Two new MM cobs

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Greasystring

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I picked up 'The Emerald' and 'The Rory' a few weeks ago and finally got around to doing my normal cob setup. With these I decided to try CaneRodPiper's "pipe mortar" recipe instead of ash-made pipe mud. I've redone a few cob repairs, replacing the mud with mortar, these are the first new pipes I've used it with.
I'm really looking forward to burning them in, in a few days.
 

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I mudded a few cobs along the way but didn't find any advantage over just smoking them. I do follow the suggestion from The Corn Cob Primer on pipedia.org and smoke into the exposed shank a bit to get it charred. After a few smokes I start reaming and wipe out the bowl after every smoke to prevent a cake from forming. I have some cobs that don't dry out and I suspect it might by an accumulation of Propylene Glycol in the cob. To test the theory I just started to break in an MM Diplomat with only C&D made blends since they claim to only use distilled water. Time will tell!
 
I really dislike the taste of burning stem and all the nooks & crannies the "stem though bowl" leaves. I also enjoy the full size of the bowl that boring it out gives, that stem takes up a lot of space.
Another reason I do it is to seal the PVA glue in the stem and bottom plug joins away from the burn.
To remove cake from the walls I use the same forstner bit used in the initial boring out process, usually a 3/4".
 
Pipe mortar:
If I do anything, cigar ash with a little simple syrup.
 
I was using ash and water (mud), which is fine, but not as durable as the mortar (plaster and carbon).
If you're going to bore out the smoke chamber on a cob, something should be used to raise the bowl button to the stem hole once the butt of the stem protruding into the bowl is removed.
Obviously a cob smokes fine without modification, but if one is going to modify, ash mud was really the only option. So far, for me, the mortar seems better.
 
I was using ash and water (mud), which is fine, but not as durable as the mortar (plaster and carbon).
If you're going to bore out the smoke chamber on a cob, something should be used to raise the bowl button to the stem hole once the butt of the stem protruding into the bowl is removed.
Obviously a cob smokes fine without modification, but if one is going to modify, ash mud was really the only option. So far, for me, the mortar seems better.
I am far too lazy to use the mortar process AND when Missouri Meerschaum was selling 10 packs of alleged seconds, I bought a couple of them. I think the average cost of my cobs is about $3.00 each. I was very fortunate with my ten packs in that almost all I received were the Mark Twain model.
 
Now that I have a few forever stems I'm planning to only buy those bags of seconds. I'll be using mortar on those as well.
If those bags of seconds become available again and you have a file and patience, consider buying acrylic stems on Ebay. They can be purchased for about three dollars each. You do have to file them to fit, which takes about 10 minutes.
Look through these.

Occasionally there are some really nice acrylic stems at the Molina Outlet.
 
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I think Smokable Seconds, both the earlier 10 pack and the more recent 7 pack last appeared in 2018.
 
There's a ton of cob love on these boards - I feel like I'm missing out! I have a couple from way back when I started pipe smoking (MM Country Gentleman and the Wizard churchwarden style one) - I'll have to dig them out and give them a spin. Do you think any tobacco type shines more in a cob than in a briar?
 
Always and ever…Burley blends. My first recommendation would be John Patton Stotmfront from 4 Noggins Tobacco.
I've really been enjoying burley blends (Solani Aged Burley Flake, C&D Haunted Bookshop), but haven't tried that one yet. I mostly buy tins so most tobaccos that are bulk only I haven't tried@ I'm adding this one to the list though.
 
C&D Burley blends are mostly OK to quite good. The Solani flake is exceptional. Storm Front is a bit of heaven on earth.

Also of note are Uhle’s 00, Exhausted Rooster (Perique heavy blend) plus Five Brothers, Edgeworth, Carter Hall & other codger blends.

Check this out: Best Burley Pipe Tobaccos | Smokingpipes.com
 
C&D Burley blends are mostly OK to quite good. The Solani flake is exceptional. Storm Front is a bit of heaven on earth.

Also of note are Uhle’s 00, Exhausted Rooster (Perique heavy blend) plus Five Brothers, Edgeworth, Carter Hall & other codger blends.

Check this out: Best Burley Pipe Tobaccos | Smokingpipes.com
On your recommendation I ordered some John Patton tobaccos! They arrived yesterday. 2 oz of Storm Front, 1 oz each of Dark Horse and Oriental Dusk.
 
On your recommendation I ordered some John Patton tobaccos! They arrived yesterday. 2 oz of Storm Front, 1 oz each of Dark Horse and Oriental Dusk.

Oh my! The pressure is ON. Let us know of your experience…always interested in others’ preferences.
 
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