Live And Learn

[crawdad]

Last night I smoked my first bowl of 2/3 EGR 1/3 match Barking Dog in my Mark Twain cob. Previously I had smoked Half & Half in the same pipe and thus paid for my ignorance as the prior blend ghosted my cob, my most favorite cob. The taste of Luden’s Wild Cherry cough drops permeated EVERY damn puff.

I should have paid due diligence. I knew hardly anything about Half & Half. I had never tried it, didn’t even really know what was in it save some burley. The neighbor who gave me the pouch didn’t let me in on it.

I learned a real lesson here and it cost me a great pipe. Now I’ll have to get a new Mark Twain. I’m just glad I didn’t waste one of my favorite briars to H&H.

Maybe there should be a sticky on which blends will ghost a pipe?

 

[JimInks]

Maybe somebody here will have an idea on how to get a ghost out of a cob?

If nothing else, try smoking something with a little strength in the cob, and maybe the H&H ghost will burn out.

 

[cshubhra]

Five Brothers (Or any such straight burley) should exorcise the ghost after 3-4 bowls (max)

 

[badbeard]

It will fade, just clean the shank out really well with some alcohol, maybe give the plastic stem a good rinse(If it has a stock MM propionate stem, alcohol can soften it up). Power through it with a burley blend, or something heavy in Latakia if that suits your fancy.

One interesting thing that was suggested to me by an old timer is setting your cob in a sunny window.. I thought to myself, this sounds like BS, but I respect the experience of my elders so I gave it a shot and let it sit for 2-3 days. I'll be damned if it didn't clear a deer tongue ghost out of a cob.

 

[crawdad]

Maybe somebody here will have an idea on how to get a ghost out of a cob?

If nothing else, try smoking something with a little strength in the cob, and maybe the H&H ghost will burn out.

I don’t have anything strong and no straight burley blends. I’m not interested in buying any new tobacco.

 

[FurCoat]

Use 200 grit sandpaper and get any cake out. Get as close to or just at the cob material. Then clean with Everclear. Smoke a few bowls of any non aromatic blend or EGR. Never had EGR ghost a pipe.

 

[Tar Wheel]

Last night I smoked my first bowl of 2/3 EGR 1/3 match Barking Dog in my Mark Twain cob. Previously I had smoked Half & Half in the same pipe and thus paid for my ignorance as the prior blend ghosted my cob, my most favorite cob. The taste of Luden’s Wild Cherry cough drops permeated EVERY damn puff.

I should have paid due diligence. I knew hardly anything about Half & Half. I had never tried it, didn’t even really know what was in it save some burley. The neighbor who gave me the pouch didn’t let me in on it.

I learned a real lesson here and it cost me a great pipe. Now I’ll have to get a new Mark Twain. I’m just glad I didn’t waste one of my favorite briars to H&H.

Maybe there should be a sticky on which blends will ghost a pipe?

So, wait. Was it EGR or H and H that ghosted your cob?

 

[kcghost]

Your crying over a cob. Just get over it and get another one.

 

[Grangerous]

Crawdad has exhibited exquisite taste in pipe tobacco. Glad your still with us. Granger through it our brother.

I have a real soft spot for Half n Half. Never got any cherry. Liked it years ago.

 

[Bluemonter]

Fill the bowl with coarse salt (kosher works well) add grain alcohol.
Visit the pipe every now and then to top off the alcohol. After a few hours dump the salt, rinse the bowl with a little more alcohol if needed. Let dry...
Et voila, ghost has been excorcized!

 

[badbeard]

Your crying over a cob. Just get over it and get another one.

One man's cob is another man's bling'd briar.

 

[Chasing Embers]

One man's cob is another man's bling'd briar.

Exactly, at least they are drilled straighter than many high dollar briars I've had.

 

[GCW]

Sounds like the OP was going for the Shelby Foote blend if memory serves. At one time Foote did cut EGR with H&H so it shouldn't be too far off? I guess my question is what was it you were aiming for? As this is a blend I love I'll happily buy the cob off you if you're truly finished with it.

 

[yohanan]

I'll doubt you'll have to get a new Mark Twain, just smoke another burley blend, or whatever blend you like, and the problem will fade away. Problem Solved!!!

 

[crawdad]

So, wait. Was it EGR or H and H that ghosted your cob?

H&H

 

[Tar Wheel]

?‍. Yeah, I realized that I mis-read FurCoat’s post, about a minute after time expired to delete my post.

I blame it on ADD........and maybe bourbon.?

 

[karam]

Fill the bowl with coarse salt (kosher works well) add grain alcohol.
Visit the pipe every now and then to top off the alcohol. After a few hours dump the salt, rinse the bowl with a little more alcohol if needed. Let dry...
Et voila, ghost has been excorcized!

Won't that disolve the glue they use?

The key reason for not getting more cobs is I can't clean them with water.

 

[mortonbriar]

No ghost is permanent in my experience...but then I am not opposed to a bit of mingling of flavours between bowls.

 

[Bluemonter]

Won't that disolve the glue they use?

The key reason for not getting more cobs is I can't clean them with water.

From what I understand, Missouri Meerschaum uses a water based, non toxic glue. Typically called a PVA Glue.
In my decades of woodworking experience, only water will will dissolve it.
There's a waterproof or Type 2 PVA, but that's a different animal.

There was a post a little while back with someone complaining of a sticky gooey substance at the bottom of his cob pipe.
Hot water steam from the tobacco 'loosened up' the glue...

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Won't that disolve the glue they use?

The key reason for not getting more cobs is I can't clean them with water.

A water rinse won’t hurt them in my experience, if you don’t make a habit of it. Dry it out right afterwards though. The ferrule will rust if you don’t.