How to Make a Filter for a Smoking Pipe
Smoking pipes come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Occasionally pipes may contain filters in the shank (the section between the bowl and the mouthpiece) to help stop tar, particulates and moisture from reaching the smoker. Filter pipes are usually designed for either 6mm or 9mm filters. Filters are available in two forms: "paper" and "charcoal." Paper filters are cellophane-wrapped paper tubes with several raised paper "hooks" filling the center to catch moisture and tar. Charcoal filters use either carbon-coated paper or small charcoal pellets in a cartridge as a filtering medium.
Paper filters can be made by rolling absorbent slips of paper into tubes and placing them in the filter area of the pipe's stem.
Instructions
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Cut several coffee filters with scissors into strips as wide as the filter area in the pipe's stem. Coffee filters are practical because they are highly absorbent; any type of absorbent paper can be used.
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Roll a coffee filter strip into a small tube. Add more layers of coffee filter to the outside of the tube until the tube fits snugly into the filter slot on the pipe. Do not roll the filter so densely that it blocks the flow of air through the tube.
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Place the homemade filter into the pipe stem and inhale through the mouthpiece. If the airflow is blocked remove the filter and re-roll it more loosely with fewer layers. The pipe filter is ready to use when it does not obstruct the flow of air and smoke through the stem.
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Tips & Warnings
Like all paper filters, homemade filters should be replaced before each bowl of tobacco. Reused filters may not absorb as much moisture as new filters.
Smoking tobacco can harm your health.
Homemade paper filters may not filter as much tar, moisture, or larger particulates as factory-made filters.
References
- Photo Credit Pipe image by UKL from Fotolia.com
