I'm a big fan of Missouri Meerschaum's pipes. When I took up pipe smoking, I avoided cobs at first. But once I picked one up and gave it a try, I made sure to keep a few in my rotation. Everyone should have a few in their collection.
I have 5-1/2 of them. Does that make me a fan? I own 1-1/2 Cobbits (I snapped the stem on one and haven't gotten a replacement yet) 4 Legends (2 or about 3 years old and still smoke good) and one Diplomat.
Some people fret over the cobs imparting flavor to the tobacco. After you smoke the cob a time or two I don't think it matters.
90% of the time, if I'm smoking a pipe, it's a MM. Favs are the Country Gentleman, Great Dane, and the Legend. If a little TLC is shown them, they will last a long time.
I have about 10 MM Cobs....different sizes, shapes, and types. I have one that is over 50 years old and STILL smokes like a champ. It is completely discolored but it is one of my favorite all time pipes. The only thing I ever had to do beyond changing filters was to reglue the stem into the bowl some years ago. This might be near a "museum pipe" but he just likes to burn tobacco and make me happy.
I buy the spare bits as they do get "bitten" and worn out after while, and after a 15 second replacement evolution the pipes are good to go again for a good long while. These pipes smoke wonderfully, and produce a smoke every bit as enjoyable as any one of my more expensive handmade briar pipes. In fact, they often are my first choice as they smoke better than some of my expensive briars. I personally prefer the Mark Twain model in either the straight or the bent style, they smoke easily for nearly an hour with the deeper bowl and the thicker walls producing a very flavorable and cool bowl.
I have several more still stored away (brand new) that I like to gift along with a little tobacco to people who are interested in trying out a pipe, and joining our ranks as fellow "Pipesters". I gave one pipe and some tobacco to my SIL (who like me smokes cigars) and he is now an occasional pipe smoker. And, being the military product that I am, I have some spare Cobs in "reserve", you know, just in case.
I LOVE my MM Cobs and expect to enjoy them as long as I can......I very seldom anymore even reach for a cigar as I have once again fallen in love with my pipe hobby, especially with my MM Cobs.
I like the cobs as well. My favorite is my Cobbit Churchwarden and the Country Gentle man is a close second. I always have a couple of cobs in the rotation.
I love my cobs, they make great beater pipes when I don't want to pay to much attention to where I have the pipe or if I drop it. I have gotten 2 grab packs in the past couple years and love those pipes even more than the "good" ones. My favorite right now is a cobbit from a grab pack that I put an acrylic stem on even though I have the entire cobbit series. Can't go wrong with a MM cob.
Even though they can be a bit brutal to break in (first couple of smokes taste like burning cob. IMO) I really love my cobs. They smoke cool and really absorb a lot of moisture so they don't require too much rest time between smokes. Just received the MM/Dagner colab pipe on Monday. Now that it's broken in it smokes great.
@Pubstout The Dagner poker in on my list for sure. I was just concerned that it would smoke hot since the stem is so short. Smokes well for you, though?
@JLTRow I have never noticed a difference in my cobs when smoking them with a short stem/shank versus my churchwarden cobs. @Pubstout commented, as long a you sip slowly there shouldn't be an issue and they (imho) really only smoke hot when the bowl gets too hot
I had been avoiding cobs for the majority of the time I have been smoking a pipe. That being said, Just last week my dad gifted me some pipes and there were 2 cobs with them. I was surprised as to how much I enjoy smoking them!
There's a tradition at the annual clergy conference I attend where after the evening work is done a bunch of folks and the bishops retire to smoke cigars. For this year, I've picked up 3 MMs, 3 cheap tampers, and 3 cheap lighters and I plan to proselytize the pipe by handing them out to anyone who is interested.
If you’ve never smoked one, we think there are seven good reasons why you should pick up a corn cob pipe. After all, they are one of the most iconic and affordable types of smoking devices.
1. For Tasting Pipe Tobacco
One of the most popular uses for a corn cob pipe is as an inexpensive and unbiased “tasting” pipe. Many smokers feel that briar changes the flavor of pipe tobacco. To get a true sense of the blend an aficionado will often use an inexpensive cob, like a Missouri Meerschaum Mini, to taste a new blend. The minis are cheap enough to have a few on hand at all times and the small bowls are perfect for getting a quick sense of a new blend.
Another benefit of using a cob for tasting is that you will prevent unnecessary ghosting problems on your briar pipes. Ghosting is what happens when a particularly strong tobacco leaves a scent and/or flavor on the pipe, affecting future smokes with different and less intense blends. This is particularly important with strong varieties like Latakias, Periques and heavily cased Aromatics.
Traditionally Meerschaum pipes have been used for tasting, but a quality meerschaum can be both expensive and delicate. It is much easier for modern smokers to keep a few cobs, priced under ten dollars, on hand.
