Are Cobs really better than Briars?

[RichieR]

Can it be?

I don't want to cause trouble or anything...but I do notice that I seem to get a more satisfying smoke from my cobs....every time.

I'm breaking in a Peterson Irish Army 160 pipe at the moment, but it seems to be the same thing...over and over again. The Irish Army pipe is over $70. It's a "low end", I understand...but...$70 should do something for me, no? I admit that my new Peterson is my best looking pipe...but, I wish it to smoke like a cob.....and I don't think it is going to do it.

I don't feel like spending $500 on a Dunhill pipe with a nice painting of a crane on it. It looks great ....but something tells me that the humble cob is going to smoke better.

I just finished smoking a coin of Escudo in my MM Legend cob.....and it was amazing! So much better than when I stick the coin into my briars. My Briars sure look better, but they do not compare to the smoke I get from my legend cobs.

I think I'm going to turn into one of those fanatic corncob pipe smokers. It seems so obvious to me.

[Will_S]

Cobs suck imo. Unless you enjoy the taste of burning wood from the stem. Good tobacco in a well broken in and cared for briar is a little slice of heaven, corn cobs on the other hand have their proper use as a complement to outhouses.

[RichieR]

Originally Posted by Will_S

Cobs suck imo. Unless you enjoy the taste of burning wood from the stem. Good tobacco in a well broken in and cared for briar is a little slice of heaven, corn cobs on the other hand have their proper use as a complement to outhouses.

OUCH!

The first few smokes from a new cob may not be so good. But when the inside of the bowl gets dark....I cannot complain.

[Cheeto]

I wouldn't go as far as saying cobs are better than briars. Briar pipes can go through generations of use and can really be a piece of art, which helps form an almost emotional attachment to the pipe. I like my briars because they feel well made, are heavy in the hand, and look great.

Smoking from a cob is great as well, and from a smoking standpoint they do offer a great, dry, cool smoke that I always enjoy. But it just feels like a piece of corn; cheap and disposable. That can change the mindset I have while smoking and in turn, effect how I feel when smoking out of a cob.

I like smoking a cob while doing yardwork or fishing. It just feels right, and taste right. But when I want to relax and really go through the rituals of smoking a pipe I'll grab a briar.

[billhud]

Originally Posted by RichieR

Can it be?

Sure can be. That's why there are those of us who consistently smoke cobs more than briar.

Originally Posted by Will_S

Cobs suck imo. Unless you enjoy the taste of burning wood from the stem.

Only for the first couple of smokes. That's about all it takes to break in a cob. Smoke such a cob, and you'll understand. That's why I'm not bothered by the few snobs I meet (in tobak shops and elsewhere) who turn their noses up when they see me and one of my cobs. They just don't know any better.

Originally Posted by Will_S

Good tobacco in a well broken in and cared for briar is a little slice of heaven, corn cobs on the other hand have their proper use as a complement to outhouses.

Apparently youi've never smoke in a cob once the maple in the bowl is gone. Cobs smoke cooler, smoother, and drier than briar from the get go (even more than properly broken in briar).

Originally Posted by Cheeto

I like my briars because they feel well made, are heavy in the hand, and look great.

Even with briar I get the lightest pipes possible.

[Will_S]

Originally Posted by billhud

That's why I'm not bothered by the few snobs I meet (in tobak shops and elsewhere) who turn their noses up when they see me and one of my cobs.

No snob about it. For around 20$ you can get a nice estate gbd or whatever on ebay that will smoke great from the start and provide you with a lifetime of service. Or you can get a cob that will smoke like crap the first several bowls at least and that you will eventually throw away. Economically and in every other sense, including the smoking pleasure provided, cobs cant even hold a candle to briar. But if you like them, please go ahead and smoke them, it helps hold down the price of briar for those who know better.

[carbonbased_al]

Originally Posted by RichieR

Can it be?

I don't want to cause trouble or anything...but I do notice that I seem to get a more satisfying smoke from my cobs....every time.

I'm breaking in a Peterson Irish Army 160 pipe at the moment, but it seems to be the same thing...over and over again. The Irish Army pipe is over $70. It's a "low end", I understand...but...$70 should do something for me, no? I admit that my new Peterson is my best looking pipe...but, I wish it to smoke like a cob.....and I don't think it is going to do it.

I don't feel like spending $500 on a Dunhill pipe with a nice painting of a crane on it. It looks great ....but something tells me that the humble cob is going to smoke better.

I just finished smoking a coin of Escudo in my MM Legend cob.....and it was amazing! So much better than when I stick the coin into my briars. My Briars sure look better, but they do not compare to the smoke I get from my legend cobs.

I think I'm going to turn into one of those fanatic corncob pipe smokers. It seems so obvious to me.

Cobs are ok, but I wouldn't say they are better than briar pipes. They do break down over time (at least most of mine have fallen appart) and after awile I do notice a stalky taste that effects the smoke (which is normally my sign to pitch said pipe). Most briar pipes take some time to break in. I have a couple of pipes dedicated to vapers ( I really only smoke escudo and solani 633 with any great frequency) that smoke great.

If you want a pipe that will smoke great right off the bat, not need replacement (unless you drop it), and won't get any ghosting, buy a meer

As for your comparison of a Dunhill to a cob, while I am no fan of Dunhill, I do find they smoke better than any cob i've owned. And they have retained their value and lasted alot longer too!

[squeeze left]

As a newbie to pipes my experience is limited. That said, I think "better than" is subjective.

I have 3 cobs (all bought new) and 5 briars (1 new, 4 estate).

