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The Complete Corncob primer: Difference between revisions
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* Pack it looser than you think you need to. | * Pack it looser than you think you need to. | ||
* Smoke it slower than you think you need to. | * Smoke it slower than you think you need to. | ||
* Tamp it less, and more lightly, than you think you need to. Clean your pipes after every smoke, using pipe spirits of some sort. | * Tamp it less, and more lightly, than you think you need to. | ||
* Clean your pipes after every smoke, using pipe spirits of some sort. | |||
* Don’t worry if you have a few relights. | * Don’t worry if you have a few relights. | ||
* And realize that becoming an accomplished pipe smoker will take time, patience, and trial and error. | * And realize that becoming an accomplished pipe smoker will take time, patience, and trial and error. | ||
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Cobs are great year round, but do need a bit more attention in damp weather, since they tend to absorb some of the surrounding moisture. So, while I usually tell folks to allow their cobs to cool completely before smoking them again, you may 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 are great year round, but do need a bit more attention in damp weather, since they tend to absorb some of the surrounding moisture. So, while I usually tell folks to allow their cobs to cool completely before smoking them again, you may 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 easily absorb massive amounts of moisture, and then dissipate 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 known a cob that didn't eventually recover. Pretty amazing for a pipe with an average price of less than $10.00. Putting them in a warm | Cobs have the ability to easily absorb massive amounts of moisture, and then dissipate 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 known a cob that didn't eventually recover. Pretty amazing for a pipe with an average price of less than $10.00. Putting them in a warm oven, after removing the bit, also works if you use the lowest setting, and only do it for a few minutes. | ||
== Breaking In Cobs == | == Breaking In Cobs == | ||
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Depending on the height of the cob you are modifying, you may also wish to cut off the bottom end of your cob to a shorter size, a good example of this is the MacArthur, since it has a large section of cob under the shank that you can remove that will save you both size and weight. Most cob bowls are just fine how they are and you do not need to cut them. If you are shortening the bottom of the cob simply put the cob portion you will be throwing out into a vise and use a hacksaw to saw it off. | Depending on the height of the cob you are modifying, you may also wish to cut off the bottom end of your cob to a shorter size, a good example of this is the MacArthur, since it has a large section of cob under the shank that you can remove that will save you both size and weight. Most cob bowls are just fine how they are and you do not need to cut them. If you are shortening the bottom of the cob simply put the cob portion you will be throwing out into a vise and use a hacksaw to saw it off. | ||
If there’s a sticker at the bottom of the bowl, remove it and then use a pocket knife to poke a hole through the bottom of the cob's bowl dead center. Using a pocket knife twist it back and forth to make the hole a little larger. Don't make it too big yet, keep it small for now. | If there’s a sticker at the bottom of the bowl, remove it and then use a pocket knife to poke a hole through the bottom of the cob's bowl dead center. Using a pocket knife twist it back and forth to make the hole a little larger. Don't make it too big yet, keep it small for now. | ||
Next, make the hard wood plug. You can buy a cherry dowel from WoodCraft or Home Depot and these work great, a 3/4" dowel is best for most bowls but for the smaller cobs use a 1/2" dowel. Buy the shortest dowel they sell and it will last you a lifetime of cobs. Measure the distance between the air hole and the bottom of the cob's bowl walls and then cut off a length of dowel to that size. | Next, make the hard wood plug. You can buy a cherry dowel from WoodCraft or Home Depot and these work great, a 3/4" dowel is best for most bowls but for the smaller cobs use a 1/2" dowel. Buy the shortest dowel they sell and it will last you a lifetime of cobs. Measure the distance between the air hole and the bottom of the cob's bowl walls and then cut off a length of dowel to that size. | ||
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== Types Of Tobacco == | == Types Of Tobacco == | ||
According to Mac Baren, there are only two main families of tobacco, Virginia and Burley. From Virginia, with its high sugar content, comes Oriental, whose leaves are smaller than regular Virginia, thus having a higher sugar content, and a waxiness, which makes them aromatic in nature. Also, Latakia is an Oriental, which grows close to the ground, is harvested by hand, and is dried over fires using a variety of woods, thus giving Latakia its smokey, woodsy nature. | According to [[Mac Baren]], there are only two main families of tobacco, Virginia and Burley. From Virginia, with its high sugar content, comes Oriental, whose leaves are smaller than regular Virginia, thus having a higher sugar content, and a waxiness, which makes them aromatic in nature. Also, Latakia is an Oriental, which grows close to the ground, is harvested by hand, and is dried over fires using a variety of woods, thus giving Latakia its smokey, woodsy nature. | ||
Burley has very little if any natural sugar, burns well, and offers a slight taste of cocoa. While Burley is more robust than Virginia, it isn’t naturally sweet, like Virginia can be. While most Burley is air cured away from sun, Kentucky Burley is first air dried, and then fire cured, using woods that produces thick smoke. | Burley has very little if any natural sugar, burns well, and offers a slight taste of cocoa. While Burley is more robust than Virginia, it isn’t naturally sweet, like Virginia can be. While most Burley is air cured away from sun, Kentucky Burley is first air dried, and then fire cured, using woods that produces thick smoke. | ||
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So, tobacco that is black doesn’t mean that it is strong or harsh. Cavendished Virginia and Burley, while similar, are not the same. Both are mild and somewhat sweet, based on the casing or topping used. Most Cavendish is not goopy or gummy as some ill-informed smokers might claim. | So, tobacco that is black doesn’t mean that it is strong or harsh. Cavendished Virginia and Burley, while similar, are not the same. Both are mild and somewhat sweet, based on the casing or topping used. Most Cavendish is not goopy or gummy as some ill-informed smokers might claim. | ||
Many smokers believe the use of flavorings is a relatively recent phenomenon but the first use of flavors in tobacco dates back several hundred years. Sailors were the first to come up with the idea of putting their tobacco inside their barrels of rum. They did so to preserve the moisture of the tobacco, only to discover that the remnants of the rum left in the barrel were absorbed by the tobacco. Since then, the process of flavoring has been somewhat refined, although tradition continues to play a very important part in the manufacturing process. | Many smokers believe the use of flavorings is a relatively recent phenomenon but the first use of flavors in tobacco dates back several hundred years. Sailors were the first to come up with the idea of putting their tobacco inside their barrels of rum. They did so to preserve the moisture of the tobacco, only to discover that the remnants of the rum left in the barrel were absorbed by the tobacco. Since then, the process of flavoring has been somewhat refined, although tradition continues to play a very important part in the manufacturing process. | ||
== Cellaring: Storing, & Aging Tobacco == | == Cellaring: Storing, & Aging Tobacco == | ||
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[[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]] | [[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]] | ||
[[Category: United States]] | [[Category: United States]] | ||
[[Category:Missouri Meerschaum]] | |||