Long-Winded Questions About Smoking a Pipe

[chopper]

1. Dry your tobacco much more
2. Experiment with packing. Packing tight is a mistake, packing too loose is also a mistake.
3. Try a briar or a Meerschaum. Cobs have wooden parts inside which char and burn, and the taste is nasty At least that is what put me off Cobs

MM cobs do have a vegetal taste for the first couple of bowls then there's the protruding stem that gives off a wood taste when one gets down to the last bit off the bowl.
Here's what I do with a new cob.

The first couple of bowls I'll ensure that the tobacco is dry, not moist.
Once I taste the hard wood stem, I remove any ash, then add a few pinches of tobacco & really fire it up to get the protruding stem smouldering. This will not interfere with the integrity of the fit of the stem.
Do this 2-3 times & no more issue with the protruding stem, no more woody taste.

There's a little bit off space between the bottom of the bowl to under the draught hole. By using a dry tobacco, when at the end of the bowl, tamp down the grey ash to build cake until it's almost touching the draught hole.
Then one just needs to be a touch careful not to disturb that cake by scraping too deep.

I've got some really nice briars that are great smokers. My 3 MM cobs smoke just as well. In actual fact, some blends taste better in a cob.
They're great pipes once they've been 'broken in'.
This year I'll be adding 3 more MM cobs to my rotation. They are so worth the initial effort.

 

[chopper]

sounds like a new pipe is in order. unless, you are handy enough to drill through the stem gently and slowly.

The trick is to use a drill bit by hand. One can destroy a pipes draught hole rather quickly by using a drill.

@Schizo start with a 3mm drill bit. Push it through the draught hole & turn it by hand.
Then see how the draw feels.
If it's still too tight, then use a 4mm drill bit & turn it by hand through the draught hole.

I'll 2nd @mso489 's suggestion; Dr Grabow pipes are good smokers at a very reasonable price.
My little bent Duke & my Riviera both smoke just as well as my more expensive pipes.

 

[Magpiety]

Just want to second the MM cob option. This is a great way to dip your toes in without spending a lot of money.

 

[F4RM3R]

Your pipe should be fine if everything is clear. Sounds like something is clogging the airway. And as others have said. Dry the tobacco and pack light.