Cobs or Briars?

[OverMountain]

Cobs are an American tradition. This video says it best. I like them both but a cob is a part of our country’s pipe legacy.

 

[Hudsona14]

Cobs are an American tradition. This video says it best. I like them both but a cob is a part of our country’s pipe legacy.

Great video! Thank you

 

[LeafErikson]

I have a few cobs, a few briars, and a second meer on the way. I like them all for different reasons and wouldn’t want to l choose just one material.

 

[Hudsona14]

I have a few cobs, a few briars, and a second meer on the way. I like them all for different reasons and wouldn’t want to just choose one material.

Awesome way to explain it.

 

[UB 40]

I'm a fan of clay or ceramic, not that I dislike cob or briar.
It's the dandelion of pipes while briar is a rose. A dandelion will grow comfortably between some crack in the stone while a rose will piss itself over a pine needle in the soil. You can smoke a clay every which way you want, no matter if you like sips or long hot draws. And the taste will always be true. Also affordable for any bum.

Here my dear Chaukisch you are wrong with roses. Once i thought the same, i know better now,

We have about 30 different roses in our small yard, and they are almost the toughest plants out there. We have translocated most from our yard we lost a few years ago. We cut them down (plants of 2 metres in height) to one single stock (German expression) 30 centimetres without any roots left and put them back into the ground at their new places. It was unbelievable, we lost only one.

They like sunny and windy places, don’t get dry even in draughty summers. We don’t fertilise, we just cut them when it’s to much, in sutaun and early spring. The most of them blossom until November. They belong to the same family as apple, pears, strawberries, plums, etc. you can even make pipes out of the root.

 

[Hudsona14]

Funny this came up today. I just bought my first cob and smoking a bowl of captain black in it now. Very pleasant for sure. I did not want to smoke aros in my briar pipes. I just got the gentlemen one and seems to fit my need to test some aros out. I tend to like 306 English orientals in the briars and did not want to pollute their taste of them.

Think I am gonna get some Captian Black today and try it.

 

[ARTOPUT]

For the most part, I reserve my cobs for lawnmowing or kayaking or some such activity. I prefer the heft and feel of briar. That said, a cob seems to give a good virginia a flavor boost for me, something like 507C or Newminster 400 in a cob is a delight. Comes across sweeter to me than when in briar or meer.

oh, interesting good to know this might have to try that also at some point. Do you use certain cobs only for your Virginia?

 

[burleybreath]

Anyone who says that cobs, generally, taste sweeter, has my respect for his or her taste buds.. However, I probably wouldn't sport one while wearing a dinner jacket. The guy below agrees with me, but seems content.

 

[Brewfan]

oh, interesting good to know this might have to try that also at some point. Do you use certain cobs only for your Virginia?

Not necessarily. I generally only use a cob when I feel like there's a higher than normal chance I'll drop or otherwise lose it and usually will be burning a codger blend in it. I probably should give them a little more contemplative smoking time.

 

[Chaukisch]

View attachment 179673

Here my dear Chaukisch you are wrong with roses. Once i thought the same, i know better now,

We have about 30 different roses in our small yard, and they are almost the toughest plants out there. We have translocated most from our yard we lost a few years ago. We cut them down (plants of 2 metres in height) to one single stock (German expression) 30 centimetres without any roots left and put them back into the ground at their new places. It was unbelievable, we lost only one.

They like sunny and windy places, don’t get dry even in draughty summers. We don’t fertilise, we just cut them when it’s to much, in sutaun and early spring. The most of them blossom until November. They belong to the same family as apple, pears, strawberries, plums, etc. you can even make pipes out of the root.
View attachment 179665

It was an old saying I picked up some time, plants change a lot with the years. I remember the brussel sprouts back then were kind of bitter, now they're incredibly sweet. I'm not gonna get into it but poppies have also been bred to advance a whole lot in many ways. As have all the natural edibles or favorite garden plants. Now that you mentioned it, I've seen rosweood pipes before.

I'm still curious about the taste of cherrywood, or any other "unorthodox" wood. I found that even a long stem of olive wood can make quite a difference in taste.

I said it many times before, this pipe smoking is a vast sea of flavour and no other kind of tobacco or method of consumation can compare. Not to mention all the other stuff about pipes and the tobacco that was made for them, like the history or serenity.

Sometimes I think even the Gods are in awe of us.

 

[ray47]

I've got almost as many cobs as I do briars and both get equal attention. I've got a total of 155 pipes (cobs, briars, Falcons & meers) and to be honest, if all my pipes were destroyed, heaven forbid, I'd buy 7 cobs with acrylic stems and be perfectly satisfied. I'd spend most of money on various blends of tobacco.

 

[tklee]

I have both. But I have more briars than cobs. Coz I like the wood grain of briar pipes. I smoke both type of pipes too, if that day I feel a bit lazy to clean up my pipe after smoking, I will smoke my cob pipes. But usually I take turn and rotate them

 

[jerry]

I’ve enjoyed all kinds of pipes, but now I’m a 100% meerschaum man!

 

[olkofri]

Briars.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Primarily meerschaum, no cobs left.

 

[Grangerous]

It was an old saying I picked up some time, plants change a lot with the years. I remember the brussel sprouts back then were kind of bitter, now they're incredibly sweet. I'm not gonna get into it but poppies have also been bred to advance a whole lot in many ways. As have all the natural edibles or favorite garden plants. Now that you mentioned it, I've seen rosweood pipes before.

I'm still curious about the taste of cherrywood, or any other "unorthodox" wood. I found that even a long stem of olive wood can make quite a difference in taste.

I said it many times before, this pipe smoking is a vast sea of flavour and no other kind of tobacco or method of consumation can compare. Not to mention all the other stuff about pipes and the tobacco that was made for them, like the history or serenity.

Sometimes I think even the Gods are in awe of us.

THIS!!!

“I’ve said it many times before, this pipe smoking is a vast sea of flavour and no other kind of tobacco or method of consumation can compare. Not to mention all the other stuff about pipes and the tobacco that was made for them, like the history or serenity.

Sometimes I think even the Gods are in awe of us.”

 

[Merton]

cobs are nice and the new higher end cobs with the acrylic stems are really very good. I frequently smoke them in the summer months. But briar pipes, especially good quality in terms of curing and drilling really are the best.

 

[Grangerous]

Cobs offer a consistently good smoke. In my opinion, better than the majority of briars that will slip through your hands. But those few prized briars you’ll discover will surpass the trusty cob.

 

[Merton]

Tha k you for your input. So far I really like my Cobs. My Briars ar great to but finding myself gravitating towards the Cobs more.

that is good. It is a matter of preference. But, don't give up on briars as the variety is better. In addition, everyone should enjoy and have a couple of meerschaums to also enjoy. No right or wrong answer. I always suggest Radice for a briar which is handmade, has a uncoated bowl, perfectly drilled and has price point which makes them attainable for most everyone. A well cared for Briar will last a long lifetime.

 

[Michigan_Bill]

My favorites are clays. But I have a few briars which I really enjoy. And I have two MM hardwood pipes which are somehow very special. It's hard to describe but somehow the hardwood pipes just taste "good."
I purchased a cob but have gotten around to trying it yet. Just enjoying the others so.
Simply spoilt for choice! It doesn’t get any better than this!