One of my good friends, Ford used to smoke a pipe, but quit years ago due to health reasons. This was before I knew him or smoked a pipe myself, so I missed out on him giving away his pipes. He saved a few that had sentimental value to him. Ford was in the army and flew OV-1s in Vietnam. He Flew 400 missions. After Vietnam he ended up working on and training soldiers how to assemble and disassemble nuclear warheads. But in time Ford met the love of his life and decided to get out of the military. He had a Colonel who was over him who tried to talk him out of leaving, but when he saw that he couldn't dissuade him, he gave Ford a meerschaum pipe to thank him for his service. This was around 1965. Ford kept the pipe but never smoked it and today he brought it over and gifted it to me. I told him I plan to smoke it. It is an amazing gift that I will treasure. Here is a couple of pics of Ford and me with the pipe.