I started smoking pipes in ~ 2004 or so. I've always read how good cob pipes are, and how many use them for Aros, other tobaccos that ghost or just for sampling new tobaccos. Also, many have said they're good for travelling so if one gets broken, better a $5 or $10 cob than a good brand name pipe. In addition, people always speak of how dry and cool they smoke.
So, about 6 weeks ago I received an order from 4Noggins that contained my first cob, an MM Country Gentlemen. I've since received another one and these 2 are by far, the most used pipes in my collection of ~ 30 pipes. Here's a few reasons why.
I don't know why or how, but it's very true how dry and cool they smoke. It's not that I didn't believe the fact, it's just that I thought these claims were exaggerated. How could a $5 cob smoke as good as, or better, than a Pete or a System Sav? But I found out it's true, and if anything, more so than the claims.
Now, my question is; Are these smoking traits attributable to the open draw of a cob? I've been thinking that none of my pipes have comparable draw characteristics to a cob, or at least, the ones I have. But the ones I have that could be considered open, like a Pete Bulldog, an IMP meer, or a big Tinsky slightly bent Dublin, are definately my better smokers of non-cob manufacture.
Something I learned from cobs, but not quite sure why I did learn it from those, is to pack lighter, much lighter. When I started smoking a pipe, after years of cigars, I tied to pack a pipe to mimic draw force required on a cigar and we should all know that is wrong. Nothing but hot, wet, bitter smokes. I think back now and wonder why I even kept at it. Gradually I did learn to pack a bit looser, but was obviously (to me now) still too tight. I'm not sure why the light went on when I first smoked a bowl in a cob, but it did. The first bowl in a cob was a tobacco I'm well familiar with, BCF and I got flavours from that smoke I've now become used to, even in briars, but had never experienced before.
So needless to say I see a few more cobs in my future and I may even attempt to open the airways of some of my pipes, if that is indeed the case.
So, about 6 weeks ago I received an order from 4Noggins that contained my first cob, an MM Country Gentlemen. I've since received another one and these 2 are by far, the most used pipes in my collection of ~ 30 pipes. Here's a few reasons why.
I don't know why or how, but it's very true how dry and cool they smoke. It's not that I didn't believe the fact, it's just that I thought these claims were exaggerated. How could a $5 cob smoke as good as, or better, than a Pete or a System Sav? But I found out it's true, and if anything, more so than the claims.
Now, my question is; Are these smoking traits attributable to the open draw of a cob? I've been thinking that none of my pipes have comparable draw characteristics to a cob, or at least, the ones I have. But the ones I have that could be considered open, like a Pete Bulldog, an IMP meer, or a big Tinsky slightly bent Dublin, are definately my better smokers of non-cob manufacture.
Something I learned from cobs, but not quite sure why I did learn it from those, is to pack lighter, much lighter. When I started smoking a pipe, after years of cigars, I tied to pack a pipe to mimic draw force required on a cigar and we should all know that is wrong. Nothing but hot, wet, bitter smokes. I think back now and wonder why I even kept at it. Gradually I did learn to pack a bit looser, but was obviously (to me now) still too tight. I'm not sure why the light went on when I first smoked a bowl in a cob, but it did. The first bowl in a cob was a tobacco I'm well familiar with, BCF and I got flavours from that smoke I've now become used to, even in briars, but had never experienced before.
So needless to say I see a few more cobs in my future and I may even attempt to open the airways of some of my pipes, if that is indeed the case.