Cob Care - A Guide to Basic Corn Cob Pipe Cleaning and Maintenance

Contents:

• Fixing a loose stem
• Fixing a tight stem
• Clean after each smoke
• Rotating pipes
• Reaming the bowl
• Reaming the shank
• Deep cleaning

The virtue of the  corn cob pipe goes beyond its reputation as a fine smoking pipe for such an affordable cost. The iconic invention is represented among cherished meerschaum and briar pipes in most collections, often pulled from the pipe rack to be packed and enjoyed as a matter of preference. 

Of course, corn cob pipes are also appreciated for that price point, and are often chosen for a smoke as a matter pragmatics. They make for excellent "knock around" pipes to accompany yard work or other instances that feel a bit too risky for a high-end pipe.

No matter how cobs  fit into our pipe craft, there's no reason we shouldn't be getting the most out of them for as long as we can. Like briar, cobs perform best after a break-in period, so it's nice to keep those time-tested cobs in good smoking order. Further, even if the state of an inexpensive pipe isn't a concern, the quality of a smoking experience likely is, and like any pipe, corn cob pipes' performance is contingent on how they're maintained. 

While much of the wisdom around briar pipe upkeep applies to corn cob pipes, there are some particularities imposed by the cob that are worth knowing to get the most out of these instruments.

General Corn Cob Pipe Maintenance

Here are some of the basic's to caring for a corn cob pipe, from fixes to common dilemmas to upkeep for quality smokes.

Stem is too loose

I think the best place to start is with an issue that can sometimes arrive with a brand new cob. 

It’s not uncommon for a corn cob pipe to leave the factory with a perfectly good fit between the mortise and tenon that is too loose or tight by the time it reaches its destination. This is due to the difference in humidity. Luckily, it’s usually a very easy fix.

If your corn cob pipe’s stem is too loose, you want to add moisture to the shank so that it will swell for a tighter fit. But you really don’t need too much, so it’s best to dip a Q-tip in warm water and apply it to the inside of the shank, just around the mortise area. The end of a pipe cleaner also works for applying the water.

Give the shank some time to absorb the moisture, then test the fit and repeat if necessary. If you get the fit to almost perfect, I recommend smoking the pipe before trying to add more moisture. It wont do much if the fit is really loose—say, if the stummel would fall right out being held only by the stem—but if it just needs that little extra tension that makes things feel secure, a smoke often does the trick.

Stem is too tight

Alternatively, if your corn cob pipe’s stem is too tight, removing moisture from the shank should help achieve a better fit.

This can be done by leaving the pipe in the freezer. Check after a couple hours, and periodically from there until you can remove the stem without more force than should be necessary. Once it is removed, you can apply beeswax to the tenon to facilitate a smoother connection going forward.

Cleaning after every smoke

Just like other pipes, it’s important to run a  pipe cleaner each time you smoke your pipe. This is the best way to remove the leftover gunk that can undercut the smoking experience. You’ll get unwanted tar out if you run a cleaner before your next smoke, but it's best to do so before it dries and gets the chance to set.

Of course,  if you use filters in your corn cob pipe, you won't be able to pass a cleaner through from the bit to the chamber, so give the pipe a chance to cool down before separating the stem from the stummel and running a cleaner through the shank.

You may also want to wipe the chamber with a paper towel or a folded pipe cleaner after smoking to slow the building of cake. 

Rotating Pipes

Corn cob pipes are a great way to  build a pipe rotation at an affordable cost, especially for newcomers to pipe smoking. The idea of a pipe rotation is to have at least a few pipes so that each gets a rest after every smoke. This allows time for moisture from the previous smoke to dry. Also, if you’re smoking one bowl immediately after another, it gives the pipe first smoked a chance to cool off. Smoking the pipe too hot can lead to burnouts.

Even corn cob pipes benefit from a rest. We may see them as expendable compared to our more expensive pipes, but even putting aside potential damage of over-smoking a pipe, we still want to have the most enjoyable smoking experience we can, which for many, that rest is conducive to.

Deep Cleaning

Just like with other pipes, it's a good idea to give your corn cob pipes a regular deep clean. It may seem less important, especially with those work-horse pipes in the lower price tier, but for me, I just know I’m not going to get a very good smoke out of something that’s built up with tars.

Reaming the bowl

The first thing I’ll do with any deep clean is  ream the bowl and the shank. Though pipe smokers have varying opinions on developing cake in cob pipes, the consensus is that it isn’t necessary. Whatever your preference, the pipe will call for a good trimming sooner or later.

Reaming the shank

The shank's airway can easily build up with tar that running a pipe cleaner just cant get—in fact, some fluffy detritus left behind by cleaners is likely to accumulate, further narrowing the passage. You may be surprised by just how much narrower a well smoked corn cob pipe’s airway can be if it hasn’t been thoroughly excavated.

For reaming the shank, I get my set of drill bits and pass through some of the smaller sizes until I find one that's clearly a size or two smaller than the original width, then work my way up from there. 

That width isn’t consistent between all models, but it shouldn’t be hard to tell when you’ve reached it if you’re moving up one size at a time. In testing some of my cobs, I found them to have airways from as narrow as 5/32" ( Pony Express) to as wide a 1/4" (Diamondback), with other sizes in between. 

You can ream manually by attaching the bits to a pin vice. Personally, I just use my drill, but that might feel risky to some. If you do drill, don't pass the bit through the airway by drilling into it. Insert the bit and then drill. I give it a couple seconds to loosen things up, then will move in and out of the shank a few times to push out what’s been loosened up. By not drilling straight in, you can be confident you’re not sizing up the hole any wider than the original width.

Deep clean with alcohol

With the chamber reamed and the airway opened, I can move on to a full clean of the internals. This doesn’t really differ from how I would clean a briar pipe. Using 91+ isopropyl alcohol, I’ll use pipe cleaners, pipe brushes, and Q-tips in the stem, shank, and bowl until they are coming out clean. 

Enjoy your corn cob pipe

Those are the basics to my corn cob pipe care. Pretty simple stuff, but cobs are one more factor adding to the variety that makes pipe smoking the enriching exploration that it is, and its these little things that keep them delivering wonderful smokes. 

If you'd like to share anything you do differently and would recommend,  we'd love to hear how you approach corn cob pipe cleaning and maintenance.