Cobs vs. Briar

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numbernine

Lurker
Dec 26, 2016
23
0
Hello all i always wanted to know why there is a cult like following by cob smokers. I understand their cheap but i know that's not the answer, so if you could explain why it would enlighten me. thanks
Sixten

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
Well, it's a cult, so I don't think we really have an explanation...
Oh, I kid, as always. I'll pipe up as a cob-lover, even though I'm a two-timin' briar lover as well. They just smoke great for some reason; cool, dry, they stay lit better, even with sloppy packing, you could use one for a snorkel and it still wouldn't gurgle, the wide-open draft smokes really well for me, you can "forget" to clean them for a while and they don't get skunky. The stock stems suck, but the plug-and-play Danish upgrade stems only cost fifty cents. The only tobacco they don't enhance the flavor of is Latakia, and there's probably even some people who like that anyway. I'm probably forgetting about a dozen other reasons, but someone else will be along to enumerate them. There will be naysayers, but they're not in the cult, so what do they know?

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,205
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
It's a personal preference. And, when assaulted with words and sometimes harsh opinions, cobbers tend to stand together. Me? I can smoke either anytime, any place, and enjoy.
Some members simply enjoy stirring the pot and disparage the cob to see who rises to the bait. Some are serious in their self-perceived superiority though. They firmly believe briar to be the superior material for a pipe.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,340
Nothing cult, secret, or magic about it. Cobs just smoke some blends better, and it's good to have multiple pipe types in your collection. I enjoy both.
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texmexpipe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 20, 2014
998
246
All of the above +1 and I like the abuse that a cob will take from me. If camping for more than a few days I still only have to take one or two cobs, as they will take bowl after bowl after bowl after... well you get the point. Also they are affordable! If I have a bad itch to buy another pipe but not the big money, (most always) then I can buy myself a cob and scratch that itch!

I love everyone of my briars, but a cob sometimes just can't be beat!

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
All of the above and much more. Most of us love our crown jewel briars, at what ever level we can own them, and briar is a gift from nature for the purpose. But so is the corn cob as a pipe as perfected by Missouri Meerschaum and others. Also, I think because of the low price and high volume manufacture of good corn cob pipes (we won't talk about the junky ones) they do provide a sort of wry correction on our taking ourselves and our fine briar pipes over-seriously. I value the folksy look of the corn cob pipe and think everyone should smoke one when they are most dressed up, at least a bowl's worth, just to dramatize the point.

 

snoopy311

Can't Leave
Dec 21, 2016
402
155
A cob is a pipe you can take to the fishing stream, camping, horse back riding or any other number of outdoor activities and if it gets wet, falls out of your pocket or is other incapacitated it’s not the end of the world. I doubt many would feel warm and fuzzy if that happened to their $200.00 plus briars.
Cobs are just an all around good option and the benefits are most likely quite a long list.

 

stickframer

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 11, 2015
875
8
I enjoy my cobs for all the reasons above.
I find them practical for smoking while driving or on a windy day, but they are also just plain good smokers.

 

B18

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 27, 2015
261
150
The first time i bought a cob I smoked it day and night. What i noticed is that the shank would be moist. So i conclude that the cob absorbs alot of moisture. Making the smoke real dry and ideal for working. Even though the cob may be the best smoker in my collection, I love the grain of briar.

 

crashthegrey

Lifer
Dec 18, 2015
3,810
3,566
41
Cobleskill, NY
www.greywoodie.com
You should be careful asking for the secrets to the universe. You are fortunate that so many have answered you. For I still cannot unlock the secrets of the cob. It's a cult to which I guess I just don't belong. I can see the physical aspects and the history, all great reasons to love cob pipes. I just never seem to enjoy it. But if you want to go further, numbernine, you'll need to buy a cob and find out.

 

alexnorth

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 7, 2015
603
3
I haven't smoked a cob since high school. Maybe we should try one to see what the fuzz is all about...

 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,888
31,594
34
Burlington WI
Cobs to me, require much less work than a briar. To me, they are the cigarettes of the pipe world. Just light it and go. No thinking necessary.

 

numbernine

Lurker
Dec 26, 2016
23
0
Thank you for your replies, i think i have a better understanding now and my next order a MM and a replacement bit along with some burly and Virginia mixes will be ordered. I have dropped several briars while fishing and as my bad luck would have it they show the marks to this day.
Sixten

 
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