Some Brief Questions About Corn Cob Pipes

sparrowhawk · Oct 1, 2013

As a way of giving my precious briars time to rest, I'm getting some abhorred corn cobs tomorrow. First question: do you have to break them in, and if so, how long does it take? Second, is it true that they don't really need to rest like briars? Thirdly, do they burn out? Lastly, how do I keep people from throwing bricks at me for looking like a Huck Finn reject?

papipeguy · Oct 1, 2013

Some do coat the bowl with a brandy/honey mixture. I never bothered. I just loaded them up and fired them up. Cobs are very friendly and take a beating. As for how you appear to others? Piss on the world. You're a pipe smoker so everything you do is cool. It's a matter of attitude.

I think you will be happily surprised by cobs. I was and now am a believer.

sparrowhawk · Oct 1, 2013

Well, to help compensate, I'm getting the "Country Gentleman" cobs, 2 of them.

av8scuba · Oct 1, 2013

I just started smoking a MM cob a few months ago. I didn't do any break-in, and smoke several bowls at a time, and do it all over again the next day. So far, no issues. And I assume at some point it will burn through the heel, but so far after about 100 bowls through mine, it still looks fine.
As far as the brick-throwing, I only smoke mine at home. I look too much like a backwoods hick to be seen in public with it to complete the picture! :laughat:

captainsousie · Oct 1, 2013

In my experience, the break-in is a sweet/"corny" taste that is not unpleasant and goes away after a couple of bowls and no, they do not need rest. The rims do char easily on some cobs but burnout is not terribly common. Seems I was beaten on this but will let it stand.
If anybody gives you trouble, show them a really disturbing drawing and tell them the voices want you to make a drawing of them.

sparrowhawk · Oct 1, 2013

I like that idea. One model didn't want to pose for me because my style was "too weird." Now why would anyone think that? :evil:

metalheadycigarguy · Oct 1, 2013

Some say that the first smoke or two out of a cob can have a bit of corn flavor, but I've never noticed it. I've never had to break in any of mine and I have six that I smoke from. As for burn out that depends on the cob and how much you smoke them. Some cobs have a hard wood plug in the bottom, so those will go for a long time without issue. The ones without the wood plug bottoms can burn out, again depending on how often they're smoked. As for rest I've never known my cobs to need a rest, and for anyone that gives you a bad time for enjoying a cob obviously has never smoked out of one.

sparrowhawk · Oct 1, 2013

I hope everyone knows I was joking about the Huck Finn joke and the flying bricks. I don't want to start another video babes controversy, and I know there are many good, loyal, non-hick cob smokers.

inteus · Oct 1, 2013

I didn't do any break in for my Missouri Pride. In fact, this pipe has become my favorite. I even ordered a couple different cobs this evening.

captainsousie · Oct 1, 2013

I should add, you might want to look into a couple of the Missouri Meerschaum Maple "cobs" (not the Ozark hardwood). They are just as cheap and are fantastic after the break-in.

batdemon · Oct 1, 2013

I agree with all of the previous advice so all I can add is the trick to dealing with the brick throwers is to catch the brick and chuck it right back at 'em. :lol:

Perique · Oct 1, 2013

Sparrow, this one's for you

:
"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him."

- David Brinkley

sparrowhawk · Oct 1, 2013

Well said.

voorhees · Oct 2, 2013

I was also not a fan of the "Hee Haw" appearance of corn cobs early on, but after smoking them I found a new appreciation for them. I recently got one for use in the "Slow Smoke" Contest at the Chattanooga Pipe Show. What a pipe! Smokes beautifully.

krizzose · Oct 2, 2013

I've got 3 cobs, and smoke them often. However, I hated the cheap plastic bits, so I bought one of these:

Forever Stems
I have one that I use for all of my cobs.

sparrowhawk · Oct 2, 2013

I'm supposed to get my Gentleman Cobs today from MM. I find myself anxious to get them; these are "classier" cobs than usual. I carefully explained to the household why I was getting them, so they wouldn't think I went hick. Heh. Now let me ask this: having obtained these cobs, how much of a rest should I give my regular briars? I know some people let them rest a month, but that seems a little unreasonable for me, though undoubtedly effective. I'm hoping for something on the order of a few days.

judcole · Oct 2, 2013

I like to rest my briars about a week after smoking one bowl in them.

sparrowhawk · Oct 2, 2013

Do you have a lot of briars, Jud, or do you smoke only occasionally? I ask because I smoke a lot more than the average smoker, or at least so I've gathered from observations on this forum. For instance, I may smoke a single briar 5 times on a given day.

cynyr · Oct 2, 2013

I thrash my cobs all to hell, and they have never failed me.
My rule of thumb on resting briars, and I think it was dervis who told me this, is to rest them a day for each bowl. So, three bowls in a day, three days of rest. But then, everyone has a favorite regimen. Just so long as they get some time to dry and air out.

rigmedic1 · Oct 2, 2013

I have several corncob pipes, and almost always have one in the rotation. Heck, the only pipe I like EMP in is a cob. The people who throw stones are just jealous that they don't have the cahonies to smoke one. My son loves his M&M, and he smokes it on campus.

Some Brief Questions About Corn Cob Pipes

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