Beginner: Corncob Pipe smell plastic-ish

[Shidi278]

I am newbie. I love smoking cigars. Looking into pipe tobacco recently. Sorry for my broken english. Bought a corncob pipe recently and I don't want to mention the brand. Put it in my mouth to test the draw but it smelt plastic-ish. I thought maybe once I smoke it, the smell will diminish.

Now that I’m only on my second bowl in the space of 2 days as I read corn cob can be smoke once it is cool (not same as other pipes that need 24hrs to cool down). Every smoke was a mild to nothing almost like exhaling air. Just a hint of vanilla as I am smoking aromatic - Mac Barren Vanilla Cream Loose Cut (review was mild to medium). This was mostly present when I took retro-hale. The worrying is, when I smell the bowl after cleaning it with pipe cleaner, it smells awful. Luckily it is apparent when I put my nose close to the bowl to smell it. I realized the wooden shank that protrudes to the bowl got burnt too. I am hoping that was the cause why the smell is awful.

I am going to smoke my 3rd bowl this Saturday while watching Aston Villa vs City hehe I hope the smell of plastic-ish will get lesser and lesser until I get into my 5-10 bowls as others mention. Although I did not get the experience that I wanted but I am already loving the rituals of pipe smoking.

I have asked the store (overseas as the location I live has none) where I bought from and now asking for their recommendation on pipes and tobaccos for my liking. Looking for straight, small bowl and light pipes so I can clench as the corncob can’t be clench since it is heavy. While strong blend of aros and rich flavor so I can enjoy.

Has anyone have same experience as me? Please share your experience and how do I overcome this. Fyi, I only had tongue bite once over two smoking sessions. Bcs I smoked it too slow hehe

 

[ziv]

I think you should mention the brand. Is it Chinese?
I've only smoked Missouri Meerschaum cobs, and they didn't smell plasticy to me. Now, the stem does "taste" like plastic because it is haha.

As a cigar smoker, you probably should try something stronger than an aromatic. I would suggest an English blend - with that, you should taste more than just air.

Good luck in your pipe journey!

 

[proteus]

Sometimes I've noticed aromatics use certain flavoring compounds perhaps synthetic perhaps not. Synthetics can sometimes taste off. A new cob especially and sometimes well worn cobs have a sweetness to them that may or may not be something to be enjoyed. Perhaps it's the combination of the tobacco and cob. Try different tobaccos and cobs and see if anything changes.

 

[FLDRD]

Never heard of a cob being too heavy to clench, that seems very odd to me.
You will have to deal with the wooden "spoon" area charring for a short period.
Most find the breaking in "flavor" to be a sweetness that some enjoy, others do not.
Tasting only hot air reminds me of attempting to enjoy aromatic tobacco - which is difficult for me - because it's mostly a lot of "hot air".
But that's just me.

 

[SmokeyJock]

If you're burning the wooden insert at the bottom of the bowl, you're smoking way too hot, regardless of your lack of tongue bite. Pack looser, slow down, and smoke something other than an aromatic. Everyone thinks it's where they should start and it really isn't (I made this mistake too)

 

[Sigmund]

Im all in favor of buying some stuff which is considered cheap junk. Heck, half the stuff on amazon france is ali express priced x4.

If its a cheap junk pipe toss it. MM cobs are super cheap and you know what you are getting. If my pipe tasted like plastic I wouldnt smoke it.

As for not mentioning names...we are all about calling out junk here. If its not the pipe then follow the other advice on this thread.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Depending on the brand/model, there may be finish in the chamber, which won't smell pleasant during the first few bowls.

 

[BingBong]

This is where Brylon® excels! At least, in my imagination.

 

[fireground_piper]

This is where Brylon® excels! At least, in my imagination.

You're just out here, hawking Bryon?

 

[blackpowderpiper]

If your cob pipe is anything other than Missouri Meerschaum, I would suggest tossing it in the trash. There's a lot of cheap crap out there. MM cobs are top quality and relatively inexpensive. I have some that are over ten years old and still going strong. As for the wood that extends from the stem into the bowl, it will burn off with time. When you start tasting wood smoke, take a couple more puffs and set it down. In a short while it will be gone. I have a bunch of cobs and have been smoking them for three decades. They are fine tools for burning tobacco.

