some questions!

Hayblet

As I am nowhere near as experienced as some of y'all I was wondering....


Does anyone use a filtered pipe?
Is a Calabash pipe for a certain blend or is that just the style name?
Also I seemed to have lost the flint out of my Xikar pipe lighter an a bic flint won't fit... suggestions? I don't have the original box anymore (or if I do it's in SC more or less if the warranty paper is even with it)

xmacro

- I don't
- Style of pipe; uses the curved gourd to cool the smoke down
- no idea

J.S.

I don't use a filtered pipe and unless you were going to inhale I don't think I would.

A Calabash is just a style of pipe good ones have a meer. liner and expensive ones made from a gourd (hard to find) are said to keep the smoke cooler (I have no way to confirm that just what I have heard).

Flints are flints, with a couple of exceptions with Dunhill as far as I know. C.com does not sell them but other sites and B&M's do. So unless you are going to be making a purchase online I would go into the B&M pay the 100% mark up and tax because they are so cheap you still will not be covering the cost of shipping. You could even take the lighter in and let them see it if you are concerned about flint types. I like IM Corona flints, they can be found online, but others will work fine too.

xmacro

J.S.:

I don't use a filtered pipe and unless you were going to inhale I don't think I would.

I'd quibble with this a tad; Savinelli pipes are filtered, and from what I've heard they provide a dry smoke/no wetness in the smoking. Trouble is, you need to keep buying their filters if you want that; though if you take it out, you can still smoke the pipe just fine, you just won't have that extra layer of filtration if you smoke very wet tobaccos

J.S.

xmacro:

J.S.:

I don't use a filtered pipe and unless you were going to inhale I don't think I would.

I'd quibble with this a tad; Savinelli pipes are filtered, and from what I've heard they provide a dry smoke/no wetness in the smoking. Trouble is, you need to keep buying their filters if you want that; though if you take it out, you can still smoke the pipe just fine, you just won't have that extra layer of filtration if you smoke very wet tobaccos

The issue is note quite just this but it would factor in.

There are two main categories of filters (1) pass-through (2) pass-around. The pass-through filters are what you would see in a Dr. Grabow or Medico. They are paper or paper/charcoal that are used to remove tar and N. Some filters use charcoal or silica gel as well. These come in the 6 and 9mm sizes usually from European makers but I think some US makers are doing this too. Most people who don’t inhale don’t like this type of filter as it reduces the flavor of the smoke. The filter can be removed but the way the air flows through without the filter the pipe will tend to smoke wet.

(2) pass-around filters are usually made of wood (balsa or maple), and their whole purpose is to remove excessive moisture from the smoke.The Savinelli you mentioned above will use either a 6 or 9mm filter made of balsa to do the job. These filters may not affect the flavor of the smoke or so I am told. If I were going to play with a filtered pipe Savinelli would be the one I would use because you can get a 6 mm rod of material with a smaller hole down the center. This is inserted in the place of the filter giving a non filtered smoke without the air flow issues leading to a wet smoke.

xmacro

Good points; didn't know most of this myself

Hays

I am not educated in the pipe sector here, but regarding flints for your lighter - I bought and use Zippo flints for my Xikar FlintFire, they work just fine.