Surprise--a Corncob

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Slowroll

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Well, after 40 years of pipe smoking on and off, now back with a PAD/TAD vengeance, thanks to you boys here extolling the virtues of corncobs, I finally bought a couple. I figured you all couldn't be wrong , so -- what the hell, should be good on my tractor while mowing my field. Better to drop a couple dollar cob into the mower blades than a good briar. To my surprise, wasn't bad. First couple of bowls tasted a bit like cornbread mixed with the latakia, but not objectionable. Enjoyable actually. Learn something new all the time. Of course, the WIng Commander would be appalled to see me stuffing Squadron Leader into a cob, but maybe he'll forgive me because I'm mowing an airstrip. 8)
 
When I see expensive pipes advertised I often wonder how many will get to go fishing, or camping -- or for a ride on a tractor. Cobs have all the fun, or most of it, I'll bet.
 
Reminds me of the first job I ever had at age 8, walking behind a "stoneboat" picking up rocks off a dirt runway in Fredonia, NY. Minus the pipe, of course. That wouldn't appear for another 8 years.

Yes, cobs are cool, even literally. Cheap, light, you can chew hell out of the bit and replace it for a buck, and they make mundane blends taste sweet and nutty, whatever that actually means. If I could only afford cobs, I would not be particularly unhappy. Suggest you always go for the larger, more "upscale" ( :lol: ) versions. And always, today, Missouri Meerschaum--unless you find some NOS or something from a quality manufacturer of days of yore.
 
Yep, I figured MM cobs, why bother with anything else when they've been at it so long, they know how to do it. I'll try a big one. BTW--I like your Mencken signature line.
 
Instead of your Latakia blend...take a fresh cob and dedicate it to something primarily burley. There's something about the cob/burley relationship that is mystical. They bring out the best in each other. I would strongly recommend John Patton's Stormfront...available only in bulk from 4 Noggins. Stellar. Universally adored. If you need that campfire Latakia flavor...sub in something with Dark fired Kentucky. Try MacBaren HH Old Dark Fired. Again...stellar.

Good luck.

PS: the MM cob "Freehand" has an Italian Vulcanite bit, as do the Cobbit series like the Shire, Elf, Wizard, etc. The others are cheap plastic and easily replaced. Just be careful you order a couple extra with each new pipe, making sure it matches your pipe...filter vs non-filter.

I get my cobs from Mars.
 
Blackhorse":kxtkq1lh said:
Instead of your Latakia blend...take a fresh cob and dedicate it to something primarily burley. There's something about the cob/burley relationship that is mystical. They bring out the best in each other. I would strongly recommend John Patton's Stormfront...available only in bulk from 4 Noggins. Stellar. Universally adored. If you need that campfire Latakia flavor...sub in something with Dark fired Kentucky. Try MacBaren HH Old Dark Fired. Again...stellar.

Good luck.

PS: the MM cob "Freehand" has an Italian Vulcanite bit, as do the Cobbit series like the Shire, Elf, Wizard, etc. The others are cheap plastic and easily replaced. Just be careful you order a couple extra with each new pipe, making sure it matches your pipe...filter vs non-filter.

I get my cobs from Mars.
+1
 
If I knew cobs existed before I started buying briars, I would have been without briars today
 
Richard burley-- wherein he'll did you get a pic of the younger Mencken with a cob? Blackmore, i' ll take your advice and try a burley. Never smoked them much, maybe I'll learn something
 
Cool...grab a couple ounces of the Stormfront. While you're at it...my two favorite blends of any and all are the Oriental Dusk and Crossroads. The Dark Horse is good too. It was named for me. Adventure awaits!
 
Follow Blackguard's--I mean Blackhorse's--advice. It's good. I could never quite reconcile cobs with latakia. Just my opinion, of course, as is 96.4% of the content on this here forum thing.

As for the Mencken pic, it's available on Google. He had certain opinions regarding the way a cob should be constructed, but I don't have the quote at hand. To wit, he didn't care for the barrel shaped bowls, preferring a rectangle (in silhouette), and wanted the stems to be of cherry, apparently so he could munch on them. Called this "the ideal cob."
 
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