Cob Over Briar

[Eaglesgift]

Yeah, I think they just did those three in the shapes of the cobs of the same names (at least that’s all I managed to find).

I’m not 100% sure whether I can taste anything odd in the maple Country Gentleman or not. Since my last comment, I smoked the same tobacco in a cob and it wasn’t entirely the same. I read quite a few good reviews on them, which is why I grabbed them when I found a shop online that still had them all in stock; I’ll have to wait and see whether that was a good idea or not....I knew they’d need a break-in period.

 

[olkofri]

I started out loving cobs.. smoking them almost exclusively, and even customizing them.
after a while I got tired of them muting the flavors. They are also much less resilient than briar. One got rained on quite a bit and cracked/deformed. I also got tired of people noticing the cob and thinking you’re a hillbilly or some otherwise jokester. A briar looks like a “real pipe” and people know what you’re smoking. I think some people thought I was smoking weed out of a cob.

when I went to Germany and France I was still in my cob phase and while it worked well for traveling, I wish I had a nicer pipe with me for some occasions. I think the Europeans really thought I was a hillbilly with my cob. ? Especially walking into a nice tobacco shop and picking out tobacco to smoke from my cob... while poo-pooing those overly expensive briar pipes. There’s a good reason they are more expensive.

You took the words out of my mouth. Precisely the same reasons I have for not caring about cobs (much [yeah, I do have some and do smoke them, but never when wearing a suit]).

Come to think of it, I did take one to Germany. Wonder if that's why the ladies in that restaurant in Köln appeared to give me odd looks. They do look hella bumpkinish (the cobs, I mean).

I never loved them nor customised them, though.

 

[desrtrat68]

I'm not really qualified to answer this as I'm a newb too, but I've got 2 cobs and one briar (cheapy no-name that I bought when I decided I wanted to try pipe smoking). Someday soon I'd like to get a quality briar as I really like the looks (I WILL get a churchwarden), but for now, every night, it's my Country Gent I'm reaching for. Love it! I prefer the draw and weight to the briar (a bent apple) and it just feels better in my hand. The briar's just for decoration at this point.

 

[Chasing Embers]

If forced to choose, that cob would always win.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

If forced to choose, that cob would always win.

View attachment 31329

I wish MM would do another run of those reverse calabashes. They’d get my money.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I wish MM would do another run of those reverse calabashes. They’d get my money.

Smokes circles around that Dunhill.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

It will certainly ruin a cob over time.

I don't doubt this is true... Where will the damage occur? I've made the decision to keep washing cobbs, damn the consequences. Haha They smoke better clean. I do have one that a friend gave me. That one I may stop washing, so it will last.

 

[davek]

I don't doubt this is true... Where will the damage occur? I've made the decision to keep washing cobbs, damn the consequences. Haha They smoke better clean. I do have one that a friend gave me. That one I may stop washing, so it will last.

I have also been washing my cobs with no repercussions... yet... and would like more detail.
I do have a lot of cobs and likely haven't washed any one a whole lot of times.
I like the way they smoke when they are charred and have a fair amount of cake but the "resinousness" is flushed out. Nice and absorbent.

 

[Apipeinthewoods]

don't get me wrong I still enjoy the briars but everyday use I use my briars I guess it because I think I can use and abuse a cob and a briar I feel like I should be careful with

I would feel the same as above. And as a newbie, I'd wait to judge a new blend until I smoked it out of my briar.

Having said that, if my home caught fire, I'd probably grab my bag of smokable seconds cobs first.

 

[daniel7]

I prefer briars. And meerschaum-lined briars sometimes. I have a MM Dagner cob which I smoked twice. I can feel some sweetness and aftertaste when I smoke it and I don't like that. Maybe with time I could break it in but why the efforts when I have a lot of good briars? Not to mention the appearance and touch of a cob vs. a nice sandblasted, rusticated or smooth briar.
I have a MM Missouri Pride as well which I will light up one day (haven't tried it yet), maybe it will change my opinion.
Pear wood pipes are surprisingly good, almost like briar. I have two of them - Mr. Bróg (Polish) and Szabó (Hungarian). Maybe I would like MM's maple pipes as well, I think I will buy one some day.

 

[BROBS]

I don't doubt this is true... Where will the damage occur? I've made the decision to keep washing cobbs, damn the consequences. Haha They smoke better clean. I do have one that a friend gave me. That one I may stop washing, so it will last.

I think as long as you rinse and then dry it out it won’t hurt it. But if you leave it moist the water will absorb into the plaster and also dissolve the hide glue they use for the shank.

I had one I smoked constantly without rest and it got super heavy with moisture and the shank slid out over time.

I reglued the shank in and let it rest and I still have the pipe today. So they are resilient.. just not as much as a briar.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I think as long as you rinse and then dry it out it won’t hurt it. But if you leave it moist the water will absorb into the plaster and also dissolve the hide glue they use for the shank.

I had one I smoked constantly without rest and it got super heavy with moisture and the shank slid out over time.

I reglued the shank in and let it rest and I still have the pipe today. So they are resilient.. just not as much as a briar.

Yep. I'm surprised they don't come apart there more than they do. Especially after the extra wood from the shank is burned off.

 

[BROBS]

Yep. I'm surprised they don't come apart there more than they do. Especially after the extra wood from the shank is burned off.

Mine never burns off?

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Mine never burns off?
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Most of mine look like yours.

 

[aquadoc]

Dogs over Cats....just saying.

 

[anotherbob]

Dogs over Cats....just saying.

I agree 100 percent. Just like loving cats or dogs more only has a right answer personally (they're different but both great). If you like cobs and they agree with you best then that's right, if briars agree with you better then that's right. And many of us are like me I get along better with cats and if I can only have one pet that's what it's going to be, but I'd be sad not to have dog friends. If I had to pick one it would be briar but since that's not the reality I also need to have cobs in my rotation too.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Mine never burns off?
View attachment 31360

I'm sure your extra wood has lost some surface area. Haha looks like some cake is kinda hiding/protecting it. Plus every chamber looks a little different from the factory with these.

This is a Hardwood, but same concept. Its the only one I have on me. I'm guessing it takes a lot of smoking.. plus I try not to waste the bottom of the bowl.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I try not to waste the bottom of the bowl.

You don't have to. Cannon ball pack the pipe just above the insert.

 

[wyfbane]

I love all my pipes, Briar, Meer, and Cob. They all smoke great and it's just a question of what I am in the mood for.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Somebody should really start a "show us your cornholes" thread, so we can all compare.