 

[NookersTheCat]

As others have said, for cobs Missouri Meerschaum is the mainstay. There are other reputable brands but they're not nearly as available, especially if you live outside of the US I'm sure. Personally I absolutely love the taste of a brand new cob being broken in, it should taste (though very mild) literally like sweet corn. If you're getting plastic but not smoking hot enough to burn your tongue I would assume it would have to be coming from some cheap coating for the bowl or the stem being a very cheap plastic.

 

[NookersTheCat]

PS when it comes to clenching, cobs are about the lightest, easiest pipe there is. Again this makes me think your cob was either not cured properly or is loaded with plastic/sealing varnish.
But if the problem is more with hurting your teeth (or maybe the plastic taste is coming literally from the stem as Ziv said) then a rubber softy-bit can help. They're black rubber tips that slide over the tip of your stem and save both it and your teefs lol

 

[didimauw]

You're just out here, hawking Bryon?

He should get banned

 

[didimauw]

Sometimes I've noticed aromatics use certain flavoring compounds perhaps synthetic perhaps not. Synthetics can sometimes taste off. A new cob especially and sometimes well worn cobs have a sweetness to them that may or may not be something to be enjoyed. Perhaps it's the combination of the tobacco and cob. Try different tobaccos and cobs and see if anything changes.

I second this. I've never had a MM cob taste like plastic. I've smoked many corn cobs, And I'm a stem chewer. So my bet would be on the tobacco toppings.

 

[Shidi278]

I think you should mention the brand. Is it Chinese?
I've only smoked Missouri Meerschaum cobs, and they didn't smell plasticy to me. Now, the stem does "taste" like plastic because it is haha.

As a cigar smoker, you probably should try something stronger than an aromatic. I would suggest an English blend - with that, you should taste more than just air.

Good luck in your pipe journey!

It’s MM cobs hehe. Imma give it a try again and get new ones from them soon. And yeah plastic stem.

Will try English blend. Thanks for the recommendation

 

[Shidi278]

Ku

If your cob pipe is anything other than Missouri Meerschaum, I would suggest tossing it in the trash. There's a lot of cheap crap out there. MM cobs are top quality and relatively inexpensive. I have some that are over ten years old and still going strong. As for the wood that extends from the stem into the bowl, it will burn off with time. When you start tasting wood smoke, take a couple more puffs and set it down. In a short while it will be gone. I have a bunch of cobs and have been smoking them for three decades. They are fine tools for burning tobacco.

Mine is the Missouri Meerschaum corncob hehe I’ve research a lot and end up getting it to do pipe mud at the shank that protrudes soon. Even now when I try to take a draw (not lighting), still have this awful plastic-ish smell.

 

[Shidi278]

Depending on the brand/model, there may be finish in the chamber, which won't smell pleasant during the first few bowls.

Ok just had my 3rd bowl. Packed it using franky style. Finally the taste was getting better. Dont really taste the plastic-ish awful smell. The tobacco I’m still using is the Mac Baren Vanilla Cream Loose Cut which is mild to medium. As an ex-cigar smoker, I think I will purchase English blend as people recommend the aroma more to cigars taste. Cheers everyone who has helped me go through some rough stage hehe Looking forward on my new journey as pipe smoker

 

[InWithBothFeet]

I thought the MM I had smelled and tasted like school glue. Brought back some fond memories of snacks between art classes.

 

[cachimbosergipano]

Question to the old pipe smokers from this forum: do we need to break-in a corn cob? Or is this only applicable to wooden pipes?
Whenever I buy a brand-new pipe from a local pipe maker, it has a terrible smell of wood and glue. It's a long process of patience to get the new pipe to start smoking well. Does the same happen with cobs?

 

[Sigmund]

@cachimbosergipano I wonder what he is using for stain?
Is the pipe waxed or does it have a coat of shellac?

Ive never had an issue other than if a pipe has a bowl coating. Some bowl coatings are nasty, some are ok but Ive not smoked one that has zero taste for the first bowl or two.

Also some makers will dip stain meaning the whole bowl gets treated. That could be a source of nasty tastes. Im not a pipe maker but I dont know why a briar pipe has glue on it

As a general practice I dont smoke the first bowl or two with mild tobacco. I go with something stout enough to cover the taste. Even the most mild of coatings results in an annoying smoke if its a Virginia based blend. I also tend to remove at least part of the bowl coating but even still I can taste it the first pipe.