My problem is that most of the times I'm actually able to smoke is (1) outside (2) while I'm doing something else like changing the oil or raking leaves. And, at these times, I don't want to risk dropping a briar pipe from my mouth onto the driveway. So, I've smoked all my cobs several times, while some of my briars have yet to be smoked. I don't mind the initial woody smoke flavor.

With the warmer weather on the way, I'm hoping to "relax and enjoy the ritual" (as Cheeto said) and smoke my briars more. The briars with their beautiful wood certainly add to the aesthetics! But they are kind of like pets, it seems you have to "care for them" where with cobs you just knock the ashes out on the nearest fence-post.

[dogsplayinpoker]

Cobs are different than briar. The idea of "better" is irrelevant. Pipe smoking is such an individualistic hobby that what is "better" for me is crap for you. Actually, it is quite simple. If you are getting more pleasant smokes from a cob than your briar, then quit spending $70 on briar and massively enlarge your cob collection. That's a lot of cobs brother, even in our ethanol-crazed society

[Crambone]

I have quite a few briars, but i keep going back to the cobs or my Kirsten for an enjoyable smoke thats cool and doesn't go out. I couldn't give 2 shitz what I'm smoking out of as long as i can enjoy the taste of the tobacco with out paying too much attention to keeping it lit etc.. Bottom line is smoke what you like. Pipe smoking to me is about relaxing, taking it easy.. not worrying about cake build up, what to smoke out of or what method to use when packing.. The useless details can be overwhelming.. If you enjoy it when you do it.. your doing it right.

[BamBam]

I enjoy both and think both have there place. I enjoy the cob at work or for a short smoke and I enjoy briar when I am sitting back and relaxing.

[The Pirate]

Boy, this is a battle I have fought many times! I have 8 Jake Hackert cobs, a Dunhill DR one star, a Tinsky, a Lannes Johnson, and a Ken Erickson among others. As far as the quality of smoke, my Hackerts smoke as well as any of the others I have mentioned. I love my Dunhill, a beautiful, finely made instrument,as are the Tinsky, LJ and Erickson.. Different pipes appeal to me for different reasons, and their value to me personally goes beyond just how they smoke. But if you are just talking how well a pipe smokes, any pipe that has been drilled and fitted properly is capable of delivering a good smoke IMHO.
I guess that is the reason there is such a variety of pipes available. For many cost is the most important consideration. For others, craftsmanship. Some just want to own the very best that they can afford. The individual passion goes beyond pure practicality for most of us.
This is not intended to be an argument for a given type of pipe as opposed to any other type. It is just one man's PERSONAL OPINION based on 40 years of pipe smoking. Smoke what you like, and like what you smoke, be it the humble cob or the exquisitely crafted artisan pipe. I feel fortunate that I can enjoy a variety of pipes.
Ken

[IHT]

Originally Posted by squeeze left

As a newbie to pipes my experience is limited. That said, I think "better than" is subjective.

as a newbie, you're dead on.

no reason to be "snobby" or "anti-briar-snobby" on this subject, it's all a matter of personal opinions which we base on our own experiences.

for me, and my experiences:
i was surprised at how well a cob smoked (once the airway was unobstructed), which doesn't mean it smokes any better than a briar, just surprised at how well they do smoke. mine have tended to sour after about 20 bowls in each, which sucks. maybe it's a myth that they don't hold a flavor, cuz when i draw on one that's been well smoked, i get a sour flavor.
of course, i smoke many different blends in them, and i haven't attempted to smoke only "VA" or "orientals" in one.
they are light, cheap, do smoke pretty good once they get going.
they are cheap, sometimes poorly made, have a very small bowl, hard to use a pipe cleaner on while smoking due to the 1/8th bent cobs i get (the kink/bend in the stem pinches to where i can't get a cleaner down), and have seemed to turn sour after 10-20 uses.
they have a purpose, and that's to test tobaccos and smoke samples out of.
i'm not anti-cob at all, they have a use.

briars.. well... they are more sturdy, most smoke better once broken in (and keep getting better), they are easy to clean/re-use and can last decades. they have a resale value (which isn't a factor in my buying, but it just popped into my head - you don't see many estate corn cobs for sale)...

i prefer briars, but cobs have a role in the pipe world, and everyone has their own opinion on what role they are in their rotation.

[EvanS]

All good points above (except WillS who just seems angry in general j/k)

Biggest point is that "better" is subjective. I personally feel that a briar pipe that ends up fitting a blend perfectly, and seems to have learned you as well as you have gotten to know it, can greatly add to elevating you experience well above simply "having a smoke".

But NEVER let anyone convince you that the smoke YOU enjoy the most is not the best smoke...because it is!! (at least unitl you experience something better)
Cobs are a great alternative to briar and if you prefer them, run with it. I doubt anyone stood up to General MacArthur and told him he was wrong about his pipe. I happen to only use cobs for aromatics but this in no way makes them second class citizens.

[wharfrathoss]

i enjoy both my cobs & briars equally-each have their pros & cons-one thing that i was taught (that i found to be true) was that if you clean a cob like you would a briar, it treats you a lot better in return-just because a cob is inexpensive doesn't mean it should be treated as a throwaway pipe IMHO-many people also seem to prefer burley blends in a cob, i couldn't understand what the fuss was about till i tried it, then i got it-the 2 complement each other in a way that briar doesn't-i've been smoking my cobs pretty heavily for about 6 months & have no complaints-i use a cleaner on the stem & wipe the bowl after every smoke, and clean w/alcohol once a week (stem/shank)-when i first get them i carve away most of the stem extending into the bowl w/an xacto knife, then use a torch to char what's left, takes care of the "burnt wood" taste