Corn Cobs?

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mephistopheles

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 14, 2014
545
0
Gentlemen,
I'm wondering about cobs. What makes them so appealing? What are the benefits? What are the drawbacks? Are there distinct differences between a cob and a briar pipe in how they smoke? If so, what are they?
When buying a cob do you prefer a natural or lacquered finish? Why? What are the benefits and drawbacks to each? Are there particular models that you prefer? The Missouri Meerschaum Country Gentlemen seems to get a lot of praise. Has anyone tried a Freehand? How do you feel about them or cobs in general?

 

mephistopheles

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 14, 2014
545
0
To anyone interested in learning about corn cob pipes care and use I would recommend the following:

The Complete Corncob Primer by tiltjlp/John L Patton

http://pipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_Corncob_primer

 

peteguy

Lifer
Jan 19, 2012
1,530
906
The number one benefit is they are cheap. You can pick up 5 on auction sites for like $10-$15 bucks. They smoke decent and you can toss them whenever you like and replenish your stock. :)

 

jmsutton

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 11, 2014
103
0
I love them. Not only for the price, but for the smoke. Especially with starter tobaccos (I saw you other post). One of my favorite combinations in pipe smoking is carter hall or Captain Black Gold in a MM Cob. Do yourself a favor and get a cob.

 

mephistopheles

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 14, 2014
545
0
I've looked through several threads already, that one included, but my questions aren't fully answered or even addressed.
The benefits that keep being mentioned are:

Smokes cool, can impart a sweetness to your smoke the first few times (maybe like pearwood does?), burley blends tend to taste better to some people in them (I want to know why), they have an open draw (although some people switch stems to alter that), they don't have to be rested as long, they are rugged beater or knock-around pipes, they are a cheap investment that can last a long time with a little luck and some care, and some like the appearance.
The drawbacks:

Some people say that don't compete with decent/good quality briars, some don't like the appearance, the workmanship can be sketchy, the open draw can be a negative, and there are odd horror stories here and there about burn outs which sound uncommon.
Is that it for the pros and cons? If so, it seems that generally speaking, a pipe is a pipe is a pipe. Just a bowl, a shank, and a stem. People say that briars (or even pearwood) smoke cool, or that certain blends taste a little better in them, and depending on the pipe they might have a similar open draw (for better or worse apparently). I guess I don't see the appeal in comparison to... Say a $30.00 US briar. It's going to be better made simply because it's carved out of a single piece of wood with an added stem vs a MM pipe that has three parts with the shank glued into the bowl. It seems they'll perform in almost exactly the same way - at least on paper.
It seems rare for people to express their preference between the natural and lacquered finishes or even discuss the pros and cons of each. Also, I've seen a lot about the country gentlemen but not very much about the Freehand model.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
meph, you may be over-thinking this whole matter. Cobs are cobs, and generally don't "live" as long as well-made

briars of any price level, but in rotation they can last for years. They are inexpensive, light weight, generally good

smokers, and a reliable way to try pipe smoking, obtain a rotation of pipes at a low price, and fill in for work, travel,

or outdoor smoking. Once you acquire a nice stable of briar, quality alternate wood pipes, or Meerschaum, they

will probably get smoked a little less, but it is always enjoyable to come back to a cob and remember again how

an inexpensive pipe can also be a very good one. Exacting comparisons of one cob to another, or one cob to any of

the vast array of briar (and other) pipes available will always vary from one pipe smoker to another. But cobs are a

reliably pleasant smoke in most cases and easy to enjoy. The really tall cobs, like other stacks, require a little practice

to pack and smoke, but it's a challenge many enjoy. With a little experience, the comparisons will not seem so

important, I don't think.

