Corncob Pipe Bowls

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xoran

Lurker
May 31, 2013
8
0
I enjoy corncobs but recently (the last 2 or 3 years) the bowls have been way too small when I bought them at the only place in my town where they are sold. I'm speaking about MM cobs. I learned on the internetz that because of the drought in Missouri the cobs were small. I still have a couple of cobs I bought 6 or 8 years ago that have the right-sized bowl, but they are getting pretty close to splitting--you know, down the sides of the bowls.

So, my question is: Is the drought over and the MM cobs back up to the normal size? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks, xoran.
P.S. I have many briars and meers too, but I really like a cob.

 

Wellington

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 31, 2012
531
578
Interesting, I was unaware of a drought there and hadn't ever really thought about the effect it would have on the size of the bowls.

 

mp31guitar

Lifer
Jun 28, 2011
1,156
1
Yep, the bowls are getting bigger. I ordered a new one from the factory and it had a nice big bowl. I know this is only one pipe but I also read that the bowls are getting bigger. I think it takes a year or two for them to come from the field to a pipe bowl. Not sure if this is accurate but I think I read it here recently. I'm sure someone else here knows for sure.

 
Apr 26, 2012
3,342
5,130
Washington State
Yes it is, and you should be able to get normal size cobs again. For a while it was hard to find Generals, MacArthur's, Country Gentleman's and Diplomats. The last cobs I got were all good sized with my General being the biggest General I've ever seen.
Depending on where you shop they might still have some of the smaller cobs, but if you go to Aristocob.com you can get any shape cob at the size they should be.

 

05venturer

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
1,622
2
Amery,WI
Country Gentleman and General Missouri Meerschaums have a nice big bowl, they are a couple of my favorites.

And I did see a video that the corn crop is back after the drought they had a year or so ago and everything good. Also the Hardwoods that they started producing during the shortage are great smokers IMO.

 

xoran

Lurker
May 31, 2013
8
0
Thank you for the positive information, y'all. I feel ready to buy some new ones now. I've gotten to where

I really like a corncob bowl or two of burley every morning with coffee. But the small bowls just didn't last

long enough and they tended to heat up a bit toward the bottom.
Thanks again,
xoran

 

philip

Lifer
Oct 13, 2011
1,705
6
Puget Sound
Yup. The cobs used to be bigger.

0606000048-l.jpg


 

jkenp

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 5, 2013
202
0
NW Indiana
The drought may be right but I think the real problem is that most corn is processed with a mechanical picker that removes the grain without regards to the cob. So, where they can obtain cobs is the limiting and real problem they face. To get the cobs, the corn must be picked, stored, and process with very old equipment along with extra labor.

 

bludgeoningdeath

Might Stick Around
Feb 28, 2013
62
0
Timberville Virginia
I bought a MM from a local place. A decent smoke for the price but I do have a question for you all. Do you feel like the stems in all of them are cheap/too soft? Mine has the clear yellow stem and it feels about chewed up on the end from just holding it in my mouth.

 

scrapyardape

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 9, 2013
260
0
Florida gulfcoast
Do you feel like the stems in all of them are cheap/too soft?

Indeed they are. I always order three or four with every pipe because of this. (they're cheap, so it's not a big add-on to the bill) There are also several sources for more durable bits out there, but I have yet to try one.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
No questiion, the cobs showed up larger in my local pipe shop in the last year. I would say the standard

item two or three years ago was a Group 3 or very small 4, and now the standard is a good sized Group 4,

with Generals and other big pipes going Group 5, some larger. The drought pipes were good quality, though.

I have several, and they do well. Maybe the drought cobs were tough. I bought Walker Briar Works Forever

stems for my three MM's, and they are excellent.

 
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