2. To Learn About Pipe Smoking
Learning to smoke a pipe takes patience and practice. Depending on your patience and budget, investing as much as a few hundred dollars in smoking pipes, pipe tobacco and accessories may not be a good way to start. An inexpensive corn cob and a good tobacco are often an excellent alternative for learning and can be purchased for less than the cost of a trip to the movies.
Learning to smoke with a corn cob is different than learning with a briar pipe. However, the minimal financial risk and ease of entry make it a popular way to start for many newbies to the hobby (If you decide to learn with a corn cob, you may find this piece on what to do during your initial smokes helpful).
3. Because Cobs Are Cool
There is something wonderfully ironic about smoking a cob while Instagraming that makes the mashup of old and new a very retro-cool thing to do.
Go for a finger-scroll through the hashtag #cobtuesday on Instagram or search the term on Youtube and you’ll see exactly what I mean. Many bearded Millennial guys, smoking their Missouri Meerschaums or Old Dominion Pipes, while posing for the camera seem to be a new breed of selfies cropping up around town. It’s a marriage of American nostalgia and modern technology that has seen a surge for a few years now.
4. But Not Too Cool
If, like all of us, you’ve taken up smoking pipes in your twenties or thirties there is a danger of looking a little suspect wandering around town puffing on a Churchwarden or an elaborate Rinaldo pipe. Like bow ties, cowboy boots and other “old world” accessories a briar pipe can require a certain amount of swagger for someone under 60 to pull off in public. Not so with a corn cob. Cobs are humble enough to make it clear to anyone who sees you that you’re smoking a pipe because you love it, not as a fashion statement.
Think of it as the equivalent of stopping off for a burger at your local greasy spoon versus going for a $20 Bison Burger at a trendy local gastropub--both are delicious, but only one cares about presentation.
5. They Cost Less Than Lunch
You can enjoy almost any Missouri Meerschaum pipe you fancy for less than that lunch. Corn cobs are inexpensive and come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. One of the reasons these simple pipes have stood the test of time is that they provide a clean, slightly sweet smoke at a price point accessible to everyone.
6. To Sweeten Your Smoke
Many cob smokers feel that the sweetness of a corn cob comes through, in a subtle and pleasing way, when they smoke a bowl of tobacco. The tongue’s response to the bit of sweetness coupled with the taste of your favorite blend is pure bliss to many a collector.
7. Corncobs Change The World, Sort of…
The history of corn cob pipes is absolutely over-flowing with some of America’s greatest political, literary and artistic icons. Just to name a few:
Mark Twain - real name, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, helped make Missouri Meerschaum the name it is today. He also remains the author we all hold up as the gold-standard for writing The Great American Novel.
Daniel Boone - An icon of the American frontier. He was a hunter and pioneer.
H.L. Mencken - Known as the “Sage of Baltimore”, Mencken was a journalist, editor and scholar who greatly influenced the politics and literature of much of the early twentieth century.
Whether you like to sit on the porch or wander the woods while you smoke, a corn cob pipe is a time-tested tradition we think every pipe guy or gal should try at least once. So make like Mark Twain this Cob Tuesday and light up a bowl in a Missouri Meerschaum.
@Woodsman Yeah, just saw that. The last catalog from P&C said free shipping on ALL orders through Nov 8? But their online adds state free shipping over $79. I'm going to call them and challenge them with free shipping on a MM cob based on the catalog cover. Wish me luck...
The grab bag of factory seconds is a great deal, I own around 20 cobs of various sizes and shapes half of which came from the grab bag. I couldn't really tell why they were seconds when they were new or after a few months of smoking. I also think when it comes to codger blends a cob is the way to go. Tough to beat some prince Albert or Carter Hall in a cob. Great history and if they fall into the ocean I'm only out a few bucks!
Comments
Some people fret over the cobs imparting flavor to the tobacco. After you smoke the cob a time or two I don't think it matters.
I buy the spare bits as they do get "bitten" and worn out after while, and after a 15 second replacement evolution the pipes are good to go again for a good long while. These pipes smoke wonderfully, and produce a smoke every bit as enjoyable as any one of my more expensive handmade briar pipes. In fact, they often are my first choice as they smoke better than some of my expensive briars. I personally prefer the Mark Twain model in either the straight or the bent style, they smoke easily for nearly an hour with the deeper bowl and the thicker walls producing a very flavorable and cool bowl.
I have several more still stored away (brand new) that I like to gift along with a little tobacco to people who are interested in trying out a pipe, and joining our ranks as fellow "Pipesters". I gave one pipe and some tobacco to my SIL (who like me smokes cigars) and he is now an occasional pipe smoker. And, being the military product that I am, I have some spare Cobs in "reserve", you know, just in case.
I LOVE my MM Cobs and expect to enjoy them as long as I can......I very seldom anymore even reach for a cigar as I have once again fallen in love with my pipe hobby, especially with my MM Cobs.
My newest is a Dagner Poker MM. Great little smoker.
sip slowly and not a problem. Really only seems to be a bit hot when/if the bowl gets too hot.
http://www.tobaccopipes.com/blog/corn-cob-pipes-7-reasons-to-try-one/