Decided to go a whole week without.

[billhud]

Without smokin' any of my beloved cobs that is. Smoked only from the briars, the last being an oil cured poker in which I'm finishing off the bowl of Penzance now. Can't say I've had a bad smoke this week, but I'll be going back to mostly cobs this evening or tomorrow.

[SR Mike]

So I take it that you enjoy cobs. Is there a certain brand you prefer in cob? I have looked at the ones my B&M sells, but they seem pretty poorly made. The stem in too high in the bowl leaving a gap underneath it, or the bottom of the bowl is cracked. They carry more then just one brand. Any advice for a non-cob smoker who is interested but cannot find a cob that looks to be of quality?


Is it just me, or am I the only one who cannot get the image of Popeye out of my head every time I see a cob pipe?

[billhud]

http://www.corncobpipe.com/

I smoke the Legend.

[Tobit]

Originally Posted by billhud

http://www.corncobpipe.com/

FTW!

I'm ordering some of these from Frenchy tomorrow probably for my first pipes.

- T

[SR Mike]

That is the brand I saw most of the problems, I guess I need to inspect a little more and find a descent one.

[wharfrathoss]

i started w/cobs, have about 7 or so, all MM-they're not made as well as Bo Nordh's, but they're less than $10!-i stil smoke them regularly along side the briars, especially for burley blends

[SUOrangeGuy]

Always a cob or two in my pipe rack. Not only do they usually smoke well, they are always great for teaching friends the art of the pipe.

[SR Mike]

Y'all just about have me sold on cob. When I get the chance I will pick one up.

[Arizona]

SR mike,

MM's are the best of the basket cobs IMHO. Pick up one of the larger ones and not that tiny $3 model. Don't worry what it looks like, believe it or not they're a good smoke. Just stuff it and start puffing! I toss the paper filter element. It's just a sponge for all the goop is all it is. Run a couple big fluffy pipe cleaners thru it after each smoke and put it back in the rack.

I've got 4 cobs in my rotation (17 pipes total including the cobs), but the cobs get rotated thru about 2 or 3 times for each full pass thru the line-up of pipes. In other words I don't "rest" them as long as I do the briars, they get smoked like every other day rather than once a week or so like the briars. I smoke one briar per day - 2 to 5 bowls is my average per day - with a cob thrown in between each smoke to let the briar dry for an extra hour or two before I grab it again.

Relax and enjoy the cobs, dont make fun of them, they're a great smoke!

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by SR Mike

That is the brand I saw most of the problems, I guess I need to inspect a little more and find a descent one.

If Elmers didn't make plain white glue then a few of my MM's would be air-leaky. As it is, all my MMs smoke fine but going a week without wouldn't measure up to tragedy.

Heck, I thought you meant hamburgers or sex or cellphones or something.

[billhud]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

...all my MMs smoke fine but going a week without wouldn't measure up to tragedy.

Certainly it ain't a tragedy, but the truth of the matter is that briar does not provide a superior smoke. A good tobak is great in a cob. Sometimes I think we lose sight of the fact that its the tobaks that are at the center of this activity.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by billhud

Certainly it ain't a tragedy

No, of course not. I can exaggerate about pipe smoking tragedy sometimes.

but the truth of the matter is that briar does not provide a superior smoke.

To a cob? I am not the only one who can exaggerate.

A good tobak is great in a cob.

Absolutely.

Sometimes I think we lose sight of the fact that its the tobaks that are at the center of this activity.

I agree, but that could be an interesting topic for another discussion entirely.

[billhud]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

To a cob? I am not the only one who can exaggerate.

I stand by my statement that a briar does not provide a superior smoke. The lowly few dollar cob isn't outdone by a more expensive briar in providing a good smoke (we just really want it to be otherwise sometimes/in some cases).

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by billhud

I stand by my statement that a briar does not provide a superior smoke. The lowly few dollar cob isn't outdone by a more expensive briar in providing a good smoke (we just really want it to be otherwise sometimes/in some cases).

This is a discussion that has maybe been waltzed thru once or twice before. Taking a circumspect point of view I'd judge if you think it is that way, then it is that way.

Judge Landis or Branch Rickey was asked, "Which was the best team in baseball" and the classic reply was, "On which day?" I go that way with pipes.

[billhud]

What's most important in a pipe? For me it's the quality of smokes it consistently/unceasingly provides.