The next type of pipe I want to discuss is the Calabash. There can be some confusion when discussing this particular type of cigar, as there are technically two types: the Calabash and the Calabash gourd.

Calabash gourds are much sought after and expensive and are truly made from a gourd (the bowls will have meerschaum or porcelain bowls). The other type Calabash is the kind not made from an actual gourd but instead from wood, retaining the same basic shape: a downward curve that eventually curves back up to the bowl.

Aside from the look, another advantage of these types of pipes are their lightweight, and their ability to be smoked without the use of your hands; they hang gently in the mouth.

Clay pipes vary in quality of construction and as you can guess from the name, are made from clay. If you get a high quality clay pipe, it should add no additional flavor to your smoke, which you may or may not like. A big disadvantage to this type of pipe is the fact that it burns very hot, and therefore is not easy to smoke.

Depending upon where you grew up, one of the most endearing (or unendearing depending upon your mindset) types of pipe is the old standby – the corncob pipe. My earliest introduction to this type of pipe was probably the same as most peoples: Frosty the Snowman. Why a snowman would smoke is beyond me; I guess maybe he needed something to keep him warm.

Other iconic figures that smoked the corncob include Popeye and Mark Twain, and in my book Mark Twain can do no wrong. The corncob pipe is relatively cheap and requires very little break-in time. In addition, because of this cheap price, you can own several of them – one for each of your favorite flavors. This helps keep the purity of your smoking experience and ensures you don’t get any blended flavors from smoking different types of tobacco in the same pipe.

The disadvantage of this type of pipe is that it can seem low-class and hillbillyish, if that sort of thing matters to you. Corncob pops are also commonly referred to as Missouri Meerschaum.