How do I make a corn cob pipe?

[Vtsmoker]

I want to make a pipe. The cob is no problem but how do you "cure" it to make the bowl?? Also, what can I use for a stem that would be available in Vermont. Don't have cane here and not sure what else would work? :idunno:

Thanks for any ideas

 

[rabjr]

Theres a couple of links in this thread that will tell how.
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/253528/

 

[Hammerhead]

i think you just char the inside and maby a small piece of bamboo like something broke off somethin a mountain man carried maby just guessin here

 

[Vtsmoker]

Thanks Swampy. Read your thread and missed the links :redface: . didn't want to be rude and jack the thread asking there. I'm goin to the barn tomorrow to see if I can find a cob :grin:

 

[david50]

unless you are set on making one yourself you can buy'em pretty cheap. http://www.corncobpipe.com/home.php?cat=257

 

[Vtsmoker]

Those are nice,but I want something a little HC for my mountain man\long hunter persona. Not to mention I live on a 1500 acre farm so the materials are right out my back door. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

I believe the corn cob pipe came into use a few years before the time of the Civil War. I think to be correct for your time period you would probably need to use a clay pipe.

 

[rabjr]

Actually, the first commercially sold corncob pipes came about at that time. Home made corncob pipes have been used for a lot longer than that.

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

I use hollowed out goldenrod stems for most all my horn or wood pipes. They won't take much chewin but are readily available and free!!!

 

[gfimwalle]

I made one yesterday,in about ten minutes,while standing out in the yard talking to the tech. who was installing our satalite system. While not strictly historically correct, we in southwest Ohio are "blessed" with a later import, bush honeysuckle, a woody invasive woodland understory shrub/small tree. It has a hollow pith, the younger growth is perfect for pipe stems. It usually has 6 to 10 inch lengths between growth segments, I leave these segment joints on as the mouth piece as they will take a lot more wear.

 

[imray]

Hi, just dig it out drill a hole put in a stem, fill and light, it will build up a hard surface if you don't scrape too deep, or buy one at the only corncob pipe factory left in the world,url below, best wishes, ray
http://www.corncobpipe.com/

 

[shootrj2003]

cut a cob about 3 in. long then drilled it out with a 1/2'' in drill 3/4 though it lengthwise then a 3/8 in hole laterally and found a plant that grows by the corn that has hollow chambers about 6'' long ,after it drys and hardens in the fall find one about 3/8'' thick ,cut off either end of the chamber and stick it in and you got a pipe ,I don'e smoke anymore though, I just like pipes!

 

[gfimwalle]

I used a good old Case XX stockman pocket knife, was all the hardware needed.

 

[Murv]

I made one a couple years ago, and just drilled the cob out, and started smoking it, it has worked good, and still no problems.
As, for my stem, I used a piece of cane, and if you can't find any, if you'll let me know I'll gather some up and send to you.
here's my email if you want me to send you some.
[email protected]

 

[Vtsmoker]

So which was more common for the mountain men..cob or clay?

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Clay

 

[rabjr]

I would think clay would have been readily available. Corn cob a seasonal thing and not always available?? Not sure on that but it does make sense. Also a corn cob wouldn't cost anything, just time to make where a clay would have cost some hard earned change. :idunno:

 

[Vtsmoker]

The cost factor was what I was thinking also. Not to mention a cob pipe is easily replaceable if lost or broken and the clay pipe would be easily broken and not easily replaceable. If clay was the most common I'll get one instead of making a cob pipe. Crazy Crow has some decent ones cheap.

 

[rabjr]

I think the bottom line is either one would fit right in. I would just make sure the corn cob pipe looks rustic not lathe polished like commercial ones today. More like the one Spence posted where the kernals were popped out and the cob just trimmed.

Would be cool to make one with the dried kernals still on the cob too. I have to wonder if someone a long the way has done that.

Happy B-Day btw Vtsmoker!

 

[Josh Smith]

I made a few of these after reading Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin.

If I remember correctly, I went out back of the house in which we lived when I was a teenager, found a corncob, hollowed it out with my Swiss Army Knife, and stuck a piece of straw in the hole at the bottom as prescribed by the book.

Worked real well for smoking corn silk, and it was disposable, so if Mom caught me I wasn't out a lot :grin:

Dang, now I want to make another one.

Josh