Cob>Briar

[Christos D. Tsatsaronis]

I love cobs, I like them more than briars, I have many cobs, but I have more briars.... go figure.
Seriously, I could smoke exclusively with cobs, I like the way they smoke, they look, they feel in your hand, their history, their "philosophy"...
If I had to choose I would not hesitate at all.

 

[Hutch Piper]

I find I get better flavor and a cooler smoke with cobs. But maybe I just haven’t found the right briar yet.

 

[dottlejockey]

I like them all and think each medium has its place. Cobs, for me, don't always have the bowl size i'm looking for as most are on the smaller side. I do have a McArthur freehand style to try and mitigate that issue if i'm in the mood for a cob. But briar does impart a different flavor and there is something to be said for finding an aesthetically pleasing pipe and then dedicating it to a favorite genre or blend and getting, what i've discovered, can be some really amazing experiences with them. Lately, however, i've been on a mostly meer kick.

Smoke what suits you, when it suits you and however it works for you.

 

[coldsnap888]

I smoke both and can't honestly say one is better than the other. If I had to pick something I didn't like about a cob it would be the way it feels in hand and to a lesser extent, the mouthpiece. If you found a pipe / pipes that you like and work for you - then that's awesome

 

[OzPiper]

Cob vs briar ?
Just one word - AESTHETICS !

 

[The Libertine]

But you cold be smoking a Cob and have no dootle!

I have a few cobs. A little dootle won't kill you. Briars are a tad hardier than a cob.

 

[warren]

Tell me why I'm wrong you old codgers

You'll have to figure that out for yourself. You made a personal choice, none of my business. I smoke with both and do not make class distinctions as you seem to want to do.

Morning coffee finished. Finally awake and necessary corrections made. Hopefully making a wee bit of sense now.

What the hell is "dootle"? Dottle? Maybe?

 

[The Libertine]

You'll have to figure that out for yourself. You made a personal choice, none of my business. I smoke with both and do not make class distinctions as you seem to want to do.

Morning coffee finished. Finally awake and necessary corrections made. Hopefully making a wee bit of sense now.

What the hell is "dootle"? Dottle? Maybe?

In my defense english is a second language to me.

 

[spike]

I’m a real codger (50+ years pipe man ). I’ve tried cobs and meerschaums over the decades, and now I’m strictly briar. Aesthetics and durability are the big factors. The old Roman saying is de gustibus non est disputandum. Holds true to this day.

 

[sablebrush52]

What you're saying kind of reminds me of how many activities have tools that require more technique to use but have better results in the hands of the skilled or practiced. Where the amateur's version is easier to use and certainly can get the job done but when you try to do something a little extra special it won't cut it. High performance cars are a good example of this. A good car will do the job of getting you safely from point a to b.

But even with a "good" car, you still know how to drive one.

 

[sardonicus87]

But even with a "good" car, you still know how to drive one.

Well, depends on the car and how good. Someone that has only ever driven sedans might be able to drive an indy car or a Lamborghini, but probably not well or long and not without absolutely tearing it up in the process. Pretty sure I heard or read somewhere that to buy a new Lamborghini, you have to have been a previous owner (which means buying one used before you could buy one new), but I don't remember and can't be bothered to look it up.

Like, someone could be a good motorcyclist, and they could successfully and easily ride a Moto GP race bike even on a Moto GP track, but an actual skilled Moto GP racer can push the bike to it's limits and run the same laps much faster. The non-racer will leave a lot of the capability of the tool on the table. Meanwhile the racer could probably easily ride a non-racer's non-race-bike much better than the non-racer themselves.

Not that everything has to be used to it's fullest potential.

 

[PipeIT]

Well let me ask this since nobody gonna talk me out of it.

It’s not about talking you out of anything, it should be about sharing information.

Cobs, Clay, Meerschaum, Briar, all different materials, all will perform in different ways, and some of these differences can be subtle, some more profound.

Cob vs Briar, as materials go, Cobs are more porous and Briar more dense, so it does effect the outcome in various ways.

If you have a nice briar pipe, you shouldn’t smoke it all the way to the bottom, you can char/damage the airway with the flame.

