One thing I love about the pipe community when compared with similar kinds of communities (e.g. cigars, whisky, wine, etc.) is that there's a notable absence of snobbery. I'm not saying it doesn't exist or that I've never encountered it at all, but for the most part it seems to be actively discouraged and the vast majority of pipe smokers are happy to just let others get on with their hobby, enjoy what they want to enjoy, and share a bit of community enthusiasm around the hobby. Even when talking about "codgers," etc. most people are still good-natured and accepting of other peoples' preferences. I find it very refreshing.

A codger would never call pipe smoking a "hobby".

40 years old codger here : I love Borkum Riff and I love Captain Black Royal. Its ok to be a codger.

Hey Doug .. Great synopsis .. There's also one other thing that I thought about codgers .. and that relates to the pipe smoking culture of the day .. I'm old enough that it's still a clear memory for me. At that time most pipers smoked only one brand .. much like cigarette smokers . Pipe smoking was not a hobby - then .. it was simply part of one's every-day chosen life style. .. and everyone usually only had one brand ... the way you used to be a Camel smoker. Our whole, "pipe smoking as a hobby" culture just did not exist back then. For them, smoking a pipe was just what you did every day .. without thinking much about it .. or analyzing it as we do today. Cheers. - seraphim

Started smoking a pipe in the mid-60s and only had codger tobacco back then. My first bike was a 1964 Honda Scrambler and rode bikes for 50 years. Enjoy the journey YTPC, you only do this once. 💨💨

I love this attitude and approach to the hobby. I came in the same way you did, thinking I needed well more than I did. Now, it is a short rotation of pipes and blends, nothing overly expensive. Finding what works for you is the most important. Great video!

Cant remember, what he smoked but grandfather used a old stonehouse pipe he had 3 that was it , all stonehouse, he lived to be 98 and as far as i know he died with his pipe in hand , he was a drover of cows come farmer. A solid man real solid .

I look at being a Codger as a badge of honor. You been there done that. You might dabble in trying other brands now and then, but you are content in what pipe you use and what blend you smoke. That is a happy ending to a fine pipe story. nice video to bump into... Cheers.

do you have prince Albert in a can?...Well let him out. :) I do enjoy Prince Albert. Carter Hall is another favorite. have a fantastic day!!!

My favorites are Dr Grabow and Missouri meerschaum cobs with the old tobaccos. Pretty much my every day smokes.

Great Video man. We all get to where we are going by different means. My biggest factor was that I tried SO MANY BLENDS and SO MANY PIPES that at the end of the day I kept gravitating toward these codger blend and smaller OTC pipes...so instead of fighting it...I went with it. I am super content now. Will still try new stuff but my home is in the Codger Blends and Pipes of Old.

My favorite pipe is one from tumu. Its a billiard shape , solid wood with a wood bit. Its just a little more weight than a cob , but just sits well for all day. My wife got me a nice bent pipe. Its just too heavy, and doesn't feel good. This temu wood bit is so comfortable, and just hard enough that it isnt showing teeth marks. It came with some sort of clear coat on it. I immediately sanded that off. The first couple of bowls had the wood taste , but that is now gone. Maybe I'm not a diehard , but haven't figured out all the different types of pipe uses. When i was a kid we had a country store. I think my parents knew i smoked homemade pipes , or the cheap pipes they sold but never made an issue of it. Old timers would give me their pipes as well. I cant believe how hard it is to find pipe tobacco now , or the prices it is. Even as a teen I'd pick up a thing of Charter Hall for nearly nothing. Now these smoke shops have no idea of what I'm looking for🤔🤣.

To me, a codger pipe smoker is a guy who buys tobacco, smokes it, and buys more when he wants. Not a hobby, but a relaxing pleasure. It can be OTC or small batch or in a Kaywoodie and or a Dunhill.

I admit I could not understand, for many years why so many of the old codgers would smoke the same tobacco in the same pipe all the time. Then I dedicated a Grabow Cardinal to Lane's Ready Rubbed, now I completely understand. I've said to myself that the codgers knew what they were doing. I'm still not going to let the cake build up so that I can't put tobacco in the bowl...

Great thoughts. So true. Smoke what makes you happy! I just learned this English expression of a codger pipe smoker. Love it. Thanks. In my youth I saw codger pipers every day. Nowadays I only see them in the countryside. Pipe smoking has gradually shifted to a more sophisticated hobby. For good or bad I don't know. Kind regards, Patrick (Switzerland)

You sir are spitting truth! I grew up, my grandfather smoked Borkum Riff out of a Dr. Grabow billiard. He got a new pipe every year for Christmas and that was it, unless a horse stepped on it. This was 80's to early 2000's during my existence and the end of his.

