Thank you for all the kind comments and words of advice guys! It is very encouraging and helpful.
Mike, I don't see any other fills on this pipe, so I bet you are right. That fill ain't lighter than the rest anymore. It matches pretty well.
I finally got some wax on this baby. Mike, I know you were hoping for a honey-caramel color. I did what I could by taking it down to the bare briar, but these older pipes typically darken up the second the wax hits them. This one was no exception. I hope that it meets with your approval anyway.
Here are some pics taken in natural light. This is on a piece of patio furniture on my front porch, so it is what photographers might call open shade. Lit by morning sun, but not directly. It does look darker in the house at night when it is dark outside and the contrast is a bit less pronounced. Still much better than before though.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1727/28650753178_2dc8e56d68_z.jpg[/img
[img]https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1750/41621966405_aeafbacf0e_z.jpg