 

johnnyreb

Lifer
Aug 21, 2014
1,961
612
Meph--
I have several MM cobs in my rotation and some are approaching 10 yrs old now. Instead of rehashing what you already know I'll try to keep my reply directed toward your questions and what you may not know.
In general the models I prefer are the Great Dane Egg (currently not offered), the Country Gentleman, and the Freehand. All of these models have hardwood plugs. I originally settled on the Egg as being the smallest bowl that I would prefer to use; I skipped over the Diplomat which in size is between the Egg and the Country Gentleman. The Diplomat would probably suffice for both sizes but I have multiples of the Egg and the Country Gentleman models and I have one Freehand as my big cob (the General would probably suffice as well). I have never tried any of the spool or peanut shaped pipes (just personal preference) or the newest additions such as the Mark Twain, etc. I bought a couple of Morgan's at 75% off when CVS was closing out but have done nothing with them (no hardwood plugs so they will have to be mudded). It is easy to change stems using the replacement stems for the Freehand or the Forever Stem. I prefer lacquered over nekkid; mostly just personal preference but I do think the fill & the lacquer handle the heat and they hold up better. I also think the lacquered stays cleaner from being handled.
The Egg makes a perfect sized flake pipe, or for quick smokes or trying out new blends. Depending on the blend, the pack, and how you smoke the Egg is good for a 40-45 min smoke. I have one Egg I modified with a short 2.25" stem and it is my favorite pipe to clench when working with my hands.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Country Gentleman and if I had to pick only one model of cob it would be it. Straight or bent is strictly personal preference. A straight CG is a little heavy to clench for long. Depending on the variables mentioned about it is good for a 45-60 min smoke.
The Freehand is the best smoker overall of the bunch if you know how to pack & tamp a tall chimney type of stummel. Tall chimneys just draft well and smoke like chimneys. Expect there to be a small learning curve concerning the pack, tamp, ash accumulation, and re lights if you are not familiar with taller billiards. As I mentioned I would expect the General to be the same and should I decide I need another in my arsenal I will add a General. Definitely not a clencher, the Freehand will give you a 65-75 min smoke.
I think of them as being specialized; they are sort of like golf clubs. Each one does something different for me.
Benefits you did not mention would include:
A). Virtually no gurgle.

B). The open draw can be regulated to a large degree by the way you pack.

C). No ghosting. You can use the same pipe for virtually any blend. Bowl size usually determines which cob I use at any given time; not blend or what was smoked in it before.
Drawbacks:
A). Some users experience a "hot corn" taste. I personally have never experienced that. Sometimes on a re light towards the bottom of the bowl with plenty of cob wall exposed, you can scorch the wall with bad technique and get a momentary scorched taste before the tobacco flavor takes back over. Like having a couple of scorched kernels in your popcorn.
I would take a MM cob over a $30 briar any day! No comparison! Hope this answers your questions & concerns.

 

phil67

Lifer
Dec 14, 2013
2,052
7
Another ++1 on the CG. I have several and they are my favorites when it comes to a cob. Match them up with a Forever Stem and they can't be beat for their performance.

 

ravkesef

Lifer
Aug 10, 2010
2,913
9,200
81
Cheshire, CT
Memphis, MSO hit the nail on the head--you're overthinking the issue. I've got a bit of experience acquired in 55 years of pipe smoking, so let me shre some of tht with you. I've got over 100 briars, including six Dunhills, a slew of Charatans, Lane era GBDs, and about twenty artisanal pipes. In short--I can take my pick of any excellent briar when I choose a pipe to smoke. That said, hardly a day goes by when I don't smoke one or two bowls in a cob. Simply stated, they smoke great! They're cool and dry, and IMHO, offer a sweet and pleasant smoke. Two brands stand out: Missouri Meerschaum, of course. They don't make a bad pipe. Try the finished and the unfinished and decide for yourself Another brand that should merit your serioius consideration is Old Dominion. They're made from a heritage variety of corn grown on a small stand of land in Virginia's Eastern peninsula. It's a smaller cob, gret for a shorter smooke, and again, IMHO, are hard to beat for the quality of smoke they offer. Advice--avoid the cheaper ones, especially the Chinese knockoffs.

