Once you get confident with the pipe, though, try it without the filter again. I smoked with a filter for the first time in a long time yesterday with my new Brigham (it came with one installed) and while the draw was noticeably dryer, I found the flavors a bit muted.
Just my opinion, anyway.
Personally, I'll give it a few more tries with the filter, but I fully expect I'm going right back to smoking without.
Well somewhere on this forum I stated that I would eat crow were there reason to do so (I think it was my introduction) and... I think there may be reason to do so. The time has come. That said, the filters really gave me the confidence to re-start the hobby. Perhaps just as important, it allowed me focus on learning to smoke vs. trying to avoid bite.
Yes - I have begun to not use filters. And that's after spending $86.00 on buying them by the 100's in both 6mm and 9mm - AND - buying 3 pipes specifically because they had the ability to use filters.
Here is how it happened. Aesthetically, I loved my Big Ben "Barbados." But the dang 3.5" Big Ben "Pipo" (no filter option on it) I got for $40.00 with a can of tobacco, was smoking better than my Barbados. Now I know from this forum that some pipes are just better smokers than others, but that doesn't mean the disappointment is any less. So the last time I grabbed my Barbados, I thought why not just go without the filter this time - couldn't hurt.
Today I did it again, and again I was rewarded with a great smoke and a new passion for my Barbados. I haven't smoked my Savinelli sans filter yet as it seemingly smokes just fine with one. I can only hope that the Sav I am getting in tomorrow smokes as well as the one I have now. But clearly I'll have to try them without to see if my love for filters is really founded or if it really was born out of tongue bite fear.
Of course, as I always maintained, the great thing about pipes which use filters, is that you don't have to use them. I am not disappointed in the least, but I thought it important to update this thread in case there's a new guy reading this pre-purchase. The point I am making is, every pipe is unique and filters aren't necessarily needed to avoid bite. Good smoking habits and if necessary, a quick run with a pipe cleaner may be all you need.
But if you are as terrified of tongue bite as I was, I would still recommend you get a filtered pipe to get you over the hump. You just don't need to get an aditional two right away lol!
On another note. As of tomorrow, I'll have 5 pipes. As of today, I have 24 blends of tobacco... and a ton of 9mm filters I might never use lol! I am calling it - I need an intervention
.