Newfound respect and appreciation for Corn Cobs

[bentbulldog]

I recently received a Legend and Country Gentleman cob pipe as well as some Butternut Burley. I've heard that Cobs and Burleys go hand in hand so I gave it a try.

I'm not huge on Burley. Capt Black White is the only drugstore blend that I have around and I only use it as the first bowl to break in new pipes., but I don't normally smoke it because I'm weary of putting it into my briar pipes. So when I tried Butternut in the Cob, I was VERY pleased. I then tried Capt Black in the cob and was just as pleased.

I developed a newfound respect and appreciation for Corn Cobs. While I LOVE my briars and nothing will take their place, I only smoke the premium blends in those and they're more like dress attire. Every now and then, I like to wear a work shirt and jeans, which is how I think about the Cob. These two will hold the spot for the burley blends and I may give CH, PA, and SWR a new try.

Looking at the MM website there is an array of pipes to choose from.

What's your favorite? What do you like to smoke in them?

Best,
BB

 

[Dutch]

I have 2 MM Country Gentleman that I have dedicated exclusively to Dunhill Royal Yacht. They seem to be the perfect size and internal geometry to maximize this blend.

I also have a Riccardo Santia Ultimate Corncob with a bamboo shank that I have dedicated to Frog Morton Cellar. It is one of the dryest smoking pipes I own.....

 

[Hiram-2011]

I'm in he same boat, just discovered the joys of a cob. I have mainly smoked burleys out of them, Boswell's premium burley, butternut burley and some SWR. It's a nice change of pace from my other pipes and the normal english blends I smoke.

 

[Foxfire]

I once had a MM Patriot with a straight stem, which was my favorite for a long time, until it burned out. Then I discovered the Diplomat which, to me, is vastly superior.

I have a Country Gentleman that I keep in my locker at work. It seems to be the standard MM model that drug stores have in stock. It's fine, but the Diplomat is definitely better, imo.

As for tobaccos, I will put anything in a cob, but I mostly use them for cheap aromatics.

 

[bentbulldog]

I once had a MM Patriot with a straight stem, which was my favorite for a long time, until it burned out. Then I discovered the Diplomat which, to me, is vastly superior.

I have a Country Gentleman that I keep in my locker at work. It seems to be the standard MM model that drug stores have in stock. It's fine, but the Diplomat is definitely better, imo.

As for tobaccos, I will put anything in a cob, but I mostly use them for cheap aromatics.

I'm looking at the diplomats, what shape do you have/prefer and what makes one cob superior to the others?

 

[bentbulldog]

I have 2 MM Country Gentleman that I have dedicated exclusively to Dunhill Royal Yacht. They seem to be the perfect size and internal geometry to maximize this blend.

VERY nice Dutch, is that an aftermarket stem on the CG? Where did you get them?

 

[flytyer]

I always smoked OTC or burley blends in my cobs. For about the past year or so Ive been trying out all kinds of baccy in them and more often than not they dont dissipoint.My favorite cobs are the unfinnished (natural) ones,they breath well and smoke cool.

 

[Dutch]

I have 2 MM Country Gentleman that I have dedicated exclusively to Dunhill Royal Yacht. They seem to be the perfect size and internal geometry to maximize this blend.

VERY nice Dutch, is that an aftermarket stem on the CG? Where did you get them?

BB, yes I purchased that stem from Dave Wolff at Walker Briar Works. Dave is super to do business with, and his forever stems make cob smoking much more enjoyable.....

http://www.walkerbriarworks.com/html/-forever-_stems.html

 

[Fatman]

As a recent convert to Cobs, all I can add is I agree! I like the way they smoke and the cost is another selling point for me.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I think my personal cob configuration fave is the straight Washington. It's cheap, not very fancy, no hardwood plug (nothing a little pipe mud can't fix) and the capacity is perfect for smoking stronger stuff. I have Latakia and VA/Burley dedicated sets, too, organized by stem color, yellow or black. Cob-favorite loads included Union Square, Oriental Dusk, Squadron Leader, B. Sasieni, and Erinmore Flake.

My one and only drugstore mix is Carter Hall, which meshes with a cob nicely. It's probably the easiest smoke combination there is, perfect for socializing and any time when I'm not fussing over the pipe, or don't feel like it. Plus, the scent is pleasing to most.

8)

 

[Dutch]

BB, here is a pic of my other Forever Stem I have fitted to a MM General.....

