Help me get started

[EKG]

I've always wanted to try smoking a pipe, I can remember as a very small child having a corncob (though of course not smoking it). I don't want to buy a briar right now for various reasons, and I was wondering if for a beginner to pipe smoking, would a corncob pipe and a tin of Rattray's Hal O' The Wynd be good?

I can enjoy the full spectrum of cigars, from mild to ligero packed oscuro (I've only met one cigar that got the best of me.) One thing I can't abide is a flavorless smoke, or obviously a smoke that has bad flavors such as wet dog hair.

[croatan]

If you like strong flavors, then pipes are an excellent choice. I'm not a huge corncob fan, but they work fine for starting out and you should be very happy with your choice of tobacco. If you enjoy smoking with your new setup, I'd suggest getting a mid-range briar as soon as possible, though.

[EKG]

Cool, thanks for the help. I'll be buying the tobacco and pipe online in a day or two.

[burninator]

A corncob is an excellent starter pipe, and it's good to use while trying different blends. I like to take one when I go fishing. I can smoke it all day, and I won't be mad if it falls in the water.

[RandalHall]

I too like cob pipes, as a matter of fact I am starting to prefer them. I have been smoking a pipe for about 6 years now and I started out on an estate Yellow-Bole, a fine pipe and later I picked up a basket pipe and some other estates on E-bay, but recently I started using Missouri Meerschaum and I don't thing I will go back for while. I would suggest if you are not wanting a bland smoke you should try a latakia blend. The do not have the sweet smell in the pouch or tin but they do have a nice smoke. You should check out the packing thread to learn how to pack the pipe correctly. The correct pack is critical to a nice smoke.

My cob pipe has been smoked every day for the last two months trying different blends. I have not had any issues and there is no carry over between aromatics and Englishes, this would not be good practice in a briar. If I ruin a cob I am out $5-$7 dollars instead of $50-$70. I am finding that they are pretty hard to ruin short of stepping on it.

[NCatron]

As a semi-conflicting opinion, the first time I tried a pipe, it was in a cob, and it tasted "funny". Every tobacco I tried had the same weird taste. So I gave it up. When I came back to try the pipe again, I got a briar, and WOW what a difference.

YMMV of course.

(I got a $30 Savinelli natural from pipesandcigars.com)

[EKG]

You should check out the packing thread to learn how to pack the pipe correctly.

Will do.