Corn Cob Pipes

[Anasazi6]

I just purchase my second corn cob (I had one years ago) and I have to admit that I'm rather disappointed in it. Both of them seem to have an unpleasant taste. They are both Missouri Meerschaums and I've tried several different tobaccos and haven't really been impressed with them. Does anyone have any suggestions? Maybe they are just not for me.

DC in Texas

 

[Dutch]

DC, how many bowls total have you smoked in your new cob?

 

[Anasazi6]

I've probably smoked about 10 or 12 bowls so far.
DC

 

[Dutch]

DC, before giving up completely on cobs, I would try acquiring another from a different source, in case the ones you have have been subjected to some substance that has altered their taste. As a general rule, the taste just keeps getting better and better the more they are smoked.

 

[Stogiegila]

Did you remove the paper filter? It might be time for a changing. I actually prefer the 6mm balsa filters in my cobbs.

Personally I love corn cobbs better than any other pipe.

 

[Anasazi6]

Yes, I tried the pipe with and without the filter and didn't see any improvement. Maybe I just got a couple of duds.
DC

 

[HCraven]

I'm a little surprised at this. Apart from the initial corny taste, which usually dissipates after just a couple of smokes, my cobs all taste pretty neutral. Nonetheless, I have a few ideas:

First, what kinds of tobaccos are you smoking in them? I find cobs work best for Virginias and Burleys, not quite as well with Perique, and they just don't work for me at all with Latakia or Orientals. I much prefer the flavor of them in a briar, and they taste a litle off-putting to me in a cob.

Second, would you say the cobs had a stale or sour taste? When I get a new cob, one of the first things I do is roll up a scrap of sandpaper and sand the inside of the shank. They are pretty sloppy with the drilling, and leave a lot of fuzz behind, which I find can precipitate a little moisture in the stem and also act as a tar trap. I noticed this after smoking one of my first cobs several times. It developed a sour taste I couldn't shake with normal cleaning methods. Once I sanded off the fuzz, the nasty taste was gone.

Finally, if the flavor is bad toward the end of the bowl, you might be tasting the burning shank piece that extends into the bowl. It will char or burn off entirely after a while, but if you're smoking a little hot toward the bottom, it can be pretty unpleasant.

I hope this helps, and I hope you get to enjoy your cobs. They're the best smoking pipes for the bargain shopper, and a must in everyone's rotation, IMO.

 

[tzakiel]

What was wrong with the taste exactly? You mean the same tobacco tastes better out of other pipes?

 

[Dutch]

 When I get a new cob, one of the first things I do is roll up a scrap of sandpaper and sand the inside of the shank.  They are pretty sloppy with the drilling, and leave a lot of fuzz behind, which I find can precipitate a little moisture in the stem and also act as a tar trap.  I noticed this after smoking one of my first cobs several times.  It developed a sour taste I couldn't shake with normal cleaning methods.  Once I sanded off the fuzz, the nasty taste was gone.

Excellent tweak Herb! I will have to add this to my regimen, when I purchase a new cob and trick it out! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

[Brewdude]

 When I get a new cob, one of the first things I do is roll up a scrap of sandpaper and sand the inside of the shank.  They are pretty sloppy with the drilling, and leave a lot of fuzz behind, which I find can precipitate a little moisture in the stem and also act as a tar trap.  I noticed this after smoking one of my first cobs several times.  It developed a sour taste I couldn't shake with normal cleaning methods.  Once I sanded off the fuzz, the nasty taste was gone.

Excellent tweak Herb! I will have to add this to my regimen, when I purchase a new cob and trick it out! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

THIS^

Although I've never had that problem I'll certainly be trying it out on the couple cobs I have that haven't been put into service yet.

Couldn't hurt!


Cheers,

RR

 

[serif365]

I'm sorry to hear you aren't enjoying your cobs.  I have a modest collection of Turkish meerschaums, briars and clays but my all-time favorites are Missouri Meerschaums.  In fact, they're just about all I smoke anymore.  I started out using them because I didn't want to smoke my higher-end "real" pipes but now I smoke them because I think they smoke better, cleaner, cooler and they are very light on the jaw.

I've acquired at least one of all of their styles but I prefer the LEGEND and the COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, one Gentleman in particular.  I used to think that if I broke one of these "cheap" pipes I wouldn't be as put out as I would if I broke a $500 Dunhill but now, it would be painful to lose my favorite cob.

Good luck and I hope all the suggestions you've had in this thread help you resolve your issue with a very cost effective (and IMHO flavorful) smoking instrument.

 

[Smoker99]

Cobs smoke light and bright to me. They make anything milder and less tasteful. Good for very strong tobaccos. I have read that is because they are drawing air from virtually everywhere. Cob is a very porous material, plus the construction is less than precision, with leaks. I have several cobs, but for me, they have their place, just not as a primary smoker.

 

[jefe1037]

I am also a supporter of MM and am a cob fan, but to answer the OPs question, maybe they Aren't for you. Just a few more probing questions though:

Do you smoke any briars? Success? If So, stick with the briars. If you are smoking tobacco that you know you like, but it just isn't working in a cob, it might be you, however, the biggest variables in flavors often are the tobaccos, as well as the smoking technique. Dry your tobacco, slow your pace, don't tamp as much.

Failing all else, lets revisit.

 

[serif365]

I agree that MM cobs are very porous but the biggest air leak comes around where the stem meets the bowl.  I ordered a MacArthur once and it arrived broken loose at this juncture.  A generous amount of Elmer's glue took care of the injury and did such a good job of sealing the pipe that I now seal every new cob I buy in this fashion.  I handle what breaths through the cob/clay bowl as an enhancement to the smoke.  I test the seal on a pipe by pressing my palm into the bowl bore and drawing through the bit.  I get a fairly strong suction with my improved cobs.