Am I Crazy?

[scooterdoo]

This is my first post here and I might drop a bomb. If so, my apologies.
I started by lurking on here and Reddit for about two months. I soaked in as much information as possible. Learned a ton about different tobaccos, blends, pipes. materials, etc. When I felt I had finally learned enough, I went out and bought a few pipes. As so many here are inclined to recommend them, I bought a few MM corn cobs. I enjoyed the heck out of them...really, I did. When I bought my cobs I thought I was going to be a cob exclusive smoker. Heck, it seemed the vast majority of posts discussing cobs claimed they smoked just as good if not better than anything under $200. Why buy anything else?
Then I kept on lurking, kept on seeing all your beautiful briars. Needless to say, I broke about two weeks ago and bought two briars: a Rossi and a Savinelli (estates). Am I crazy, or do these smoke substantially better than cobs? Sure, they can be annoying and definitely require a bit more maintenance, but on flavor alone, I feel they blow cobs out of the water.
So, what gives? Does anyone else feel this way? It would seem not.

 

[ashdigger]

You are not crazy. I dislike cobs, that's why Baskin Robbins sells more than vanilla.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I've a few cobs, and they serve their purpose. But I prefer my briars.

 

[aldecaker]

Yep, you're crazy. You guys are just doing it wrong. :nana:

 

[scooterdoo]

Just to clarify, I don't know hate my cobs. They will stay with me and I'm happy I bought them. My only point was that when it comes to flavor the briars knock them out of the park.

 

[tschiraldi]

Briar is king!

 

[warren]

Many people can coax a perfectly enjoyable smoke from a cob. Others haven't figured them out I suppose.

 

[sasquatch]

Cobs serve a purpose, but I can't help but think that the dedicated cob smoker is doing something fairly different than what I am doing when I sit and smoke a pipe. Cobs are more forgiving of bad technique, they absorb more moisture, and to me, they never really "cruise" the way a briar pipe will, when smoked just so. But hitting that zone takes all kinds of practice and some guys just can't be bothered or are not interested, or they just get better enjoyment out of a cob for whatever reason - so be it. But they don't work for me, really.

 

[scloyd]

I have six briars and two MM cobs. One of the cobs is a MM Dagner Poker cob, which was a gift. I prefer my briars and smoke my cobs when I'm in the mood for really aromatics like cherry, honey maple, chocolate...
Lately I've been on a Smyrna kick (John Cotton's Smyrna & Sutliff Heavy English) and I have dedicated one of my Savinelli's to blends with Smyrna. My problem is finding blends with Smyrna in them.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Cobs are the “Big Lie”. Just kidding, the cob boys will be along soon to curb stomp everyone who disagrees with them, ha ha. I will smoke a cob if I am doing some activity that might put a good pipe in jeopardy. But, the aroma of warm briar is what gives me that pipey flavor, and briar just smokes so much better, IMO, more responsive. But,I don’t have a problem with other people smoking cobs. To each their own. .

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I have one cob. It smokes reasonably well. I prefer briar for smoking and aesthetic qualities. If my alternative was to smoke only cobs or not at all, I'd smoke the cobs. Thankfully, that isn't the case.

 

[homewaters]

You're not crazy. In my opinion, the right briar will outperform any cobs but on the other hand, a cob will do better in many cases than the average "just okay" briar. You might find yourself reaching for a cob trying a new blend a few months from now in cooler weather and have a memorable experience (in a good way that is!). For me, a cob doesn't smoke the best when it's brand new. What I typically do is I smoke them until the end of the shank inside the chamber gets burned enough that it can be shaped using the tip of a Czech pipe tool. I then raise the bottom (filling any space between the hardwood plug and the shank section inside the bowl using pipe mud (a paste made of cigar ashes and water). I create a perfectly round bottom that lines up with the draft hole. After smoking the pipe another 2-3 times, the pipe mud gets really hard and without any taste. It is also great for absorbing any moisture. Only then I can start building a thin layer of cake and enjoy the best cob smokes!

 

[seanv]

I have 3 cobs, 2 meers and 10 briars. I prefer the briars over all. Cobs are good for vapers in my opinion and situations that I don’t care what happens to the pipe, weather or working etc. Certain blends smoke good in cobs and others don’t. Everyone is different.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have four cobs. One I smoke very occasionally. You seem quite sane!

 

[sparroa]

I've always contended that having good tobacco was more important than having an ideal pipe.
Is briar better than cob? That is immaterial even if it is true. One can have excellent smoking experiences with a cob for a negligible amount of money and no time investment. Is the same true with briar? Absolutely not. Cobs are utilitarian tools above all but they offer a great value to those who simply want an enjoyable smoke and not an expensive collection.
Ultimately, it comes down to the obvious - smoke whatever pipes you enjoy the most...

 

[3rdguy]

For you briars may impart flavor somehow better....nothing wrong with that.

 

[aldecaker]

Well said, Simenon, well said. I am reminded of the Jesse Silver Theorem: It's 75% technique, 25% equipment.

 

[npod]

Cobbs for me were like online dating. I tried it, didn’t love it, eventually found my true love in briar. I smoke a pipe when I fish and I wanted badly to enjoy a Cobb in that scenario for practical reasons, but I still grab briar instead because that’s what I like.

 

[bassbug]

when it comes to flavor the briars knock them out of the park.

Wait till you smoke your first meer

 

[Chasing Embers]

I guess I fall into the preferring cobs camp.