowl to remember how to smoke it, as it does affect the airflow. Not that it’s a huge issue, you just have to drive it differently.
I only use Sav. Balsa wood filters and Brighams maple wood filters. They don’t hinder air flow or alter the flavour they just wick away any excess moisture. I tried the 9mm carbon filters but found they hindered airflow and altered the flavour of the smoke so I don’t bother with them anymore.
By the way Sav. makes a 9mm balsa wood filter as well as a 6mm but its harder to find, you may have to use ebay to find the 9mm balsa wood filters
I like the balsa filters, too - brilliant concept. The only sticking point for me is that they’re about twice as expensive as the Medico filters. I use the balsa filters when I’m smoking a really fine tobacco where I want the fullest flavor experience possible. With my everyday go-to tobaccos, like Five Brothers or Sir Walter Raleigh, the Medico filter serves just fine. To me, using a balsa wood filter to smoke Five Brothers is like using a crystal champagne glass to drink Coca-Cola.
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I’m sure I’ve seen the 9mm balsas for sale somewhere, but I still have about 50 or so of the cartridge type tucked away from when I first got the pipe 18months ago or whenever it was. IIRC they were quite pricey
I hate using filters with pipes. Too much extra to deal with. Also they seem to change the taste of the tobacco. Once I figured out how to properly load, tamp, and smoke I have not had any issues with moisture that can’t be fixed with a pipe cleaner. The only pipes that I have that accept filters are my cobs and I don’t use filters in them.
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@50ft_trad - By the way, if you don’t mind my asking, what is your first name? My significant other is interested in these conversations I have on this site, and I’d like to say there’s this really interesting English person I’ve met named “so and so” - “50ft-trad” gets a little cumbersome!
No worries, it’s Al.
I believe his first name is 50ft Must be a rap artist… j/k. :))
Well, @50ft_trad nice to meet you, Al! I’m Mark.
@Psicko - yes, the drawback with filters is that you can’t just run a pipe cleaner through the pipe while smoking it. Do you smoke all the way to the bottom of the bowl and still manage to keep dottle out of your mouth? That was a problem I was having with my briars, especially when they were new and I was trying to form cake all the way to the bottom.
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I’ve never had any “surprises” when using filters. No splash of juice, no ash or crumbs. I would say I prefer 6mm balsa filters to unfiltered, and prefer them both to 9mm filters. As my technique improves, my opinions my change. But the only downside to the 6mm balsa in my opinion is the cost… which is offset by not having to dip a cleaner down to soak up the excess juice on an unfiltered. Disclaimer: The 6mm pipes I use are cobs and MM Ozarks, which have the natural well beneath the “chute” on the stem, which may be why I haven’t had any gurgles and wanted to dip a cleaner down
I’m with @Psicko. I never use a filter. The only “burning dottle in mouth” issue I’ve ever had is with a new cob that’s yet to be broken in. Once the cob develops some wear, this becomes a non-issue. I just smoke them carefully for the first 20 or so smokes. Filters do change the taste IMHO.
The only pipes I have that take filters are cobs, so take comment to concern cobs only; I never use filters. For me they reduce airflow enough to hinder my enjoyment. They get nasty, wet and discolored, yuck. Also they are one less expense, since I prefer my cobs without. I do want a Brigham one day, my mind may change.
@MarkM. I used to get dottle on the very rare occasion when breaking in a new pipe or when I was trying to smoke it down to the last bit. Just smoke cautiously and you should be good. A bit of dottle doesn’t bother me and is one of those expected things that go with smoking a pipe. By the way, are you on smokersforums.co.uk? I think I recognize your name from there. @50ft_trad, check out smokersforums.co.uk. it’s a pipe forum. Good info there too.
@Psicko You won’t believe this, but I actually registered there about 12 hours before you suggested it 
Just waiting for the admin team to flick the switch as it were
@50ft_trad, nice. I’m on there some times as well. I used to be in there a lot before the crash of 2013 (the site crashed hard due to hackers).
Look like it happened recently too, March I think. All data lost between then and 2013, and not a huge amount of activity since by the looks of it.
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Personally, I don’t care for them. I had this one pipe that had this cooling coil inside the mouthpiece, that was pretty nice, but it made cleaning quite a pain, so I removed it. I just feel a filter diminishes my draw on the tobacco. If it’s a little too moist, (or way too moist, bordering the soggy, as it usually is at my shop) I just leave the bag open and let it air out for a time, reseal, shake it up, let the remaining moisture equalize. Smooth smokin’ from there.
It helps that my pipe has a nice wall of insulation that built up which I had treated with some honey and whiskey over time. I’ll have to shave that down a bit soon though… Thanks for reminding me! Haha
I smoke my 6mm pipes without a filter. I have a 9mm pipe and tried the charcoal filters and found that they took too much away from the smoke as others have mentioned. Without a filter the draw was too open. I got an adapter for it and it smokes great now.
Filters for me make it too tempting to inhale. So I don’t use them.