|
|
Post by Legend Lover on May 7, 2018 15:55:37 GMT -5
Next up in the cob vs Briar series...
I've read, in many places, that briar is chosen for pipe manufacture because of its resistance to heat over and above other woods.
If that's the case, does corn cob also have an exceptionally high resistance to heat over and above other woods as well?
If not, is the whole, 'heat resistance' being the dominant factor in choosing briar a myth? Is there a more prominent reason for choosing briar?
|
|
|
|
Post by zambini on May 7, 2018 16:22:09 GMT -5
Briar is pretty good as a heat resistant (at the low temps used in piping) but also cools slowly enough that it doesn't break apart or crack, is easy to shape, and also doesn't affect the taste of the tobacco. It's several things. Clay is cheap but heats really quickly and is easy to crack in everyday life, cob is cheap but falls apart with use, morta and meerschaum are great but not cheap. I'veused a couple of non-briar wood pipes and you do notice the difference over the course of a week.
|
|
|
|
Post by danno44 on May 7, 2018 17:36:35 GMT -5
For me, burley shines in a cob and I smoke a lot of burley. Good thing about cobs is they are inexpensive, but I’ve had my original MM Legend for 3 years, 100’s and I mean hundreds of bowls through it. I’ve had to replace the stems a couple times (also inexpensive) and the thing still is going strong.
Having said that, I prefer my Briar, Morta or Meerschaum for all other baccys.
Each have pluses and minuses.
As to heat retention, any pipe will get hot if one is puffing like a freight train. Cobs will hold up but scorch easier than other materials (that I’ve smoked at least). And if I ever burn out a cob, I won’t get upset.
I did melt a stem to the shank in a cob at a “fast smoke”
Completion once. Dumbest thing I ever did, I can only imagine injesting plastic fumes took a few days off my life.... the cob, although too hot to touch did not burn out, and as a group we were TRYING to get a burn out (automatic winner).
|
|
|
|
Post by haebar on May 7, 2018 17:48:43 GMT -5
Although heat resistance is an important factor; the beauty of briar is definitely something to be considered.
|
|
|
|
Post by Legend Lover on May 8, 2018 1:26:05 GMT -5
Cheers for the input.
|
|
kb7get
New Member
kb7get
Posts: 85
First Name: Tom
Location:
|
Post by kb7get on May 8, 2018 6:01:01 GMT -5
Although heat resistance is an important factor; the beauty of briar is definitely something to be considered. Although heat resistance is an important factor; the beauty of a cob is definitely something to be considered. (fixed your auto-correct for you) |
|
|
|
Post by Legend Lover on May 8, 2018 6:56:37 GMT -5
Although heat resistance is an important factor; the beauty of briar is definitely something to be considered. Although heat resistance is an important factor; the beauty of a cob is definitely something to be considered. (fixed your auto-correct for you) Haha |
|
|
|
Post by Baboo on May 8, 2018 9:20:26 GMT -5
Cobs are my number 1 go-to for 90% of my smokes. There is nothing that a cob doesn't excel at for my needs. All other materials such as briar, etc., are luxuries that I admittedly enjoy, but not really for any significant reasons of utility.
|
|
sablebrush52
Full Member
Posts: 903
Favorite Pipe: Barling
Favorite Tobacco: whatever is in it
Location:
|
Post by sablebrush52 on May 8, 2018 10:33:11 GMT -5
I like both cobs and briars, but briars are more versatile, delivering more developed flavors across a wider range of the blends I smoke than do cobs. There's no magical element to briar's resistance to flame. It's due to the silicate content embedded in the wood. Without that, briar would flame up like any other wood. I expect that the plaster coating used on cobs helps some to keep them from becoming tinder.
|
|
|
|
Post by Legend Lover on May 8, 2018 10:56:28 GMT -5
I like both cobs and briars, but briars are more versatile, delivering more developed flavors across a wider range of the blends I smoke than do cobs. There's no magical element to briar's resistance to flame. It's due to the silicate content embedded in the wood. Without that, briar would flame up like any other wood. I expect that the plaster coating used on cobs helps some to keep them from becoming tinder. Ahhh, interesting. I never thought of it in that way. |
|
cgvt
Full Member
Posts: 906
First Name: Jim
Location:
|
Post by cgvt on May 8, 2018 11:51:09 GMT -5
I allow my cobs to develop some cake (I know that many do not). I'm not sure how much effect that has in keeping them from heating too much or scorching. I know that I allow substantial cake build up in my very thin walled briers and it seems to help. I really don't have a preference, but I tend to smoke my cobs when I am doing things around the garage or yard as I tend to clench and don't want to mess up my stems on my briers.I smoke my briers when I have more time to sit and think about my smoke a bit more, but that is not always the case.
TL;dr: I enjoy both my cobs and briers. Some cobs I like more than others with certain tobaccos. The same with my briers.
|
|
|
|
Post by jeffd on May 8, 2018 15:38:15 GMT -5
Although heat resistance is an important factor; the beauty of briar is definitely something to be considered. Very important. The look, the feel, the tradition, and, oh yea, how it smokes. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Location:
|
Post by Deleted on May 9, 2018 18:40:33 GMT -5
Something to keep in mind are humidity levels, which can play hell with a pipe in any format. I live in a 4 season climate and every transition affects burn rate and subsequent heat in my pipes.
|
|
|
|
Post by Legend Lover on May 10, 2018 2:45:01 GMT -5
Good point.
|
|
