?? For you cob smokers:

[settersbrace]

What's the largest bowl size that you've found in a USA made cob? Also, what kind of smoking experiences have you had issues with larger bowls vs. smaller? I ask only because the 4 that I've had for a while are MM that have small to medium sized bowls. I bought a Dane Egg straight stemmed a week and a half ago and it's bowl is fairly large. I've been disappointed with the way it smokes, seems to run hot, doesn't transfer that sweetness I get from my other cobs and it's getting so that I'm just giving it a pass when I'm reaching for a cob. I use these as knock around pipes when I'm working or messing around in the yard or out in the field with my dogs. The only characteristic with this egg that's different from my others is that the bowl has that MM blackish stain on it. Could that be a factor?

 

[jah76]

Are the bowls finished the same? I've found that the rough unfinished cobs seem to smoke cooler.

 

[mso489]

Cob pipes went small in recent years because of drought, I was given to understand. Now they are coming back

somewhat. I have medium to small, and overheating has never been a problem with any finish. Maybe just luck.

Don't forget to add an Old Dominion cob or two to your stable. Nice pipes; will give a smoking report soon.

 

[fishnbanjo]

If you buy a used vintage mm cob from an estate that has the wooden plug it will have a larger bowl than the past few year cobs which as already been said have suffered in size due to drought conditions. If you find a really nice one in good condition you can replace the stem with a Forever Stem, I have had cobs last 15 years with the wooden plug and 12 years w/o.

 

[plateauguy]

My Country Gentleman is bigger than my Diplomat and Danish Egg.

 

[onepyrotec]

The largest bowls "I" have are the Freehand for width and MacArthur in depth. I don't find any of my pipes getting "HOT" no matter what size unless I'm really working a wet tobacco to keep it lit. I have all sizes, finished, unfinished, customs.
If your pipe is getting hot, try slowing down on your rate of puffing. Do I think the stain would be a factor in you pipe getting hot? NO I do not.

 

[settersbrace]

Trying to keep up here. On the pipes I have, 3 are the natural color, smooth finish, one is the small unfinished and the most recent "egg" that is finished and stained. All were filter pipes, I always remove those. On my smoking; I'm not a grizzled vet but I'm not a rookie either and believe I have a decent handle on maintaining a cadence. In fact, with my cobs and the very open draw, I tend to barely sip them. I read where it's best to barely keep them lit and with the others I get nothing but pure smoking bliss. I'm pretty sure that something's not quite right with the Dane Egg and I'm thinking of making some pipe mud to fill the space under the stem protrusion if for no other reason, to give it a try. For under $10 I can certainly pitch it and get another, that's not a big deal. I live my cobs and love the way they smoke.

 

[phred]

I have a Great Dane "second" - it's shaped more like a Diplomat - but the chamber is actually smaller than the chamber on my Country Gentleman, although the walls are much thicker and the bowl itself is larger. My Dane has the standard plaster coating, while the Country Gentleman has the blackish one. The Dane is a good smoker for me - could just be individual variation. I've had one bad bowl out of the Country Gentleman, but that appears to have been a fluke, thank goodness!

 

[redbeard]

A little after I first started smoking I got one of MMs grab bags. It came with a few different styles, eaton (unfinished and rough how they are made), Washington (looks to be plastered), legends (one unfinished but smoothed out and others with a shine finish on them) and a country gent(finished and stained black) The eaton is tiny, good for sampling and can smoke hot if you puff too fast. The Washington and legend are the same size (mine are) a decent size bowl, I can fit my fat finger in it LOL. I have only gotten them warm even when puffing like a train. And the country gent is huge, about twice the size as the legends IMO, I have never had it heat up on me.
I I also find the gent doesn't really transfer the sweetness as the others now that you mention it, but it is still a great smoker! You can pack it up and puff away for a good hour.

 

[settersbrace]

It's a weird thing with my new one as it starts out fine and then about mid bowl it seems to get hot right around the thickest portion of the bowl. It is a straight stem too, all my others are bents. I'm going to try a different cut of tobacco and see if it makes a difference, I've only smoked ribbon cut in it so far although I don't know if the cut has any bearing on things.

 

[bambam13]

I smoke primary cobs (mainly because I'm always trying new tobacco) I usually smoke my generals which are really rather big, but the biggest of course from Missouri Meerschaum is the MacArthur, which I have, and the big ones I find (for me) smoke cooler. Also worth mentioning that I do like bigger pipes in general. If you want a bigger bowl than a Great Dane to try either the 5th avenue (Aristocob calls it the Kolonel) or the general. I find although the MacArthur smokes well it is rare that I have that much time to smoke and is seen more of a novelty pipe.
Hope this helps, keep cool and smoke on! :puffpipe:

 

[tuold]

This my only cobb so by default it's my largest.

The tobacco chamber is a little less than inch wide and deep.It's a pretty chunky cobb at six inches long.

 

[settersbrace]

Tuold, I love that cob! Very classy looking and huge.

 

[bambam13]

+1 to settersbrace that's awesome tuold

 

[settersbrace]

Ok, I made the OP a few days ago and being the persitant little cuss that I am, I kept smoking this cob until it finally relented and started smoking the way i know a good cob should. My theory is that this cob just took some more breaking in than I'm used too with the smaller, thinner walled bowls I'm used to. One I got the whole chamber blackened all the way down and kept at whittling away some wood on that stem protrusion she suddenly mellowed out for me. I'm enjoying a cool, dry smoke in it as I write this and now all is right with the world. Lesson learned I suppose. ;-)

 

[fadingdaylight]

Having just dicovered the pleasure of cobs myself, I didn't really have an answer to the original question, but I m glad you got it worked out.

 

[settersbrace]

I'm glad it did too because I was wanting a larger chamber in a cob than what I'm used too. Don't get me wrong, the smallish bowls are great for a short smoke but as much as I like the delivery from the material. There are times when I would like to enjoy a longer smoke. Now I think I've found what I was after!

 

[fadingdaylight]

That is actually my planned next pipe. I have a Diplomat now, but come next week I am adding a Great Dane egg. And maybe another Diplomat or a CG.