Cobs

Brothers of Briar

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After reading many of the positive comments from the brethren in previous topics, I went out and bought myself two and my two buddies one each (along with a sampler of tobacco, of course). They both smoke now, with one of them investing heavily in briar and tobacco. One is even done with the cigarettes as a result. This speaks to the concept that they serve a great function as a "gateway" to the passion.

I have a number of good briars (well, a number in non-BoB world, just barely scratching the surface in here), which I love dearly and prefer over the cob. However, for many, if not all, of the reasons thus far stated, the cob serves a very valid and important purpose in my collection. One, which I don't think has been mentioned, is extension of the rotation. On heavy smoking days i can drop a cob in the middle and allow a few of my briars the rest they need.

Of course, this is all down to personal preference. I'm after the good smoke, the pleasant reflection, the peace it brings. I'm not overly concerned with the material used to deliver such.

All this being said, I dream of the day when I can smoke 4 or 5 bowls a day and give each pipe a 7 day rest... ah, to have 35 briars...

Until then, I'll smoke the occasional cob with a smile on my face and contentment in my heart.
 
After seeing this post this morning I pulled out two of my cobs and smoked them today. Nice pure smokes with no ghosts since I don't let them build any cake.

I've never experienced smoking a true artisan pipe. My most expensive briar was just over $100. I like cobs, though. If they didn't have such small bowls I'd probably smoke them more often.

I think I'd enjoy the artistry of some of the great pipes I have seen and some of you have. I just haven't yet worked up to taking the plunge for the splurge. Until I do a pipe is primarily a tobacco pleasure delivery vehicle and, for me, cobs deliver.
 
There's a good reason why they're still around,,,,they're good at what they do
 
To me, the cob is a utility pipe. Its inexpensiveness, coupled most importantly with its light weight, makes it perfect for more active settings. It's easy to grip with the jaw and smokes well enough to enjoy a puff while raking leaves or taking a hike, all without the worry of drop or loss.

The other place it really shines for me is high moisture settings. As I type this, I'm sitting on the porch on a rainy Sunday enjoying a bowl in my MM Gentleman without a single gurgle, and this lends itself to the outdoorsy performance of the cob. I've noticed blends that tend to smoke wet perform well in the cob.

On the downside, it doesn't seem to smoke quite as well as a good briar, and some of the nuances of the tobacco are lost. I'm tending to shy away from more subtle and complex blends, opting for 'larger' English types where the Lat is more prominent. I'm not a fan of Burleys, but I can see how people like to pair them with cobs. The other downside is it's not an investment, a piece of art, like a briar. There's no beautiful grain to get lost in, no weight and heft and balance to enjoy. I'm sure I'll always have a cob or two around, and it'll get used, but it's probably not going to be a 'go to' pipe outside doing yard work or heading to the lake. It's a good situational pipe, but it won't keep me from expanding my collection of briars.
 
LuckyBriar":dvv0q4et said:
To me, the cob is a utility pipe. Its inexpensiveness, coupled most importantly with its light weight, makes it perfect for more active settings. It's easy to grip with the jaw and smokes well enough to enjoy a puff while raking leaves or taking a hike, all without the worry of drop or loss.

The other place it really shines for me is high moisture settings. As I type this, I'm sitting on the porch on a rainy Sunday enjoying a bowl in my MM Gentleman without a single gurgle, and this lends itself to the outdoorsy performance of the cob. I've noticed blends that tend to smoke wet perform well in the cob.

On the downside, it doesn't seem to smoke quite as well as a good briar, and some of the nuances of the tobacco are lost. I'm tending to shy away from more subtle and complex blends, opting for 'larger' English types where the Lat is more prominent. I'm not a fan of Burleys, but I can see how people like to pair them with cobs. The other downside is it's not an investment, a piece of art, like a briar. There's no beautiful grain to get lost in, no weight and heft and balance to enjoy. I'm sure I'll always have a cob or two around, and it'll get used, but it's probably not going to be a 'go to' pipe outside doing yard work or heading to the lake. It's a good situational pipe, but it won't keep me from expanding my collection of briars.
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Well said!
 
Well said, indeed. I've got a rack of six cobs and a backup MM Gentleman in my briefcase with my backup pouch of tobacco. Love my cobs, but I cherish my briars. Aside from the joy of admiring the briar as I smoke it, there's the flavor they impart to that same simple burley. A cool smoking briar is such a treat.

For me, it's a case of not being able to choose one over the other because it's apples to oranges. And on the subject of heavy smoking days, that's one reason I may sometimes carry a Diplomat in my pouch rather than a briar. This all but eliminates the need to also carry a General in my jacket pocket as I customarily do, since you can just smoke the hell out of a cob when you need to and not really worry about resting it.

