Does Anything Really Smoke Better Than A Cob?

[cosmicfolklore]

There was a guy in our pipe club that demanded that Skip start selling Missouri Meerschaums. He pestered him every time he came in for a meeting. But, The Briary was always a high end pipe gallery, and the guy was always putting down the briar pipes as being way too expensive and snooty. But, Skip got the guy a whole display full of Missouri Meerschaums. Then at a meeting, when Skip pointed out that he had him a whole display full of cobs, the guy snubbed his nose up and said, "I can get those for a dollar less online." Everyone in the store curb stomped that SOB and dragged his body back out to the dumpster, ha ha. I haven't seen him since.
First off, a pipe club is an opportunity for pipe collectors and enthusiasts to show off, a place where guys can feel proud and share with like minded people. Why a corn cob smoker that only smokes one cheap ass blend of tobacco would want to come to a meeting like that baffled us.
Not that there isn't room for cob smokers. Heck Cobguy is one of the best contributors to this forum. But, I see Walt's point, for sure. If you hate briars, why are you here? If you don't like horror movies, don't go see one.

 

[brass]

By Ricardo Santia

 

[pipestud]

Yes.

 

[robwoodall]

Wow! This thread is still going! I feel kinda bad, since I'm the one that started it!
But, since it IS still going, I'll add my two cents, again.
Why the heck do people not like the feel of the cob stems? Not picking on you, scraps, dozens of people have mentioned it.
I can see a LOT of things to complain about in cobs: aesthetics, durability, taste, small tobacco chambers (my complaint), "blue collar" associations, etc., but I don't see how anyone can hate the bits.
I LOVE corn cob bits. Soft, flexible plastic on a lightweight, clenchable pipe. Sure, they are easy to chew through, but replacements cost 79 cents! I wish Dunhill would release a line of group 5 pipes with a Missouri Meerschaum bit. That would satisfy my comfort needs AND my upper-class aspirations.

 

[okiescout]

"I LOVE corn cob bits. Soft, flexible plastic"
I use softies so it is a mute point to me, Rob. But I think you are going to have a hard sell to folks on that statement as opposed to Vulcanite/Ebonite. The guys who do not like acrylic, to my way of thinking, are most probably not hugely comfortable with cob stems. I put softies on my cob stems just like my acrylic stems. To me they are both brittle feeling. Then again maybe it is just me.

 

[robwoodall]

okiescout,
I've never used softies, but I like the idea. Most of my "good pipes" have acrylic stems, and they are kind of "clacky" against my teeth. I hardly ever smoke the cobs, except when I want a really quick smoke, but when I do, I'm reminded of how much I like the feel of that cheap little bit.

 

[skraps]

All about thickness for me. I wish I could find the measurements exactly, but when I get a pipe made, I have the stems made to very, very thin specs.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Somehow I also missed this one till today. From Walt's expansive replies to Steve's succinct one, and everyone else in between, I say: HOLY COW! A lot of heat and some light. (thanks esp. to Walt and Michael for the light)
Some one should do a double blind test as to pure smokeablilty. At least two dozen subjects. Probably a gov't research grant could be had! Well, maybe not, and I am not going to try to do the research, but I'd be interested in the results.
In any event, while I have a cob I never reach for it. Just don't like the heft, the bit, or most of all, the looks. I have plenty of almost-beater pipes for yard work, just have to remember to not take a good or delicate briar or meer to the compost piles.

 

[pruss]

I LOVE corn cob bits. Soft, flexible plastic on a lightweight, clenchable pipe. Sure, they are easy to chew through, but replacements cost 79 cents! I wish Dunhill would release a line of group 5 pipes with a Missouri Meerschaum bit. That would satisfy my comfort needs AND my upper-class aspirations.

Because they are about as comfortable as biting on the end of a Bic pen, without the soft rubberized plastic end-cap.
$0.02

 

[seagullplayer]

The most honest statement I have read on this thread was that the guy didn't like the way he looked with a cob.
I never thought of pipe smoking as a "hobby" till I found pipe forums.

I do agree that pipe collecting is a hobby.
And with most collections and hobby's they are not necessary, they are more recreation.

So there is no excuse needed to be a part of a hobby, its just something you want/like to do.
I feel like guys that bad mouth the way cob pipes smoke are somehow trying to justify why they choose other pipes.

If you don't like them that's fine, but to say they smoke bad seems like your forcing a square peg into a round hole.
You forget, they are cheap, we have all tried them, we know... :wink:

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ha ha, well, cobs are usually guy's first pipes, to see if it is something that you'd want to do. However, if you never move beyond a cob, (which yeh, they smoke just fine) then it isn't a hobby for you. If you just smoke a cob, then you're just a smoker. I can see that. But, if you don't like briar pipes, and you see buying really nice pipes are aristocratic, then I could also see where being a member of a pipe community could be quite miserable.
But, we're just a bunch of guys who like different aspects of the hobby. Yeh, yeh, if for you it isn't a hobby, then it probably isn't. I "get" that too.
I must have missed where someone said that they didn't smoke well. I think that is a given. But, then again, a cheap burlap coat stuffed with rags will keep me warm on a cold day, but I ain't gonna wear it. I could cover myself in newspapers at night instead of covers to go to bed. I could also just drive the cheapest thing from the used car lot. But, life can have more pizzazz for those of us who want to do what it takes to...

::

 

[hakchuma]

In my opinion nothing smokes better than a cob. Not even a reverse calabash, a Savinelli, a Dunhill, blah blah etc. I dont really care about the opinions of others on the subject. To me the answer is simple. I smoke brairs to fit in with the square society.

 

[cigrmaster]

I feel bad for people who start out smoking a cob. I believe every new pipe smoker should spend at least 100.00 for a new pipe so they have a baseline as to what constitutes a good pipe. My first pipe was a Savinelli Linea Piu 5. It is a great smoker and I paid about 135.00 back in 1999. I then was able to tell if my next pipes were good or bad smokers as my Sav was a cool dry smoker. I bought a George Jensen pipe that sucked, it burned hotter then hell and a pipe cleaner would not go through it. If I had started with a cob or a cheap basket pipe I may not have known the Jensen was shit.
So any new guys who are smoking cobs as your first pipe, stop and go get a nice briar. Here are a few examples of a great started pipe.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/winslow/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=175080

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/winslow/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=165017

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/savinelli/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=194589 toss the filter and it smokes great.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/savinelli/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=175277 this should be a great flake smoker.

 

[dustmite]

cigrmaster, that sounds great in theory, but not everyone can justify dropping $100 on something that they might not even like. I own one briar pipe, which I enjoy immensely. I purchased it, used, from this forum. I have a certain budget set aside for myself that I can use for whatever I want, and I'd rather spend it on tobacco at this point. I smoke mainly from cobs, not so much by choice but of necessity.

 

[misterlowercase]

... if you never move beyond a cob, (which yeh, they smoke just fine) then it isn't a hobby for you. If you just smoke a cob, then you're just a smoker. I can see that. But, if you don't like briar pipes, and you see buying really nice pipes are aristocratic, then I could also see where being a member of a pipe community could be quite miserable.

Good observation there,

makes sense.

 

[jpmcwjr]

The most honest statement I have read on this thread was that the guy didn't like the way he looked with a cob.

Pretty sure that was t.i.c.
I don't like the looks of cobs, way different than how I think I may or may not look with one in my jaw.

 

[jefff]

First off, let me say I am more of a pipe smoker then a collector. At present I have 10 briars and 2 cobs. Most of the briars are high endy or mid grade. I smoke maybe 5-12 bowls a week. For me smoking a pipe is as much about the ritual as it is about the taste. At the end of a long crummy day, I like to watch my cares and worries go up in smoke.
A cob is without a doubt a fine tobacco delivery system, but for me there is more to pipe smoking than that.

 

[skraps]

The most honest statement I have read on this thread was that the guy didn't like the way he looked with a cob.
Pretty sure that was t.i.c.

Nope, I said it... and it wasn't meant to be tongue in cheek at all. I honestly don't like how I look with a cob in my kisser. As I said in my comment, it's no different than my preference for khakis over jeans.

 

[warren]

Do you carry a mirror around all the time and constantly check yourself out? With and without a pipe? I really have very little idea how I look with or without a pipe in my mug. Once in the morning, shaving and brushing teeth is enough to keep me away from mirrors the rest of the day.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

My wife is very quick to tell me when a pipe looks silly on me. Hey, I am just glad that she is taking an interest in the hobby with me, so if she gives a pipe the thumbs down, it goes to the drawer. As long as she is cool with me smoking everywhere I go...