First Pipe, Briar Or Cob?

[Bobby Bailey]

My first pipe was a briar. Then I tried MM cobs and am so satisfied with them that I see no reason to change. I do appreciate the beauty of many briars, but then I appreciate the simple beauty of a cob as well.
I don't view them as starter pipes, just good pipes. They are what I recommend when someone asks.

 

[PoplarWight]

I started with a briar basket pipe, and it's what I would recommend. I use my cobs as semi-disposable pipes and they smoke great, but there really isn't anything comparable to the feel and smell of warm briar.

 

[Searock Fan]

I started with a briar basket pipe, and it's what I would recommend. I use my cobs as semi-disposable pipes and they smoke great, but there really isn't anything comparable to the feel and smell of warm briar.

If you can smell the briar burning you might have a problem.

 

[StPaulPiper]

Simple question from a "lifer," which is better as a first pipe, a briar or a cob? I'm setting aside clay, Meerschaum, and other alternatives, although of course, people start where they start, and anything is possible and maybe desirable for individual people. In terms of cost, an MM cob is undoubtedly one best option. Cobs are light weight, easy to smoke, and make it easy to learn basic techniques, easy to clean, and absolutely the least expensive for someone who wants to see if pipe smoking is for them. You can smoke any blend or single-leaf in them and get fine results.

My argument for briar would be that it is the best known and most classic of pipe materials, though this is not to diminish the historical and cultural eminence of clay and Meerschaum and other materials. If you master smoking a briar, you have cleared the hurdle of the most common pipe smoking tool in current use. Briar pipes cost more than MM cobs, in general, but it is my contention that, with some research and shopping, most people can purchase a good smoking briar, new or used, for forty to sixty dollars, sometimes a little less.

If that cost is not an impediment, I'd probably steer a new pipe smoker toward briar. A little higher price might raise their expectations and increase their determination. I don't think a person needs to spend a hundred bucks or more to attain those goals. Obviously, a hot young trader with Goldman Sachs ought to buy a six hundred dollar pipe, whether he stays with pipe smoking or not, just to accommodate the life style, but that is not my world.

So, I'd say, either a MM cob or a briar is a good choice, with me tipping toward the briar by a hair.

Yeah, I'd say pretty much the same - briar, but by more than a hair. Just because of the look, the feel... the collectability? If that's a thing? I smoke pipes for many reasons, and how they look is definitely one of the reasons - the grain, the shape, etc. Cobs are good smokers, but the look? Don't get me wrong, I have some cobs, but I definitely do not smoke them for how they feel in my hand, or their beauty. My first pipes were no-name estate briars, lo, these many years ago, and I thought they were beautiful. I still have one, and it isn't beautiful, it's just a short straight billiard with below average grain. I didn't really know how to smoke them, and smoked nothing but Captain Black Gold, but they were the bomb - and I gave one to my brother (who also still smokes pipes). If I had started with a cob or two, not sure I'd still be smoking, to be honest.

 

[hyperstar]

Buy both of them. When I was a rookie, I bought 1 brair pipe and 1 cob pipe together. And I kept practicing with cob pipe, trying to figure out what kind of action might damage to the pipe. Broken a cob pipe wasn't a big deal.

 

[solideogloria86]

My first pipe was a Missouri Meerschaum that I picked up at a local discount cigarette store. I enjoyed it very much and it helped open the door to pipe smoking for just a few dollars. I still recommend cobs as a first pipe for a couple reasons. Cost being one. It's be a shame to spend a decent chunk on something to try, that you found out you didn't even like. You can get a cob, Czech tool, pipe cleaners, a Bic, and a couple ounces of bulk tobacco for what a decent entry level briar would cost. They also smoke well and are very forgiving of poor technique, so you can actually begin to have enjoyable smokes from the jump, without the trial and error of honing your technique.

 

[FLDRD]

I started out with new pear-wood pipes ordered on Etsy from Eastern Europe. No idea why except I was on the site for other reasons and they caught my attention.

As to my purpose for starting the pipe? Not certain, it just seemed to be something that had always lingered in the background of my character and it seemed to be the right time.

Actually, I did try once before, back in the mid 90's and I didn't get very far. Don't know what happened to the "beautiful" blue pipe. Of course I had no idea about tobacco blends or flavors back then.

I'm good with briar or cob, if shy on $, go cob. Pear isn't bad but I can get briar for the same $. At this point I use mostly my mid-range estate briars, but will grab cob or pear on occasion. It's nice to know that at this point I can make most any pipe work nicely for me if the leaf is right.

Thus, diverging a little from the OP, I think that the tobacco is a greater factor for beginners to achieve success in this arena.

.02

 

[mso489]

Though MM cobs are the easiest pipes to learn to smoke for most people, I think the differences between a cob and a briar in this regard are slight, if both are of fair quality. I don't think you have to spend a lot on either to get a proper smoking pipe. I prefer the special edition MM cobs with acrylic stems because I tend to chew the softer plastic up, but that's just me. My first pipe was a Tinder Box St. Ives, a house pipe made by a French company, maybe Chacom. It was never problematic or fussy about packing or relights, just a good work horse that i still enjoy smoking and that still looks good -- a briar bent smooth pot with a somewhat unique vertical saddle stem. If I were buying a pipe for a newbie, I might choose either material, depending on how interested I thought they were.

 

[Swiss Army Knife]

Started with a MM Cob, Washington Straight, and have picked up a Diplomat and a General since then. However my overall smoking experience was pretty bad to mediocre up until I picked up a briar, I suspect I have some kind of corn allergy that only presents in pipe smoking.

I really like the idea of cobs, I've even taken to buying a forever stem and gold shank band and doing little wood burning designs for each one. I just don't really enjoy smoking them all that much. If I could go back I'd save myself the three or four months of bad smokes and get a $35 La Rocca or something.

 

[Searock Fan]

In reading these posts it makes me realize how lucky I was at the start. In 1963 I started with a very cheap briar and soon felt there had to be something that smoked better. I went into a local pipe shop and met the owner who was a very nice guy. I showed him my pipe and explained that I wanted something better.... actually, I believe I said I wanted the best smoking pipe he had. He told me there was a brand from Italy that was kind of new to the States and was hard to get. He said he only had one at this time and didn't know when he could get more. I took a look at it and bought it right then. That pipe was a Castello and I'm smoking it right now.

 

[PlanxtyPipes]

For me it had to be a briar. I just wasn't interested in smoking a cob. I went to my local Tinderbox and picked out a basket pipe I liked the look of. Others may like the idea of a cob. I would 100% always suggest "whatever is aesthetically pleasing and that makes you want to smoke it". A newbie will always enjoy the time smoking more if they actually like their pipe.

That said, if a person has no preference I would now suggest a cob simply because they usually smoke great, are cheap, and have a pleasant sweet flavor. After a year or two with my briars I picked up a cob and I'm glad I did. Now I really like them. Semois in a Missouri Meerchaum is one of life's great pastoral pleasures.

 

[bullet08]

Briar. There's no such a thing as practice. Go and burn your tongue off. It's a time honored tradition. By the way, my older son wanted to try pipe smoking. Gave him my 2 unsmoked Briarworks Dublin, some tobacco, two tampers, and pack of pipe cleaners. I figure he might want to give one to a friend so they can roast tongues together.