My dad was definitely a codger piper. I think he had no more than 4 pipes at any time, but he usually used only one. He’s favorite pouch tobacco was in his left pants pocket, the pipe was in the right. Never had any “stash” of tobacco either, let alone a cellar. He tried to deter me from cigarettes, but he did not succeed at that time (I was 18 at the time)

Excellent, EXCELLENT advice, Doug!!!

Just discovered this. Great video and great approach of the topic. Indeed, at the end of the day it's about taking your time and not judging. Cheers from Scotland!

Hiyas Doug, Agreed! Smoke what you enjoy in the pipes you love. It certainly doesn't hurt to try some tobaccos that may be out of your comfort zone. You never know until you give it a go. Go wide or go deep, it's entirely up to each individual to find and choose their own path. It's a beautiful hobby with so many choices to build upon. Serene smokes buddy, Gary

Your definition of a true codger describes my grandfathers to a "t". I agree with your message on what is "acceptable" to smoke or the pipes the one uses. So many these days seem to be caught up in false pretenses or the show of what is "proper". Nice video

Great and honest review. I started smoking pipes back in 1980 and yes I guess I am an old codger. Lol. I liked your review so much I subscribed to your channel. As you said smoke what you like not what others spend.

I’m right there with you Doug. I’m still looking for my go to blend in Codger land. That’s the beauty of this hobby. Everyone can smoke what they like and be happy. Thanks for sharing buddy. Happy smokes

Very good advice and video…half and half is one of my favorites

Hiya Doug! As one sensitive to burley, the raft of American OTCs would have driven me from pipe smoking due to the irritation. I like Carter Hall, SWRA, and Walnut but they can’t be all day smokes for me. What hooked me for the pipe was PS Luxury Navy Flake. No irritation and the lightly sweet brown bread and oats flavor had me thinking about it as I fell asleep that first night. Just writing this makes me want to have a bowl. I guess I’m European odder because it is European OTC blends that I like best and that work for me. 😃💨💨

Im from uk and the term " old codger" is something i remember as a child. 😂

Hey I’m a first time watcher of your channel & I enjoyed your input & now subscribe to your channel!👍👍. Keep it up!

Thank you for this! I love the idea of the codger smoker. I found two Kaywoodies that belonged to my dad in the ‘60s, picked up some Captain Black original because I was told it was closest to the Tivoli my mom used to buy him at the grocery store, and have no great desire to go much beyond this. I do want to try Prince Albert and Sir Walter Raleigh, maybe pick up a Grabow, and make one of my own, and that will be it for me.

Good video, hood attitude ! I’m newer to the hobby (maybe a year) and like most started out on aeromatics but slowly adding a few other things to my collection of tobacco. Currently keep about a dozen of so tobacco’s on hand and right at seven pipes but only use five(all Peterson)

Thank you for stating all this. I started 9 months ago and got lost in the beginning. Own 15 pipes all inexpensive, but i got into tins to try and thought that it was a good idea to store some. Found out after 70 tins that aromatic blends are not really storable. So any ways, saw this codger thing and i might do the to smoke what i have till its almost gone and just buy what i need at the time.

This is a practical mid west man. Great attitude and insight

Great video thank you sir, my wife and I just started our YTPC channel, its allot of fun, hope you had a great Christmas.

Working through those blends now (at least the big names) and discovering that some don’t agree with me for whatever reason. So far, leaning towards CH but still have a ways to go with it as I’m discovering that the pipe can make a difference too. One thing I’ve learned for sure is that it’s nice to grab something simple and jump into whatever it is I’m doing like mowing the lawn. Anyway, it’s been fun so far.

Nice video. Dr. Grabow, I've got three of them. Not bad smokers.

Back in my pipe smoking day my Tabaco of choice was Dunhill My Mixture 965 and my favorite pipe was my Ascorti Business. Of course I liked my Joby's as well. I miss those days.

Great video Doug. Be well, Janez

More ytpc awesomeness! The temptation was too great under the smoking tent in Chicago with 2 new pipes and any trial size of any tobacco made! I know, im weak but it was the most rewarding weak spell I've ever had! 😊😊

I was thinking the same thing as you spoke, and previously, 'I am a modern day codger pipe smoker'. I don't have a hundred pipes, and I don't have dozens or blends in stock. I enjoy the simple pleasure of it. And I don't own a pipe over $120. Carter Hall was a favorite of mine before they moved and changed. Now I'm afraid to buy an entire tub of it just to find out it isn't what it was before. Good thoughts. 🤠

Great vid...hope to find more.

My rotation is mostly Prince Albert and Captain Black, Pegasus mixed with CB Dark. I smoke Gawith Hoggarth flakes on weekend nights but mostly it's PA and CB.

Great video!

Agree 100%. Well said!

