Cobs for Tasting

[Sloopjohnbee]

whats the norm on this:
when one uses a cob as a taster pipe - and further finds oneself smoking a blend one doesn't like - does the cob typically just go in the trash? is it kept to try other blends until ghosted?

 

[Chasing Embers]

taster pipe

What's a taster pipe?

ghosted

Ghosting is never permanent.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

What's a taster pipe?


Ghosting is never permanent.

a taster is a sad excuse of a pipe - a tiny chamber that you really dislike smoking and would rather use as a tiny potted planter - this new Missouri Meer it's only got 4 smokes on it and it not pushing the right buttons at all

 

[Chasing Embers]

a taster is a sad excuse of a pipe - a tiny chamber that you really dislike smoking and would rather use as a tiny potted planter - this new Missouri Meer it's only got 4 smokes on it and it not pushing the right buttons at all

Gotcha.?

 

[Country Bladesmith]

a taster is a sad excuse of a pipe - a tiny chamber that you really dislike smoking and would rather use as a tiny potted planter - this new Missouri Meer it's only got 4 smokes on it and it not pushing the right buttons at all

That’s what I’ve relegated my MM Little Devil to. Although they look neat, I am not a fan of the little nose warmer cobs. Chamber is way too small, and they smoke a little hotter than the others. I’ll not buy another. Generals and Country Gents have been my favorite cobs.

 

[select565]

My throwaway taster cobs often become my favorite go-to pipes. Especially when I can’t be bothered to figure out which blend should go into which briar. I’ll just load up whatever tobacco I want into the trusty mm devil cutty and enjoy. 90% of the time I enjoy the ghosts

 

[Grangerous]

Cobs for Smoking.

 

[MARC52]

I would use a small inexpensive meerschaum for sampling tobaccos. All the smoke shops around here carry them.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Why not just put the tobacco in a regular pipe and smoke it?

 

[F4RM3R]

Many people including myself use clay pipes for that purpose. Pure taste and no ghosting means you can use the same pipe for many trials. I just wash mine with hot water for deep cleaning, which kind of discolors it in a strange way but that isn't really a problem for me. I wouldn't bother with those mini cobs.

Many of the clays have smaller bowls. Just don't get one of those Elizabethan clays which I accidentally purchased once. They hold such a small pinch of tobacco, you would only enjoy it if you actually lived in Elizabethan times.

 

[mso489]

Ain't no such thing as a tasting pipe. Really small pipes can actually deliver a fairly long smoke if you use flake/coin/rope/plug cuts. I know from trying to catch a short smoke in a small cob during an intermission at a bluegrass concert. Tsuge makes a billiard called a tasting pipe which turns out to be a full size ample-chambered billiard that is better than many pipes. I think the term tasting pipe is a bad coinage and doesn't mean much. You can sample blends in any pipe. You might want to use an inexpensive cob for potential ghosts like Lakeland aromatics with rose geranium, but merely designate that cob for the purpose, don't trash it. You can smoke away any other ghosts, like Latakia, in about two bowls. If your taster is that sensitive, smoke only Meerschaums and stay away from Lakeland aromatics.

 

[RookieGuy]

Why not just put the tobacco in a regular pipe and smoke it?

I've been to a small mom and pop type pipe shop. For the price of a small nose warmer MM cob (or bigger, obviously) , they'll let you sample a few blends. Think of it as a pipe version of the little tasting spoon from an ice cream shop. A quick little 7 minute sample is cheap at the price if your walking out with quantities of tobacco.

Outside of that scenario, I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment.