Anatomy of a Corn Cob Pipe

[Splodger]

I recently got a MM Cob, and as you would expect, it smokes beautifully. It’s a Charles Towne Cobbler. I have to admit it was a bit more expensive than your average drug store Cob, but still it was pretty cheap.

Anyway, if you look closely you can see the shank coming in from the bottom left, and opposit and higher up (perhaps 1/4”) there is what I can only describe as a shelf. When I load the pipe the baccy sits right on top of it, leaving a chamber beneath.

Is this common in Corn Cob pipes?

[Houtenziel]

I am not sure if my eyes are just deceiving me or what, but I've never seen the bottom of a cob bowl that looked quite like that. Can you maybe get a pic a little bit further away? It almost looks like the bottom of the pipe was filled in with pipe mud.

[Thelonious monkfish]

Totally common, it'll burn off a little and char up. Some people use pipe mud to level the bottom and fill in gaps.

[Splodger]

Totally common, it'll burn off a little and char up. Some people use pipe mud to level the bottom and fill in gaps.

Thanks. Always something to learn

[Splodger]

I am not sure if my eyes are just deceiving me or what, but I've never seen the bottom of a cob bowl that looked quite like that. Can you maybe get a pic a little bit further away? It almost looks like the bottom of the pipe was filled in with pipe mud.

I have poor light, and try as I might, I can't get a clear shot.

[mga30256]

That "chamber" will fill in with dottle, ash and cake over time.

[Whalehead King]

The beauty of a cob pipe is that most things you think might be problems will take care of themselves over time. Break it in like a pair of shoes. The pipe will adapt to your technique and all will usually be well in the end as long as you don't mistreat it to extremes, as I tend to do with both pipes and shoes.