And, since Lucky so astutely brought up weather conditions, MM Generals are the perfect pipe for windy smoking. Tall and thick, the bowl protects the tobacco from high wind to a surprising extent. Try that in a briar and you'll be scared to death over abusing the pipe as smoldering ash flies out the chamber. Put on some close-fitting gloves and windcap that pipe--you're ready to smoke through just about any wintry weather.
 
I love corn cobs and meerschaum. I get my Cobs from MM and being a 'tinkerer' I 'adjust' them. I sand off all of the laquer they put on them, then I buff them out with several buffing compounds. I also put sterling silver rings on them (I'm a journaeyman silversmith). I'm not great with woddworking but I'm good with sandpaper (LOL). I take my dremel and cut out the intruding stem in the bowl, put a small piece of metal screen in there so it won't burn through. Then I buff them agian. Truth be told a "Diplomat" is about 3/4 bowl of my Meerschaum. But you know what...that's perfect for 7 am in the morning, first pipe. Oh yes, I replace the stems, that parts easy. I've gotten into making Churchwarden stems for my Cobs. Just use a piece of Derlin. OH MY Goodness, smooth, cool and tasty pipe. I have about 10 Briars, in the $250 range, I know that's not an expensive set of pipes, a Cavacchi that I love, and some others and Briar is very good. But I tell you true, Cobs and Meer's...Especially Churchwardens smoke cool. Oh yes, here's my Caveat (warning) I'm a Puffer, oh yes, I puff...puff...puff...puff. It's just the way I smoke my pipes. Started in viet nam in 1968, USMC, Chu Lai. I just smoke them that way...so I'm always looking for the cool good smoke. Here's my cobs, and a pipe I made from 50 year old Sardinian Briar:
Image :
 
I've only got 4 briars at present. I love smoking my cobs at home, have a Country Gentleman, Missouri Pride, Great Dane Egg, Diplomat and 4 Legends. I'm waiting for another Pride plus 2 MM hardwoods. I've never smoked a hardwood but at $5.00 a piece I can dump them if I don't like them.

For me, cobs are the best ever pipes. Not only because of the price but I just enjoy the cool, dry smoke. I've had no briar yet which can match the pleasure delivered by my cobs.

But, unfotunately I must add that I never take my cobs to town! They are "yard pipes" and when I do take a pipe with me, it's a briar.
 
Rob_In_MO":4u7f0vvp said:
A Cob is like a fat girl. They're fun to play with but you just don't want to be seen out and around with one.
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:lol!:

I've heard similar said of mopeds!
 
Cobs have many advantages. I think they lend themselves naturally to burleys and virginias just in terms of the natural material and the pure tobaccos.

Also, if you're fishing or out and about, there's very little to lose if it goes *plop* in the water, as opposed to a "great pipe" that you would cry over leaving.
 
Hi, I'd like to say that I'm not a combative or assertive person, but that would be a lie. If I got on this forum and said, "Briar pipes are like Ugly Girls...you can have fun with them but you don't want to be seen..." you get the idea. When you besmirch a mans choice of pipe, you besmirch the man.

You have besmirched my fellow BoB's. And what's worse you seem to be doing this as a "Snob." A $9 pipe that smokes as good or better than a $5,000 pipe is not to be seen with "in town?"

You can be as proud of your Briar as you'd like. But please, don't put down my wonderfully smoking, hand-adjusted, sanded and silver banded Corn Cobs.

Here's the truth, when my friends see me with a Corn Cob Pipe they say, "Wow, that's really cool, what is that?" Because 99.5% of people don't know "Straight Grain" from "Birds Eye." Now, if you guys are smoking your pipes around people who know pipes and you're just trying to 'One-Up' the other guy...you go guy.

Making "Snarky Remarks" about Corn Cob pipes denigrates us loyal and true Pipe Smokers. All of us Corn Cob smokers have Briar pipes...so we are your brothers...we're just the Odd Branch on the Family Tree. Not bad, not cheap, not FAT, just a wee bit Odd...and we like that!

Smoke on Brothers....Smoke On.
 
Tak - if you are referring to me and my comment about Cobs & Fat Girls, then you must have missed the earlier posts that I made in this thread about Cobs. I have several, have always had a couple on-hand at all times, and use them regularly.

My last post was merely an attempt at putting a little humor into this thread. I am not a Pipe Snob, and don't look up or down on those that smoke Cobs, Briars, Meerschaum, Clays, etc.

It's the smoke that makes it all worth while, not the material the pipe is made of. I have cobs that smoke as well as my Savinellis, and I don't say that lightly.

Hopefully you didn't take my comment the wrong way, I was just adding in a little humor.
 
Rob_In_MO":zkrpqjyh said:
Tak - if you are referring to me and my comment about Cobs & Fat Girls, then you must have missed the earlier posts that I made in this thread about Cobs. I have several, have always had a couple on-hand at all times, and use them regularly.

