And one more Newb asking questions

Originally Posted by Hydrated

I have to politely disagree with the non-cob route. I find that a cob is the perfect starter pipe for several reasons.

• A cob provides a drier, gurgle-free smoke for a beginner from the first bowl.
• A cob has an exceedingly short break-in. Usually 1 or 2 bowls.
• Cobs are cheap and plentiful. I'd wager that you'll get a better smoke from a $5 cob than most $25 briars.

I'd save the briar for after you've gotten a few bowls under your belt with a cob. Starting out new to the pipe with a brand new briar can be rough on the tongue...

Noob here, and I second the cob! I have three briars and a cob, have been smoking pipes only for two weeks, and right now the cob is the only one I'll smoke (until I get a little more experience under my belt). If you want to enjoy pipe smoking right away, go for the cob. My experiences with the briars so far = lots of time/patience/practice/luck to get a halfway decent smoke and no tongue bite. My experience with the cob is load-it-and-light-it. If you want a REALLY easy noob experience load a cob with Prince Albert and light it with a pipe lighter