And here's the thing: I could sit here all night and extol the virtues of corncob pipes, this shape versus that shape, finished, unifinished, three-ply, four-speed synchromesh transmission, etc., but the acid test will come when you smoke them and decide if you like them. Some smoke nothing but, others don't like them. My preferences notwithstanding, I'd recommend trying a few--we're not talking big bucks here, and if my experience is any indication, it's as good a smoke as you'll get, even from pipes costing a lot more. My cobs don't take second place to any of my briars--they're just patrt of the variety in smoking that I enjoy. Perhaps, as you progress in pipe smoking, you'll come to appreciate their true value as well.

 
Oct 12, 2014
328
21
[/quote]  In short--I can take my pick of any excellent briar when I choose a pipe to smoke. That said, hardly a day goes by when I don't smoke one or two bowls in a cob. Simply stated, they smoke great! They're cool and dry, and IMHO, offer a sweet and pleasant smoke.
This. Only no day goes by for me. All my daytime smokes are in cobs. They do indeed impart a very slight sweetness when new..it pairs exceptionally well with burley. If you keep it cleaned out/ream it to bare cob it will come back again. And whatever you do please don't buy a Chinese cob. Support MM & Old dominion. They're not that expensive :)
I too would take a cob over a 30 dollar briar any day..no question.
 

buster

Lifer
Sep 1, 2011
1,305
3
I have an Eaton MM cob that gets a lot of use. It cost under $4 and has a wide open draw. I would be seriously unhappy if I broke it or dropped it overboard while fishing but Hell $4. I have a brand new back up waiting for when this one gives up the ghost. Just buy one or two you won't regret it.

 

beefeater33

Lifer
Apr 14, 2014
4,063
6,119
Central Ohio
+1 on the Eaton. I use mine all the time, as I can't always commit to a hour long smoke. The little eaton absolutely SHINES with straight VA's. Mine came in a bag of seconds.......about $2, and I can't find a damn thing wrong with it-- Great Little Smoker!!

 
Mar 1, 2014
3,646
4,916
I love my MacArthurs. Trying briar with a bowl that size would cost hundreds of dollars, which is a bit much for an experiment.

Now that I have them I love them, and I'm not sure if I even want briar in that size anymore.

 

phred

Lifer
Dec 11, 2012
1,754
4
Is that it for the pros and cons? If so, it seems that generally speaking, a pipe is a pipe is a pipe. Just a bowl, a shank, and a stem.
Pretty much, especially when it comes to cobs. There are Old Dominion cobs, which are just a bowl and a stem, but I have not yet laid hands on one, let alone smoked one, so I can't comment intelligently on any perceived differences there.
As for some of your other questions, I have not noticed any difference in smoking qualities between the plaster finish and the rough finish MM pipes in my collection - seems to be mostly an aesthetic difference, or possibly a comfort difference if one has sensitive hands and doesn't clench. I was initially drawn to the lighter plaster finishes (as opposed to the ashy grey/black of the Country Gentleman), but after smoking most of a bag of seconds over the last couple of years, the natural finishes have grown on me, as has the Country Gentleman (I now own 2).
Really, the only major engineering differences I've found relate to the comparative size of the bowls. The smaller ones smoke more quickly and get hotter (less tobacco, less cob material to absorb the heat), and that's about it. I'm fond of the larger bowls, but I have yet to try a Freehand (I don't normally have 3 hours to spend on a single bowl...), though I've got one of the Mark Twain "Dublin" style MMs on order.

 
Mar 1, 2014
3,646
4,916
Phred, if you "fold and stuff" a flake the large cobs are no different from anything else, the flake just sits there with a huge air pocket underneath. I prefer to pack this way most of the time anyway so the 3" bowl on the MacArthur ends up just making the pipe bigger (which I also like).

 

phred

Lifer
Dec 11, 2012
1,754
4
Heh. Yeah, that makes sense - I haven't smoked a lot of flakes yet, and so far I've had more luck with rubbing them out or cube-cutting than with folding and stuffing.

 
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