Corn cob pipe - 9cm

Corn cob pipe of 9 cm: the classic little cob

The corn cob pipe is about as simple as a pipe gets. Its bowl is a piece of corn cob that has been dried and hollowed out, with a wooden stem and mouthpiece pushed into the side. That is all there is to it, and that is exactly why it works. This version is a mini model of roughly nine centimetres, so it sits in one hand and disappears into a coat pocket without a thought.

Corn cob is porous. The material takes up moisture while you smoke, which makes the smoke feel drier and cooler than it does in a metal pipe that heats up in your palm within seconds. It is the same property that once had cob pipes compared to far more expensive meerschaum ones. On top of that, the bowl is surprisingly roomy for a pipe this small, so you are not refilling it every other minute.

Use and upkeep

Fill the bowl loosely, because packing it tight makes the draw hard work. Let the pipe cool down and dry out between sessions; a cob bowl holds moisture and needs that drying time. Tap the ash out afterwards and wipe the stem. A thin layer of cake in the bowl is normal and actually protects the material. A corn cob pipe is not built to last for years, and it does not need to be: it is a cheap pipe you simply replace once it is spent.

More pipes at Avalon

The Avalon Magic Plants headshop also carries wooden pipes, glass pipes, one hitters, metal models and loose pipe screens. Everything is shipped in discreet packaging.