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The Complete Corncob primer: Difference between revisions
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So if you decide to remove the inner portion of the shank, I’d strongly advise you to protect the bottom of the bowl with the application of “pipe mud”. Pipe Mud is a medium thick mixture of pipe tobacco ash and either saliva or water. Mix until you have a thick mud, and then apply several layers, letting each layer dry partially. Allow the cob to rest several days, so the pipe mud can cure. | So if you decide to remove the inner portion of the shank, I’d strongly advise you to protect the bottom of the bowl with the application of “pipe mud”. Pipe Mud is a medium thick mixture of pipe tobacco ash and either saliva or water. Mix until you have a thick mud, and then apply several layers, letting each layer dry partially. Allow the cob to rest several days, so the pipe mud can cure. | ||
'''Advice Offered offered by SmokeyTheWerewolf was so good I asked his permission to include it in the Corncob Primer. Thanks very much Smokey. | |||
'''People say that cobs require no break-in. Compared to a briar pipe, I suppose that's nearly true, but there is a bit of a break-in period. | |||
'''With the first few bowls in a new cob, when you get near the bottom, that wood from the shank inside the bowl will start to burn. When it starts to taste bad, I stick with it just a few puffs more to help char that wood out of there. Then I sit the pipe down and let it smolder completely out before emptying the bowl or trying to clean it. I figure while it's sitting there a bit more of the wood may burn, and I don't want to stop it from doing so. After 2 bowls, and then again after 4 bowls I hit that shank with a reamer with very little pressure. I'm only trying to whittle away the charred wood and expose more unburned so it will burn out more easily next time. After 6 bowls, your cob should be good and broken in. | |||
With the first few bowls in a new cob, when you get near the bottom, that wood from the shank inside the bowl will start to burn. When it starts to taste bad, I stick with it just a few puffs more to help char that wood out of there. Then I sit the pipe down and let it smolder completely out before emptying the bowl or trying to clean it. I figure while it's sitting there a bit more of the wood may burn, and I don't want to stop it from doing so. After 2 bowls, and then again after 4 bowls I hit that shank with a reamer with very little pressure. I'm only trying to whittle away the charred wood and expose more unburned so it will burn out more easily next time. After 6 bowls, your cob should be good and broken in. | |||
'''In that process, most of the the wood shank will have been burned away. The little spaces to the side and under that shank will have filled with ash and just a bit of moisture making a natural pipe mud that will help round out the bottom of your bowl and provide for better smoke draught mechanics and will help protect the bottom of your cob from burnout. | |||
Cobs are great year round, but do need a bit more attention in damp weather, since they will absorb some of the surrounding moisture. So, while I usually tell folks to allow their cobs to cool completely before smoking them again, now you need to let them dry out completely too. And that means both inside and out. One thing that might help if it's really damp is to store your clean, dry cobs in Ziploc or similar Freezer Bags. This will keep them from absorbing even more moisture, which won't really be noticed except when you smoke them, and realize something isn't quite right. Cobs have the ability to absorb massive amounts of moisture, and the disapate it over time. Normally it'll only take about a 1/2 hour, but sometimes under extreme conditions it can seem like forever. I've never know a cob that won't eventually recover. Pretty amazing for a pipe with an average price of well under $10.00. Putting them in a warm over, after removing the plastic bit, also works if you use the lowest setting, and only do it for a few minutes. | Cobs are great year round, but do need a bit more attention in damp weather, since they will absorb some of the surrounding moisture. So, while I usually tell folks to allow their cobs to cool completely before smoking them again, now you need to let them dry out completely too. And that means both inside and out. One thing that might help if it's really damp is to store your clean, dry cobs in Ziploc or similar Freezer Bags. This will keep them from absorbing even more moisture, which won't really be noticed except when you smoke them, and realize something isn't quite right. Cobs have the ability to absorb massive amounts of moisture, and the disapate it over time. Normally it'll only take about a 1/2 hour, but sometimes under extreme conditions it can seem like forever. I've never know a cob that won't eventually recover. Pretty amazing for a pipe with an average price of well under $10.00. Putting them in a warm over, after removing the plastic bit, also works if you use the lowest setting, and only do it for a few minutes. | ||
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What some of you may think is a Burn Out might actually be what I call a Flare Up. This happened to me the first time recently, with a well-smoked cob, and while I’m not sure what causes it, I’ll explain what happened. I was using a Zippo Pipe Lighter, and was distracted, and probably held the lighter in one spot too long. One section of the upper inner bowl and rim caught on fire, which I blew out right away. While one section of the inner bowl is now very well-toasted, it’s none the worse for wear, and is still a good smoker. And now for my reviews. | What some of you may think is a Burn Out might actually be what I call a Flare Up. This happened to me the first time recently, with a well-smoked cob, and while I’m not sure what causes it, I’ll explain what happened. I was using a Zippo Pipe Lighter, and was distracted, and probably held the lighter in one spot too long. One section of the upper inner bowl and rim caught on fire, which I blew out right away. While one section of the inner bowl is now very well-toasted, it’s none the worse for wear, and is still a good smoker. And now for my reviews. | ||
The new, Corncob Snob Society Natural Freehand is without a doubt the coolest, driest, and best corncob pipe I’ve ever smoked. It comes in a white or reddish tone bowl, and the feel of the natural cob in your hand seems to add to your overall smoking experience. Each of these Corncob Snob Society Natural Freehands is imprinted with Corncob Snob Society on the shank, and is hand assembled, making the slightly premium price a bargain. | |||
The standard Freehand, which is plastered and burnished, is also very impressive. It delivers an excellent, cool and dry smoke. Maybe it’s because of the tall, conical shaped bowl, which is 2 1/4“ deep, but the pipe seems to enhance the flavor of any blend I smoke in it. I have heard that the shanks can be fragile, but the bowls are quite large, and no two are alike. Although the Freehand is heavier than my other cobs, it’s very well balanced, so that the weight isn’t even noticed. The Freehand is one of the finest cobs I have smoked in over 50 years. | |||
The Diplomat has been my cob of choice for a long time, but the thicker walls that made it a real favorite was also the biggest drawback it had. The Diplomat no longer has the thick walls that I had come to appreciate. Diplomats now have standard sized bowl thickness, which isn't really a bad thing, since they are now lighter in weight and better fit my hand. | The Diplomat has been my cob of choice for a long time, but the thicker walls that made it a real favorite was also the biggest drawback it had. The Diplomat no longer has the thick walls that I had come to appreciate. Diplomats now have standard sized bowl thickness, which isn't really a bad thing, since they are now lighter in weight and better fit my hand. | ||
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Cobs aren’t going to be for everyone. But if you keep an open mind, and follow the advice offered here, you might be surprised. I hope this helps you enjoy your cobs, and any other pipes, a bit more. | Cobs aren’t going to be for everyone. But if you keep an open mind, and follow the advice offered here, you might be surprised. I hope this helps you enjoy your cobs, and any other pipes, a bit more. | ||
tiltjlp Updated 9/ | tiltjlp Updated 9/27/2009 | ||