My last post was merely an attempt at putting a little humor into this thread. I am not a Pipe Snob, and don't look up or down on those that smoke Cobs, Briars, Meerschaum, Clays, etc.

It's the smoke that makes it all worth while, not the material the pipe is made of. I have cobs that smoke as well as my Savinellis, and I don't say that lightly.

Hopefully you didn't take my comment the wrong way, I was just adding in a little humor.
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Same here! I have 8 cobs and 4 briars, so it's easy to see which I prefer. And that's why I said "unfortunately" I don't take my cobs to town. I call them my yard pipes because my yard is where I ENJOY my smoking. For me there is NO pipe which can compare with a cob, irrespective of price. I said to my smoking buddy today I saw a Dunhill advertised for R14,000 but I'm sure my MM Missouri Pride is a better smoker.

So, it was never my intention to offend anyone. How could I when I prefer cobs?
 
Tak":hji2puui said:
Hi, I'd like to say that I'm not a combative or assertive person, but that would be a lie. If I got on this forum and said, "Briar pipes are like Ugly Girls...you can have fun with them but you don't want to be seen..." you get the idea. When you besmirch a mans choice of pipe, you besmirch the man.

You have besmirched my fellow BoB's. And what's worse you seem to be doing this as a "Snob." A $9 pipe that smokes as good or better than a $5,000 pipe is not to be seen with "in town?"

You can be as proud of your Briar as you'd like. But please, don't put down my wonderfully smoking, hand-adjusted, sanded and silver banded Corn Cobs.

Here's the truth, when my friends see me with a Corn Cob Pipe they say, "Wow, that's really cool, what is that?" Because 99.5% of people don't know "Straight Grain" from "Birds Eye." Now, if you guys are smoking your pipes around people who know pipes and you're just trying to 'One-Up' the other guy...you go guy.

Making "Snarky Remarks" about Corn Cob pipes denigrates us loyal and true Pipe Smokers. All of us Corn Cob smokers have Briar pipes...so we are your brothers...we're just the Odd Branch on the Family Tree. Not bad, not cheap, not FAT, just a wee bit Odd...and we like that!

Smoke on Brothers....Smoke On.
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Although there are people who like to "stir the pot", I have never encountered mean spiritedness here ever. It´s all in good fun- because we love our hobby, and appreciate others who we can share that with. Hopefully you´ll stick around long enough to see what I mean! I wouldn´t take the fat girl joke as a put down- just a joke.

PACEM in puffing!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
 
I quite enjoy the two cobs kept in my rotation. I've tried a few brands and several of the MM models and the only style that really hits my sweet spot are the Country Gentlemen. I've got both straights and bents, and the straight has to be ten years old and going strong. I seldom take them packing as I've got several backpacking pipes, but they always go on my canoeing trips.

As others have indicated, I find them best with burley based blends, specifically straight, cubed burley. And I seldom smoke a cob between November and April, because I seldom smoke cubed burley during those cooler months. But when it's over 100 in the shade, humidity around 90%, haven't felt a breeze since the last tornado rolled through two months ago, 10,000 cicadas are screaming from the sweet gum trees, and a dozen or so neighborhood dogs are laying comatose on my porch, (which is over half the year down here in Arkansas) it's hard to beat an old cob with any good cubed burley (Uhle's #300 for example) and a cold drink. I'll plunk down in the middle of this flee buffet and start to see the world from their perspective.

Natch
 
When I have to attend a posh meeting, I wear a tuxedo. Not comfortable but it befits the occasion. I will also take along my best pipe. Not comfortable because I might drop it, it might get pinched etc. But it befits the occasion.

When I eat in a posh restaurant, I dress up smartly. Not so comfortable but the occasion calls for it. I will take along a briar but I'm not easy about it because I might forget it there etc.

When I go to a Spur, I will wear jeans and take along my old GBD.

But it's when I'm at home that I'm really comfortable. In summer I always wear shorts and T-shirt. Some of this clothing have stains on it and some are torn but I love them. That's when I smoke my cobs. Some have stains on them and some are "torn" but I love them. THey make me happy and I don't have to worry about them. No special care needed. They look after themselves.

And that's why I prefer ordinary, not tinkered with cobs as my everyday pipes
 
I love my cobs. I like fat girls too. To a point. Both can be ugly, but I've seen some ugly brairs and skinny chicks also. I don't mind being seen with a cob or a fat girl, as long as they aren't ugly. lol

I'm about 50/50 on whether I grab a briar or a cob. I'm old enough and secure enough to not care what other people think when they see me out and about. I do draw the line at the mini cobs in public. Too many people think those are for another weed smoked around here.

A good cob's functionality makes it a thing of beauty. Sort of like with people, if they are beautiful inside it makes up for a lack of beauty outside. Within reason.
 
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