Back To The Cob

[jpbass]

i've never owned ant really high end pipes, probably the most expensive ($50 range in the mid 90's) I've ever owned is an Italian made pipe that is stamped with the name of my local tobacconist chain (Fader's-if anyone knows which Italian maker made "their" pipes in the mid to late 90's, please enlighten me).
After many years of not having one in my collection, I recently picked up a Missouri Meerschaum cob at a strip mall store in my area that called Tobacco Mall (one of those shops that sells crap cigars, some OTC blends and some bulk bags as well as lottery tickets and sodas). I'm enjoying the cob above all my pipes at this point.
I was wondering if anybody else has had the same experience going "back to the cob" after starting out on one, then getting away from them for many years. I almost feel like I want to pick a a couple more and smoke them exclusively; they just smoke so well.

 

[spyder71]

The only info I have for you on Faders is that they had some of their pipes made is Israel by Shalom. I have a freehand marked Faders and tracked down what I could. Shalom made some pipes for Grabow, or so I have read.

Not much but maybe a start for you.

 

[juvat270]

I was wondering if anybody else has had the same experience going "back to the cob" after starting out on one, then getting away from them for many years. I almost feel like I want to pick a a couple more and smoke them exclusively; they just smoke so well.

Me.
Well, I didn't start out on cobs. But after I bought a few MM Diplomats a couple of years ago I was an instant fan. In fact, about 6 months ago I went through a period where I smoked nothing but my cobs for about a month and a half. It wasn't intentional, just that, every time I went to smoke I ended up reaching for the cob. As you said, they just smoke so darn well. I've even thought about selling of my briars and smoking nothing but cobs. But, I'm still a sucker for the look of a good briar pipe so I doubt I ever will. But yes, I can certainly relate to what your saying.

 

[tiltjlp]

I started with corncobs 52 years ago, and while I have owned briar and metal, I now have roughly 100 cobs and 3 briars, and smoke cobs 98% of the time.

 

[tiltjlp]

coalsmoke, MM is now using acrylic bits on all their pipes. And as for larger bowls, they have the General, and the Freehand.

 

[markw4mms]

I had a cob many years ago, and thanks to another pipe smoking friend, I've just acquired 3 MM cobs the other day. I had forgotten just how well they smoke.

 

[jpbass]

The only info I have for you on Faders is that they had some of their pipes made is Israel by Shalom. I have a freehand marked Faders and tracked down what I could. Shalom made some pipes for Grabow, or so I have read.

Not much but maybe a start for you.

Mine says Made In italy. I thought all Grabows were US made.

 

[papipeguy]

I'm a cob convert after 40 years of pipe smoking. They're just handy things to have. I was very pleasantly surprised by how cool they smoke and they never seem to "ghost". I like to try new blends in them before I put them in my briars.