| Author | Message | ||
     Ray Member Username: Ray98362 Post Number: 10 Registered: 05-2009 |
I recently bought several Missouri Meerschaum cobs. They seem to taste like an over chewed toothpick to me. I can hardly taste the tobacco over the taste of the wood. I did buy the cheapies, maybe that was my mistake? I'm wondering what type or price range of cob I should be looking for. Post moved to General Questions -MSS | ||
| Bob Brightwell Member Username: Badger10 Post Number: 2 Registered: 07-2009 |
I have a corn cob and it is my current favourite pipe for smoking (which may not say much for my briar!) It is comfortable in the mouth, the wider smoke hole at the bottom means it does not gurgle and the bowl stays cool with very little need for relighting. It cost around £7. I have never tasted the wood but being in the UK the pipe was certainly not fresh from the factory when I got it. It had probably been in the tobacconist for a while, maybe the wood smell is strong just after they have been made? | ||
| carlos beceiro Member Username: Rambler Post Number: 69 Registered: 09-2007 |
The two problems I've consistently had with cobs are that 1) they tend to burnout through the bowl after a while and 2) the stem becomes too loose to smoke the pipe after a while. I've only bought about a half dozen, but they all had one problem or the other, or both, after a while. As far as tasting like wood, maybe that's true at first, but I believe after a few bowls this will go away. Then, enjoy the few weeks that they work well before the cobs go south. They don't last long in my experience, though many on this forum seem to have had better luck than I have. | ||
| Joshua D Kesselman Member Username: Blackcavvy Post Number: 7 Registered: 06-2009 |
What is the preferred way to break in a corn cob pipe? I've been told to coat the bowl in honey or to soak it in water. Please advise? | ||
| Tom Mueller Member Username: Tommueller Post Number: 202 Registered: 04-2008 |
Joshua, You'll likely hear a lot of conflicting reports regarding honey. I coat them with honey, and then coat that honey with fine ash before smoking (a day or so after the treatment). I also sometimes 'mud' the bottom of the bowl with a honey/ash mixture. I would think that soaking in water would disentegrate the cob, but have never tried it. FWIW, I have cobs that I've been smoking for well over a year and have never burned one through. I have no complaints whatsoever concerning my experiences with cobs. | ||
| Mark Combs Member Username: Jazzmoose Post Number: 11 Registered: 04-2009 |
There's no need for any special break in process with a cob. Just smoke a bowl; the wood taste doesn't last. No cake is needed. And if it's burning through, you're smoking to fast. | ||
| Joshua D Kesselman Member Username: Blackcavvy Post Number: 8 Registered: 06-2009 |
I must be doint something very wrong as I have burned two cheap corncob pipes right through as I was testing them. I don't know what you mean by smoking too fast, do you mean I'm puffing to strong and too often? If I puff too little the bowl goes out. This might be related to my preferred tobacco which is a very moist black cav, which has caused me other issues such as dottle. On my normal pipes I use a screen to reduce dottle but on Corncobs I have never done that as I've never had one last long enough to get "dottled". | ||
| Tom Mueller Member Username: Tommueller Post Number: 204 Registered: 04-2008 |
Joshua, you might want to let your tobacco sit out long enough to dry a little before packing your pipe. | ||
| Jeff K. Member Username: Shibumi Post Number: 10 Registered: 07-2008 |
Dottle is not an issue. That's the black ash at the end of the bowl. Are you using "Missouri Meerchaum" brand? It should have a sticker on the back of the bowl saying so. If not, look to buy that brand. The cheap made "no name" cobs don't work well. I have many types of MM's. I smoke an MM General a few times a week and have never burned one out. Good luck and happy smoking! out a any of my MM cob pipes | ||
| Joshua D Kesselman Member Username: Blackcavvy Post Number: 9 Registered: 06-2009 |
Jeff for me Dottle is always an issue. I have been doing as Tom and others said and smoking drier tobacco. Unfortunatley I don't like the flavor as much as moist. I am not using MM, but rather a cheap model. MM is great but the price is 10x higher then these! | ||
| Mark Combs Member Username: Jazzmoose Post Number: 12 Registered: 04-2009 |
You found a pipe for less than a dollar? The most expensive MM I have is the general, which, if I remember right, was just about ten bucks... | ||
| Joshua D Kesselman Member Username: Blackcavvy Post Number: 10 Registered: 06-2009 |
Yes these are less than a dollar. | ||
| Tom Mueller Member Username: Tommueller Post Number: 205 Registered: 04-2008 |
At less than one dollar, I would expect them to burn through within a bowl or two, toss it, and grab another. | ||
| Wayne S Benge Member Username: Wsbenge Post Number: 446 Registered: 05-2005 |
I like the Missouri Meershaum General, and the Diplomat. I like hard bottoms. The Freehand is tricky, in terms of moisture, and it is the more expensive. The first two are just as good. I burned up three MM McArthurs, one the first time it was lit, one on the third go. All cobs are not made the same. Natural bottoms cobs will die. I have a General going strong after two years. If I had it to do all over again, I might just stick to cobs. Bit cheaper.  |