Briar Seems Less "Forgiving" Than Corn

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,087
6,394
Florida
Gurgle and heat are two of 'our' great detractors. After a year of pipe smoking, I find I still get my share of gurgle and tongue burn, but it most often happens when I'm smoking a briar pipe, NOT when I'm smoking a cob.

I've had some wonderful smokes in briars, but much less consistently than with my cobs.

Conclusion? For a newbie, a cob will help you get the idea much more easily than a briar.

 

scrooge

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,341
14
Hello , if your a ex cigarette smoker it is a lot more common for us. we produce more slyva fromit. I have found that if when it starts to gurgle blow into the pipe a little hard an it will completely stop it, as for cobs they absorb the moisture some . an don't burn as hot as briar, again its the to rapid of puffing we did when cigs we smoked , puff slower, softer, smoke it like it is almost out all the time. hope it helped

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,087
6,394
Florida
scrooge, Thank you for the good advice. I've been reading about pipe smoking on a daily basis since I began to actually smoke a pipe exclusively, and that advice has been shared repeatedly.

My problem with briar seems to happen with particular pipes, and particular blends.

I don't ALWAYS have a problem, but more so with briar than with cob. The air flow in a cob seems to be more forgiving and constantly effective than in some of my briars.

I reach for a cob way more often than I do a briar.

Practice may help me to learn to appreciate my briars more.

 

scrooge

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,341
14
The stem on cobs don't actually reach the bottom of the bowl, they are higher up the side, the lower the hole the more likely hood of puddling. also I favor cobs too, if I drop em an they do happen to break its a lot cheaper to replace ,plus the weight an so on as you know , I have 21 of them, rotation an all of that.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,087
6,394
Florida
scrooge. Which shapes do you like most? I like them all, but, especially those with a wooden plug and non filter stem. The Morgan doesn't have that plug, but I love those little dudes. My Shire is just a pleasure to smoke.

 

scrooge

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,341
14
I started out trying MM nose warmers to get the jist of cobs, found out real quick they don't do well with my big beard , but most of mine are mark twains very thick an larger for my artritus they have the plugs

 

jessicac

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 7, 2014
223
2
The only problem with cobs are, if you're used to cigarette smoking and move to a cob, you'll end up with a mouthful of burning embers and ash.
Spoken from personal experience.

 

phil67

Lifer
Dec 14, 2013
2,052
7
The only problem with cobs are, if you're used to cigarette smoking and move to a cob, you'll end up with a mouthful of burning embers and ash.
Strange, as I've never experienced such a thing from a cob and I'm (regretfully) a 50+ year cigarette smoker.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,087
6,394
Florida
I wonder how many of our behaviors are instilled by habit and become almost involuntarily repeated. This also applies to social customs.

The movement toward equal rights for everyone has wrought its share of custom changing I suppose, but, we're a long way from actually being fair with each other.

Without even considering the social chasms maintained by systemic racism, it's the lack of mutual respect of the sexes that has held us back as much as anything.

For instance, even the language disdains femininity in an attempt to disparage both the poor and disabled with the phrase Nanny State.

I know I can think of many more instances like that.

 

northernneil

Lifer
Jun 1, 2013
1,390
1
I wonder if you might be getting excess moisture in you briar because the cake may not be fully developed. I say this because that is what I have convinced myself my issue is :lol:
How thick is your cake? Does it reach all the way to the heel of the bowl?

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,346
It does sound like a cake issue. A fully caked pipe can absorb amazing amounts of moisture.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,087
6,394
Florida
All my briars that I'm smoking were Estates. I reamed them, salt treated them, and cleaned the stems.

I think that when I have a problem, it's usually the 'load'..or I'm smoking too fast. If I load any pipe too tightly, for instance, the increased amount of draw I'll use may result in some burn...often I can save it with the poker on a Czech tool or with the pointy end of my nail set/tamper.

 

minfarshaw

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 12, 2014
279
1
About the fully caked briars-- I am going to have to agree with you. I have just started smoking maybe a year ago and have noticed that my older pipes smoke better than my newer pipes. So I'm thinking, more cake makes the pipe smoke better. My favorite briars at the moment are the ones I've had the longest. The first pipe I bought was not my favorite pipe at first but it is now that it is fully caked. I can't wait until all my briars are caked. I thought that breaking in a pipe would only take a few weeks. Now I know, it can take a couple of months. This realization actually made me slow down on pipe purchases. For comparison, I have 16 pipes and smoke about 1-3 bowls a day.
Btw, my Mark Twain cob is about a half a year old and fully caked. It is one of my favorites.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I guess I'm a naysayer. I've found over decades that a thin carbon layer provides the necessary surface for a good smoke. I think building cake is a fine old piper's tradition. I don't inveigh against it at all. But I do fine without more than a thin layer of carbon, and I believe the pipes last longer and in better shape. I don't own a reamer and some of my pipes are nearly 40 years old, and I still smoke them in rotation. If I enjoyed cake, I'd happily build it, but pipes work fine with just a thin layer of carbon.

 

robwoodall

Can't Leave
Apr 29, 2015
422
5
Briar is evil.
OK, maybe it's just that I still smoke too fast, but I have MUCH better luck with cobs.

 

seadogontheland

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 4, 2014
599
2
-Smoke wet baccy you get gurgle...more often happens with aros.

-Smoke too fast/hot you get gurgle.

-If you want to smoke fast or use wet weed fine...simply...

-Run a pipe cleaner through stem to just before the heel when gurgle and problem solved.

-Some cake it good...some...too much and that pipe will crack when it gets overheated and expands.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.