My favorite pipe

**Chris0673** · 02-24-2016, 09:48 PM

I've seen favorite pipe threads pop up from time to time but I figured this one deserved a thread of its own.

My favorite pipe is a Royal House LTD briar that was won in a poetry contest while I was deployed to Afghanistan. I can't remember who sent it to me but you, sir, have my undying thanks! While I was there the pipe suffered an attack from a 120mm rocket. Well...the rocket impacted about 50 yards from my tent. A nice chunk of shrapnel (which I still have) ricochet'd around my tent and put a "nice" gouge in my pipe. About a year and a half ago I was smoking it in my Jeep and almost had an accident with a truck. The pipe went flying and the stem broke off when it hit my gear shifter. Since then it has been languishing in my "broke box" with a couple other broken pipes. I finally managed to get it to a repair shop. The guy looked it over and asked if I wanted him to repair the gouge. After hearing the story behind it he said "never mind". Instead of just replacing the stem he did a full restoration on it and polished it up beautifully! He only charged me for the stem replacement and gave me a couple ounces of his own private blend! A stand up guy and he has earned my business for as long as I am in this area!

The gouge does not affect the smokablity of the pipe at all and it remains my all time favorite pipe.

Shrapnel pipe.jpg

In case anyone was curious, this is the poem that won the pipe:

Mortars, rockets all around,
Smoke and fire upon the ground.

Wild eyes and combat stress,
What I'd like is just to rest.

But up at dawn without a break,
A cup of coffee I must take.

A little time to settle down,
And puff this flakey leaf of brown.

Oasis for the weary soul,
Contained within this little bowl.

For a while the world is nice,
As I puff this piece of paradise.

Now I'm done but wanting more,
I go to face this place of war.

It waits for me while I must roam,
This pipe of mine and thoughts of home.