Corn Cobs

[olkofri]

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy and appreciate my Savs. But they’re rarely the first pipe I reach for. As a simple smoking tool, the cob does the job (to coin a phrase).

PS: I feel the same way about used pipes.

Yeah, cobs have their uses. I have a number of them but they're not my favourites. I find them bumpkinish (which is why I never smoke them when wearing a suit); and they're also a pain to clean:



That's the Morgan cob after several passes of the paper towel. With briars, the towel will come out white after 2-3 vigorous swabs, but with cobs the gunk is never ending: you evntually have to stop wiping, but if you wipe just one more time, you'll still get gunk on the paper towel. Frustrating. ?

They're not tough as nails either; unless you mean aluminium nails. That same Morgan eventually developed a crack along the shank. Beats me why: I don't abuse my cobs: I fondle them and clean them and preserve them just as any briar or Meerschaum.

Cobs are semi-disposable pipes: which is why I'm not getting bent out of shape over that Morgan breaking. it was never meant to last long.

 

[brian64]

Yeah, cobs have their uses. I have a number of them but they're not my favourites. I find them bumpkinish (which is why I never smoke them when wearing a suit); and they're also a pain to clean:

View attachment 46505

That's the Morgan cob after several passes of the paper towel. With briars, the towel will come out white after 2-3 vigorous swabs, but with cobs the gunk is never ending: you evntually have to stop wiping, but if you wipe just one more time, you'll still get gunk on the paper towel. Frustrating. ?

They're not tough as nails either; unless you mean aluminium nails. That same Morgan eventually developed a crack along the shank. Beats me why: I don't abuse my cobs: I fondle them and clean them and preserve them just as any briar or Meerschaum.

Cobs are semi-disposable pipes: which is why I'm not getting bent out of shape over that Morgan breaking. it was never meant to last long.

Dude, I don't think you're supposed to even try to get all the gunk out every time. It's an essential aspect of the overall experience.

And you shouldn't be soaking your cobs in gin either.

 

[lightxmyfire]

Photo evidence from earlier....

 

[Perique]

I’ve always been a fan. They’re my go-to for smoking aromatics. Like Hoosier said: blends that might ghost a briar. But I also have a few Foreverstemmed versions that I enjoy with good burley blends. Primarily though, they’re perfect for outdoor smoking whether at the lake, the deer camp, or what have you. I certainly wouldn’t put them on a pedestal. Nor would I deride them.

 

[Chasing Embers]

That's the Morgan cob after several passes of the paper towel.

I only use unscented baby wipe on cobs and meers. Cleans them quickly and leaves no cake build up.

 

[lightxmyfire]

I only use unscented baby wipe on cobs and meers. Cleans them quickly and leaves no cake build up.

I do the same but with the little alcohol swab/prep pads you can buy from CVS or rite aid. I only do it maybe once a month or so. How often do you guys wipe em out?

 

[Perique]

How often do you guys wipe em out?

Never. I just build up a cake and smoke them like any other pipe. Why would you wipe them out (serious question, not being confrontational) ?

 

[J.GANDY]

If you ever get a little funk in your cob, fill the chamber with fresh ground coffee after general cleaning. Leave it overnight, fresh as can be in the morning. Not even a faint ghost.

 

[3rdguy]

I bought a couple bags of their “seconds” a few years ago when I visited their factory. Was nice to be able to hand pick the bags. Ended up with 3 dagners and a few other nice ones.

Naturally I only ended up smoking about 5 of them in my rotation...guess I have some cobs aging. I usually give one of these new “seconds” away with my secret Santa boxes.

 

[highwaycobbery]

Here’s how you clean a cob. Smoke it. Repeatedly. Let it be a Missouri MEERSHAUM. enjoy the way it turns from fresh winter legs in shorts to a beautiful patina. Scrape off a bit of cake once a month and take a SMALL amount of honey and wipe it around your bowl, pack it and smoke it......repeatedly. No better pipe. And cobs don’t need coffee. Never ever.

 

[highwaycobbery]

If you are a new pipe smoker don’t tell people to clean their pipes with coffee grounds.

 

[highwaycobbery]

Yeah, cobs have their uses. I have a number of them but they're not my favourites. I find them bumpkinish (which is why I never smoke them when wearing a suit); and they're also a pain to clean:

View attachment 46505

That's the Morgan cob after several passes of the paper towel. With briars, the towel will come out white after 2-3 vigorous swabs, but with cobs the gunk is never ending: you evntually have to stop wiping, but if you wipe just one more time, you'll still get gunk on the paper towel. Frustrating. ?

They're not tough as nails either; unless you mean aluminium nails. That same Morgan eventually developed a crack along the shank. Beats me why: I don't abuse my cobs: I fondle them and clean them and preserve them just as any briar or Meerschaum.

Cobs are semi-disposable pipes: which is why I'm not getting bent out of shape over that Morgan breaking. it was never meant to last long.

That’s because Morgan pipes are crap.

 

[highwaycobbery]

Ditto for dangers.cheap Italian basket pipes. Smoke like crap.

 

[jpmcwjr]

If you are a new pipe smoker don’t tell people to clean their pipes with coffee grounds.

Grounds aren't for cleaning per se. Leaving wet grounds to dry in the chamber often removes ghosts. Follow that with a brisk hot water flush and you're good to go.

 

[highwaycobbery]

Hmmm. No. Sorry but that’s beginner advice. After 14 years I shudder at the thought of putting salt an alcohol or coffee grounds in my baby. Come on guys.

 

[J.GANDY]

Hmmm. No. Sorry but that’s beginner advice. After 14 years I shudder at the thought of putting salt an alcohol or coffee grounds in my baby. Come on guys.

Not wet grounds. Not as for say trying to "clean" a briar estate pipe of ghost. No cleaning involved, except your normal method of cleaning. Simple put fresh dry ground coffee in the chamber, let it sit over night, dump the next day. The dry coffee will absorb any moisture in the bowl or sour taste. Not really a cleaning method, my bad should have been more clear.

 

[highwaycobbery]

Well, you are absolutely right, J I should not pass judgment on people because of a difference of opinions. I apologize.

 

[didimauw]

Because they smoke equally as well as artisan pieces.

View attachment 46466

I love hearing this. Especially from a guy who knows his artisan pipes!

 

[didimauw]

Yeh, yeh, yeh, everyone's all lining up to deep throat the corncobs. Sheeze, all these folks that just love the smell of a dirty cob adding it's nastiness to their tobacco flavors. Sure, sure, buy your pipe held together with Elmers glue. It kills me... if any of my pipes smoked with that wide opened, sucking wind draw, I'd crush it in a heartbeat.

That said, if you love 'em, smoke em. The more folks that go chasing these dime store toys, the less competition there is for real pipes.

Oooo fancy boy!

 

[J.GANDY]

Well, you are absolutely right, J I should not pass judgment on people because of a difference of opinions. I apologize.

No worries, I can see the confusion with the coffee grounds.