Smoking Your Pipe To The Bottom Of The Bowl | Smokingpipes.com

Should you smoke your pipe to the bottom of the bowl? We're covering the question with advice from a range of expert pipemakers.

www.smokingpipes.com

I’ve never had a briar very wet on the bottom, just a little moisture.

A lot of fire/heat and smoking fast will add more moisture in the bottom of a briar.

The simplest way to recap on your question(s), if you are really into pipes, and smoking various blends, only time and experience will be the best answers, for what you enjoy.

Most Common Tobacco Pipe Materials | Smokingpipes.com

What are most tobacco pipes made of? Learn more about some of the most common pipe materials throughout the ages.

www.smokingpipes.com

Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipes | Smokingpipes.com

Learn more about the 150 year history of Missouri Meerschaum and their iconic corn cob pipes

www.smokingpipes.com

Materials and Construction - Pipedia

pipedia.org

 

[PipeIT]

P.S.
For materials I forgot to add in Morta.

An In-Depth Guide to Morta Tobacco Pipes | Smokingpipes.com

Learn more about one of pipe-making's lesser known hardwoods in this in-depth guide to morta tobacco pipes.

www.smokingpipes.com

There is also Olivewood and Strawberry Briar…

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Some people just won't admit it... But it's true, cobs are better suited for smoking than briar.

I still mostly smoke my briars.

Nobody with any self-respect wants to go around looking like a homeless hillbilly, smoking a pipe made out of a piece of corn.

 

[Chasing Embers]

What you're saying kind of reminds me of how many activities have tools that require more technique to use but have better results in the hands of the skilled or practiced. Where the amateur's version is easier to use and certainly can get the job done but when you try to do something a little extra special it won't cut it. High performance cars are a good example of this. A good car will do the job of getting you safely from point a to b.

Pipes are just an airway though. No real difference in performance between one or another regardless of materials used.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Some people just won't admit it... But it's true, cobs are better suited for smoking than briar.

I still mostly smoke my briars.

Nobody with any self-respect wants to go around looking like a homeless hillbilly, smoking a pipe made out of a piece of corn.

Same way I feel about cigars. They remind me too much of hobos and bookies. A cob is no issue for me unless it was made by Missouri Meerschaum. The only thing I've seen hillbillies smoke are Grabows and heirloom briars.

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

I prefer briar. My briars smoke better than my cobs. Also, briar has many more bowl size options other than the 2-3 sizes that cobs come in.

 

[K.E. Powell]

To your first point, there is no way to prove you wrong because you are right: cobs are typically much cheaper than briars. Your second point has less to do with the briars vs. cobs than it does with 1. what tobacco you are smoking, and 2. how quickly you are smoking it.

If I were to offer reasons why briar may be preferable--that is to say not better, but why one would choose a briar over a cob--then I would offer the following points:

1. Briars tend to be more durable.

2. Briars have a greater variety in bowl shapes and chamber proportions. This can go beyond the merely aesthetic.

3. Briars season better than a cob.

4. Briars have greater resale value.

5. This varies depending on how the pipe itself is drilled, but generally, in my experience at least, the draw on briars tends to be far less open than in most briars.

6. And you touched on this already, but due to their perceived disposability, it's not uncommon for a cob to be hastily made with substandard stems, etc.

That all being said, I enjoy cobs, especially for sweeter blends. And I find some of them aesthetically pleasing. My first pipe was a cob, and I still have it. It is beat up and ghosted with cherry tobacco, but if I'm feeling nostalgic and want to enjoy a gooper aromatic or some Pegasus, I reach for a cob. As others pointed out, it's a matter of preference. I recommend any serious smokers to try many different kinds of pipes. The amazing variety available is part of the fun of this vice.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Same way I feel about cigars. They remind me too much of hobos and bookies. A cob is no issue for me unless it was made by Missouri Meerschaum. The only thing I've seen hillbillies smoke are Grabows and heirloom briars.

I was just kidding. In case I didn't make that clear.

But I agree. Pipes and cigars stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[olkofri]

Cobs are much more of a pain to clean than briar:



Paper towel after paper towel, there's still soot.

Briar? Well, results speak for themselves: