How to be a Bachelor : Pipe review 01
The Missouri Meerschaum Shire Cobbett
a churchwarden corncob pipe.
a churchwarden corncob pipe.
I meant to start my reviews of pipes with the first pipe I purchased. But I don't really like that pipe and it bores me. I will review it but I would rather start with my new favorite pipe.
I hasten to point out that I have only been smoking a pipe for a month. There are bound to be things I don't know that make this some kind of horrible pipe. But everyone else seems to review it about the way I am about to do, so maybe not.
I look for three main things in a pipe.
- A full burn that doesn't require relighting often.
- A comfortable feel in the hand and mouth.
- Quality of design and materials that assure a long lasting pipe.
In general, corncobs pipes fail the last two criteria. They are prickly in the hand and cheap feeling in the mouth. They quickly crack and split, char through or gather odors. I was told to expect no more than 90 days from a corncob. But... as this guy points out, they can last much longer if they are well made and well cared for. BTW, when he says carburized, he must mean carbonize.
Missouri Meerschaum coats the exterior of their pipes with a clay that smooths the feel in the hand. The shank is made of a good quality wood, and the stem is a fair quality vulcanite. In most ways it feels exactly like what I want a pipe to feel like, a little rustic but made with modern skills.
So my last comment is on my first requirement. The full burn. This is what I think people refer to when they say, "It smokes well". Corncob pipes don't require as much of a breaking-in period as briar pipes do, so I am already smoking this one daily. It's perfect. The fire is large enough to stay lit, the chamber is deep enough for a long thoughtful smoke on the porch, and it draws well all the way to the bottom. Like the above video mentions, the first smoke gave me a little bit of wood smoke in my mouth, but since you don't inhale a pipe, it's no worse than a campfire.
For $20 it's the best pipe I have under $100. Only my true meerschaum approaches it, and I would be hard pressed to compare them except for the beauty of meerschaum carving.
I would recommend this to anyone who needs a pipe. From my limited point of view it seems to fill the needs of a newcomer as well as a daily smoker. 10 out of 10. Do not hesitate to own one of these. I plan to buy two more for my rotation.
All images from pixabay or my camera unless otherwise noted.
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