Cob Hazing.

[mpjetset]

Timely thread: beach week batch of cobs (and a Dunwoody just in case), freshly reamed and re-glued with Elmer's, stored in my Ser Jacopo 2001 Domina case. My hi-grades will rest at home. Another thing I like about cobs is that I can light carelessly with a torch, don't need cleaners, etc. I'll burn Captain Black & leftover Grouse-Moor still damp from 2001. Some of these soldiers won't be making it home.

 

[Swiss Army Knife]

The price is high enough that you can get a decent briar that is well constructed.

To echo @Sig I don't think it's possible to find even a throwaway briar for the price of your average cob, at least not without a time machine. They're like $15 for the standard ones. Maybe $30 if you spring for one of their "fancy" editions with nickel bands and acrylic stems. Why people like them, they're cheap and can take a beating. There's also a certain something about smoking a dried out vegetable.

I keep meaning to take one and yank the stem out, cut down the spoon, then level it to the draft hole with some pipe mud but I keep foolishly smoking them instead. I like the little ones, mine's a Stubby, as a fairly quick smoking clenchable beater. The only other ones I smoke with any regularity are the Generals purely for their cavernous chambers at $15 price tag.

 

[WirelessSmoke]

I never felt like I battled my cobs, although one of them looks like it went through a battle. I vaguely remember a slight corn taste on the first smoke, it was so little I thought it might be in my head. Being a relatively new smoker, there's a good chance I smoked it hot enough to equal a couple smokes in one session too. I only have experience with the Missouri Meerschaum Legends, which are plastered and coated. The natural cobs might be a different smoke than what I've experienced. The only other pipes I have to compare with are some cheaper briars, and I find the cobs equally enjoyable. A couple of those briars I do occasionally battle with. Anyway I hope you win the battle, and come out with a fine smoking corn cob.

 

[Uguccione]

I don't think it's possible to find even a throwaway briar for the price of your average cob, at least not without a time machine. They're like $15 for the standard ones. Maybe $30 if you spring for one of their "fancy" editions with nickel bands and acrylic stems.

At these prices you can easily find briar basket pipes. If we then go for second-hand, a whole new world opens up: one of my latest purchases on the second-hand market was a Charatan Belvedere extra large, a beautiful pipe that smokes divinely; paid €40, it quickly jumped into the small group of my favorites.
Then, if someone really wants a cob, that's another matter, go ahead and buy a cob.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I used to have about 15 MM corn cob pipes; after buying a couple and liking them, I bought a MM grab bag of 2nds and built up my collection of cobs. Years ago, I used to smoke them a fair amount, but as I got more into meerschaum pipes, and started collecting those my briars and cobs became neglected. I then sold off a bunch of briars that I wasn't smoking, and recently got rid of all my cobs except for 3. The 3 I still have are my favorite cobs, and smoke great. They're perfect for being out and about or traveling with.

I mainly smoke my cobs now for any OTC blends or Burley blends. Over the years I found that OTC blends and Burley blends smoke and taste better to me in my cobs. I never did have a cob that tasted of corn or burnt wood etc. as others described.

 

[Lumbridge]

Ok, I will stop complaining about the taste of bowl coatings that ruin the first bowl or two. After seeing this I think I will continue to skip cobs. Ive smoked pipes in two different periods of life and still have not owned a cob.

The way I see it, there isn't much reason to not try one. They are super cheap, so if you don't like it, you didn't waste much money. Besides, these "issues" are way overblown, just like the complaints about breaking in new briars.

 

[Bassman65]

If you don’t like the cob taste, smoke a stronger aromatic .

 

[pantsBoots]

I don't feel like cobs need much more than briar, but I have discovered that cobs are best with burley, aromatics, and multi-leaf blends. Anything delicate like a straight Virginia gets smoked in a briar every time.

 

[hall222]

Never have gotten a corn taste........no issues breaking my 3 in.

 

[AroEnglish]

Never have gotten a corn taste........no issues breaking my 3 in.

Same. But I also don't have the most refined palate

 

[coldsnap888]

Just to add to my hate mail inbox, I have no idea why some people love cobs. The price is high enough that you can get a decent briar that is well constructed. I love the idea, and have been to the factory. I wanted to be a stan for cobs but just could not get myself to enjoy them.

Not a fan of cobs but you have me very curious about the price comment... My MM's were $16 apiece vs the cheapest briar is $60 (Brigham). All prices are Canadian and I acknowledge MM's cost up to $20 and the cheapest "briar" that I got was $40 and smoked well till it fell apart 8 months later. Are there decent briars for less that I should be looking at? thanks.

 

[JOHN72]

Good. My experience with cobs, I think 5 or 6 years now, has not been bad. When you first use them, they give you a bitter aftertaste, in my case. Now, with the petrified walls, they are great. In the end, it's test and discard. For beginners, they are a good option, before embarking on a collection of briar pipes, sea foam, etc. ...........But it is interesting to hear the opinions of smokers who have been smoking for 30 or 40 years or more. I'm still learning, I'm still a novice.

 

[mpjetset]

... My MM's were $16 apiece vs the cheapest briar is $60 (Brigham)....

$10 bucks. Lots of them.

 

[NCHARLEYRIDER]

I count my lucky stars in that I never feel like breaking in briars is a thing. They smoke great from the get go. Old Peterson swamp coatings notwithstanding. Meers can have a soapyness to them the first smoke or two.

But cobs. God help me I hate breaking in cobs. I picked up a MM General recently and it's proving to be more of a stubborn bastard than MacAthur himself. It's a 2.25" chamber of pure corny goodness and I'm on the fourth or fifth smoke and I'm still getting notes of cob. That's not the worst, the worst is the wood bit. I hate these things. It's charred a bit but I still get burnt wood towards the end.

Anyone else battle cobs like I do? Or have any tips on hazing a cob into compliance?

I get the burnt wood taste from a new cob for a few smokes but as soon as it gets charred I stop tasting it- you could remove the stem and cut it flush with the bowl

 

[NCHARLEYRIDER]

Just to add to my hate mail inbox, I have no idea why some people love cobs. The price is high enough that you can get a decent briar that is well constructed. I love the idea, and have been to the factory. I wanted to be a stan for cobs but just could not get myself to enjoy them.

I own several Savinelli's and several artisan pipes and I have some cobs that will smoke equally as well if not better in some cases than they do

 

[huntertrw]

Cob Hazing...​

"Thank-you, sir. May I have another?"

 

[OlJawBone]

i kind of like the corn taste when breaking in the cob. I know that is probably a little weird but it has never bothered me even though I do notice it for the first few smokes.

 

[mpjetset]

"Thank-you, sir. May I have another?"

View attachment 332279

That's a great, compelling picture. TM it and put it out. Someone will buy it.

 

[mpjetset]

i kind of like the corn taste when breaking in the cob. I know that is probably a little weird but it has never bothered me even though I do notice it for the first few smokes.

Me too. It's a gift. I wish it lasted. Maybe this was what smoking corn silk was about? I'm going to try it next time we buy and prep corn on the cob.

 

[OlJawBone]

Me too. It's a gift. I wish it lasted. Maybe this was what smoking corn silk was about? I'm going to try it next time we buy and prep corn on the cob.

Let us know how that goes. I haven't heard of it before. I thought i was actually enjoying Half and Half when I first tried it in a new pipe until the sweet corn element went away. I'd be interested in a buttery corn aromatic.