From what I’ve been told, you can’t buy an unfiltered pipe in Germany. That would be important if you live in Germany, but if you don’t, you may be wondering why that’s a requirement. I wonder as well, because different types of filters do different things, and I don’t know if the people who made filters a requirement are even aware of that fact. This is a subject that causes some controversy, so being the idiot I am, I’m going to wade in these waters up to my waist.
Why even bother with a filtered pipe? That will depend on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re doing it for health reasons, I believe that you’re operating under a misconception. A filter will only have a significant impact if you inhale, and then only if you’re using the right kind.
Types of Pipe Filters
Let’s look at the different types of pipe filters in use today. They come in three basic forms- pass-through filters with a filter element inside, absorptive filters and condensers.
Pass-Through Filters
The pass-through filter includes the 6 mm American type (Dr. Grabow and Medico), the 9 mm European style which usually uses activated charcoal, the ring-type filter for Falcon pipes and the ones that use silica crystals, among others. This type of filter is fairly effective at removing particulate matter (the visible part of the smoke), and thus will reduce tars and nicotine. If you inhale, this may make the practice marginally safer, but all it will really accomplish for the person who doesn’t inhale is to reduce the flavor and some excess moisture.
There has never been a definitive study about the health impact of using a filtered pipe, but the incidence of issues for non-inhaling smokers are pretty low to begin with, so I can’t imagine that a filter would make much of a difference. In fact, it might even lead to smoking more frequently as the removal of the smoke particles make leave the smoker less satisfied with the flavor which may lead to reloading sooner. Those filters are the only ones that remove a significant amount of particles from the smoke stream, so they are what you would want to use if you inhale, but the other types will be of little use for removal of anything but moisture.
Absorptive Pipe Filters
The absorptive types include the Savinelli Pipes 6 and 9 mm balsa filters and the Brigham Pipes maple filters. In both cases the units are effective for soaking up water from the smokestream, but little of the actual smoke is removed, and the result is a drier experience which may also help to keep the smoke cool by taking steam out of the flow. The pass-through filters also remove moisture, but they have the drawback of reducing the flavor. For an example of a pipe with an absorptive filter, check out these Savinelli filter pipes.
Condenser Pipe Filters
The last kind of filter really isn’t a filter at all. The condenser fits into, or is part of, the tenon of the stem. Its express purpose is to disrupt airflow, and due to the fact that they are made of metal which tends to be cooler than the smoke, the excess moisture will tend to condense on or around the condenser so it never reaches the smoker’s mouth. These pieces, also known as “stingers”, are only modestly effective, and I tend to pull them out and throw them away if I find one in a new pipe. For an example of a pipe with a condenser filter, check out these Kaywoodie filter pipes.
Final Thoughts on “Safer” Pipe and Cigar Smoking
I’ve been in the tobacco business on and off since the mid-seventies, and I enjoy the people, the culture and the products, but I’d like to make my personal definitive statement on the health issues as it concerns making the hobby “safer”, and this is it- if you’re a cigar or pipe smoker and you don’t inhale, your health risks are as low as a smoker can face, but don’t interpret this to mean that there aren’t any potential hazards. At the same time, once again with the caveat that you don’t inhale, using filters and smoking “natural” (whatever that means) or organic tobacco will not appreciably reduce the risk involved.
In fact, you probably do more to help yourself by having something to drink while smoking to rinse the residue out of your mouth than any filter or, supposedly, unadulterated tobacco will. Now that I’ve opened this can of worms, let’s see if we can put them back in the tin.
About Russ
I’m guessing the bureaucrats in Germany worked OT coming up with yet another faux-safety net to decide how to insure a pipe smoker’s health isn’t compromised while experiencing the pleasures of ‘baccy. Ever notice how the central planners never enact regs that make it unlawful to have their ilk involving themselves in every aspect of the citizen’s existence!!! But, we’re heading there ourselves & pipe tampons will be the rage in the USA if our Central Planners have their way. Especially if NHC is forced upon us.
Personally I wouldn’t use a filter. I had a friend say that someone she knew got mouth cancer after smoking a pipe for six months, and then Gerald Ford and Churchill smoked daily and lived into their 90s, so who knows? Stay educated and do what you want.
Question, I am cosidering a filtered pipe. I see advertisements for “9 mm” pipe filters. I understand “mm” refers to milli-meters, yet 9 mm is equal to about 3/8″. What is the “9 mm” for filters refer to?
Thanks
American filtered pipes (Dr. Grabow, Medico and corncobs) use a filter that is around 6 mm in diameter. Filtered pipes from Europe use a much thicker filter, 9 mm in diameter. The filters cannot be used interchangeably.
Russ Ouellette
Thanks for the information. I thought 9mm didn’t make sense.
Thank you for the comments. I am an artist, and recently I have been messing around with wood and doing some carving. I want to try making a pipe and I was wondering about the filter issue. I have also been looking for information regarding the filters in pipe. Anyways, Thanks for the information.
Hi there,
just my 2 cents:
- You can buy plenty of unfiltered pipes in Germany, you won’t find them at the newsstand though, even if he offers more than the 3-5 standard tobacco brands and is otherwise “well-sorted” for you pipe smoking needs. For that you have to go to special pipe & cigar dealers which can be found in many cities.
- However: ~ 90 % of German pipe smokers use filtered pipes. You usually start filtered, and they are easier and cheaper to acquire which is important if you are just starting. And changing to unfiltered can be a very unpleasent and painful experience. The drag is different & if you are smoking to hot or wet you imediately get your punishment, whereas a filtered pipe may forgive you some mistakes. You have to re-learn how to smoke your pipe & and your favourite tobaccos can taste quite different.
- I only use 9mm charcoal filters with some pure Virginias or VaPers. I love the taste, but my tongue ist just too sensitive. Using the filter can dampen the taste quite a bit, but so can a burnt and bitten tongue so I have to live with this compromise.
Best regards
Sebastian
I’m 86 WW II Veteran and been smoking corncob pipes since age 16. I’m in the VA healthcare and they say my lungs are perfect. I use the Dr. Grabow paper filters – a new one every day. I also occasionally roll a piece of paper towel around a toothpick and make my own filter. Regardless of the smoking and ‘second-hand smoke’ doomsayers, I think the relaxation coming from smoking a pipe beats all the hazards.