I drink Argentinian yerba mate daily like I smoke pipe too. And one guy asked me once what is the yerba mate you are drinking is it Canarias or Taragui? I responded Targui (the most common in Argentina) he replied back the best is Canarias you are drinking the worst then I replied back nope I am drinking the best works for me, I do not go with what the others suggest. I think this apply for the individual decision. Sorry my bad english. This channel is Great and honest

I do codger at work and fancy-pants hipster on weekends ✌️

Have a great day Doug!

Couldn’t agree more … like those who enjoy a pint of beer vs a modern “craft ale” … sometimes simplicity is king.

I'm like this with my pipes, and my DE razors and brushes, as well as most of my other hobbies. I'm branching out into diverse blends now, but Newminster 400 is always good. I look at these as hobbies which let me save money, not sink a small fortune into.

Hi Doug, just found your channel, think I'm gonna subscribe :) On the topic of tobaccos: I think I tried under 10 tobaccos before I found one that really gets my buds going and that is Skandinavik Sungold. I feel the pressure to try more but I'm like: why? I like this one. So instead of fighting it, what I do is when going on a holiday anywhere I find a local tobacco and smoke that one. Have come across a few pleasant ones during my travels.

Codger - Someone who just enjoys his pipe and doesn't buy into all the "pack it this way," "breathe this way," "rest it for this long" nonsense for clicks on YT. Nor do they rotate 20 different blends that tast the same.

Missouri Meersham and Captain Black . I'm good .

Well said!

Sir, I like the way you think. Being an elitist only turns people away from the hobbie.

Just found your channel. Really enjoyed the video. Oh, I'm in Michigan as well.

How do you like that Savoy? I love that classic shape but have held off on getting a Savoy just cause my other Grabows have small bowls and tend to smoke a bit hot. . .

Fully agree. Michiganders clearly have good taste.

So, here I am 70 years old, and I don't qualify as a codger?? I'll be darned! (I just started pipe smoking!) 😊

Awesome content 👏 thats definitely me , fill up and smoke , whole day 😅 thanks for sharing 👍 Greetings from south africa 🇿🇦

All I smoke are drugstore blends and I actively seek out Dr. Grabow estate pipes only.

I just make my own blends. I also inhale a puff ever now an then because im a cigarette smoker an a pipes to close the day or enjoy sitting in the yard just soaking in the sun. I choose a good tabacco. Like a good english or virginia an mix it with aromatics an just play with flavours. A nice smelling pipe is more enjoyable to me. I mixed a maple with a apricot an cream then put a stought blend in it an its amqzing.

Well said...

I'm a first time viewer of your channel...my BIGGEST challenge in smoking pipes is distinguishing flavors. Usually by the end of the bowl, I'm still trying to tell myself that the blend that I was smoking even had any flavor. Do you think that it could be because I am mixing blends in my pipes rather than only using one blend in each pipe? I usually only smoke aromatics. I just smoked some aged maduro yesterday and for a minute or two mid-bowl, I had the best flavors arise and it was amazing...but, after that, same as usual. I would appreciate any suggestions you might have. Thank you!

I'm a basic utilitarian pipe smoker. I smoke multiple bowls of PA daily. I don't touch anything with latakia or perique. It's just not my thing.

The one thing tobacco has been delivering since the beginning of time is nicotine. How a person decides how to get his or hers in their choice. I believe the Vail is the idea of a hobby. In the beginning the perception is that it's a hobby, if you flirt with it enough, the blend won't matter. I like many have 100's of blends, some do it for me, some don't. SWR has worked for me the last 4 decades, You don't need to smoke a lot of the codger blends to satisfy. All roads eventually lead to Burley if you've been puffing long enough.

Go Blue!

Grow my own tobaccos and grind them into fine dry nasal snuffs. No implements required past a small container to carry the tobacco in.

Hello from Rose City!

Good chat brother

I really don’t get this divide. Our numbers are so small to begin with, that we can’t afford to be divided. I started smoking Pegasus by C&D precisely because it was billed as an old school blend. That whole line of C&D (Runkowski) which includes Old Joe Krantz and Haunted Bookshop was conceived as an homage (at least in spirit) to 20th century American pipe smoking. Blended by a high end manufacturer, C&D. I really don’t get where codger critics are coming from. It’s a mystery to me. Fortunately their numbers can’t be very big because our total numbers aren’t very big.

300L Rally and a corn cob! Lol... Yeah I’m cheap arse.

good vid , and I HATE when I have to redo a vid

Smoke what you want and enjoy the hobby!

Dah!😂

Keep it going. Best of luck in the GAW… Keep em Burning….

To me Cidger Smokers are THE pipe tobacco smokers if you get what I mean. They like a certsin blend in a certain pipe, and dont worry too much about all the fancy stuff. They just wanna light up and have a decent smoke. Not theres anything wrong with fancy blends and expensive pipes of course, I I like Savinelli and Peterson pipes too, but a simple Dr.Grabow Briar and an MM corncob is all I really need to enjoy a nice meditative smoke.