An appreciation for the pipe makers of St. Claude

All my pipes are my favorite pipe. When I'm smoking it.
And it's on the weekend that I smoke my Butz-Choquin. I could smoke it more often, but there's something about reserving one pipe for those times when I can sit in my recliner chair on the deck and do...nothing. And when I have those fine moments, I prefer my BC and a bowl of Briar Fox, a tobacco I prefer to smoke slowly, and then do nothing for a while as I let the nicotine do its work and then fade to gray.
It's a wonderful early autumn day here in the Cleveland area, and I like to think that I've done my work for the week, and that in some way I deserve this small pleasure.
The workers of St. Claude make a fine pipe. This bulldog smokes beautifully, looks good, and is wonderful in the hand and as a clencher. And though the pipe makers of St. Claude may never know it, their pipe is the one that may bring me the most pleasure: not because it's the best pipe I own (though it may be), but because it's the one I smoke when I have that rare commodity: peace, quiet, and an opportunity to reflect on...life.
I think this is why I smoke a pipe.

I too have one of the vintage Ropps with the horn stem. Great little smoker for well under $100.

I have a couple of them and I love them. Great smokers and the horn stems are very comfortable. I also really like the size of the pipes as they are classic french shapes that are somewhat small. Only complaint I might have is that the pipes are not very good for clenching. The horn stems are rather delicate.

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My experience exactly. Not only is the horn stem delicate, but on the bulldog that I own it tapers to very small. I suspect this is intentionally done to encourage the smoker not to clench. As the pipe is so light weight, it's not at all a bother to hold in the hand.
There are many pipes that we might say "for the money..." And these Ropp vintage pipes are among them.