 

[Foxfire]

I'm looking at the diplomats, what shape do you have/prefer and what makes one cob superior to the others?

The Diplomat is bigger, has a hardwood plug, looks better (to me), and has the hardwood plug. The one I have is sort of a "bent apple" shape. I don't know what it is called exactly, but that's the closest I can call it.

I chose the Diplomat based on the official "Corn Cob Primer" by BoB member tiltjlp.

Mine looks exactly like this:

 

[Rob_In_MO]

I'm looking at the diplomats, what shape do you have/prefer and what makes one cob superior to the others?

The Diplomat is bigger, has a hardwood plug, looks better (to me), and has the hardwood plug. The one I have is sort of a "bent apple" shape. I don't know what it is called exactly, but that's the closest I can call it.

Very well said, Brother!

Also don't overlook the MM Freehand. Performance-wise I'd put it up against many of my Briars any day. Also the deep bowl is great for when you want a longer smoke. It also has the hardwood bottom and the upgraded (highest-quality) stem that MM puts on any of their pipes.

 

[soylentgreen]

I have the same Diplomat that Foxfire posted. I also really like the MM Pride. They're small and aren't finished (natural), with the smaller size I smoke the stronger stuff in them. I also like my Forever Stem from Walker Briar Works.

Finally, like Dutch, I seem to really like Royal Yacht in a cob... behold, the power of irony. In fact, Royal Yacht DGT'd in a MM Pride works out as one of the best smokes I've had in my short piping career.

For some reason, I've been neglecting my briars the last couple of weeks and have been smoking cobs almost exclusively... mostly straight VAs.

 

[Slide]

I only have 3 cobs and so far the Diplomat is my favorite shape.

I grab them frequently for times I want a quick smoke or am doing something that has the potential to cause damage to a pipe.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I have a good amount of cobs. I agree with Slide. The Diplomat is a great pipe. As also like the Country Gentleman. It's no secret that I adore scented Lakelands, but I do not want them in any of my Briars. Some of the flakes like Ennerdale, 1792, Bob's Chocolate, Glengarry and Grasmere tend to be rather moist. They are perfect for cobs.

Legends are nice small pipes for dark strong flakes, plugs, or ropes.

 

[lifeon2]

The country gentleman is by far my favorite and as seen in previous posts I have a couple of cobs around here somewhere

 

[Natch]

MM Country Gentleman straight is my favorite cob. I've tried several of the MM shapes and the CG straight is the one I like the best. I must admit, I'm a bit confused about the continual mentioning of cobs burning out, especially at the bottom. My MM CG has been heavily used for well over ten years, and I don't notice any difference than after it was first broken in (other then the external dents and dings from my clumsiness!). I've lost, busted, dropped over waterfalls and into fires a few cobs over the years, but never had one burn out. But, I tend to not smoke to the very bottom of the bowl, preferring to stop when about 3/4 of the tobacco is ash.

You've all heard of the problems MM is having getting good cobs for two years now, and how wet they were last year. They had a brief news/interview about it in NPR last week and they basically said they are short on cobs and may be for some time. The company rep they interviewed indicated that they stopped producing the freehand and McArther models, as they are so much larger they use up an entire cob each.

I test most new tobaccos in one of my cobs before I decide if it goes to a brier, a cob or the compost pile. :lol:

Natch

 

[morningsmoke]

My father smoked cobs for sixty years always with Sir Walter R until before he passed(he's been gone 8 years) he switched to Carter Hall. He cleaned a couple every morning before breakfast before he left to farm and they carried him through the day. I can still see him on his tractor turning the earth the smoke from his pipe and from the stack moving across the field. He only smoked a briar if he and mom went out for the night or to a meeting. I realize now that there was alot special he knew about a cob. Now a smoke one off and on with some Carter (I fitted mine with a better stem) and its truly a great smoke. But more so it's a tribute to my dad and the pipe smokers that shaped our past and our love for pipes and tobacco.( Excuse me while I wipe my eyes). Hold your cobs high BOB!

 

[Kyle Weiss]

You've all heard of the problems MM is having getting good cobs for two years now, and how wet they were last year. They had a brief news/interview about it in NPR last week and they basically said they are short on cobs and may be for some time. The company rep they interviewed indicated that they stopped producing the freehand and McArther models, as they are so much larger they use up an entire cob each.

No "Bullcob" models this year, I'd guess. Glad I got a freehand while I could.