Nording Grading System?

[TonyS]

Gotta stop, I know .... but I can't! :lol: I've been looking at more pipes on Fleaabay, particularly bare rustic Nordings. I went to his site but cannot find anything on how he grades his pipes. Anyone know? Also, a lot of his pipes are on the big side...are his pipes generally heavier than others? Thanks guys.

 

[Dutch]

There is an old grading system, as well as a new one. The old freehands are A-F with A being the best. The new system is 1-4 with 1 being the best I believe.

Then standard pipes are 10-20 with 20 being the highest if I remember correctly but I am not for certain.

A word of caution though. Nording quality can run from basket pipes to high grade. I won't buy a Nording through the mail. If I can't hold it in my hand and see what I am getting inside the bowl and shank, I'm not interested.

I own 3 Nordings that I am extremely happy with, but I bought them all at a B&M.

 

[sisyphus]

Not sure on the mass produced models, but on the pipes Erik carved I believe it's 1-15, the numbers denoting how many minutes he spent shaping the pipe. Thank you, I'm here all weekend you've been a great crowd.

 

[monbla256]

Not sure on the mass produced models, but on the pipes Erik carved I believe it's 1-15, the numbers denoting how many minutes he spent shaping the pipe. Thank you, I'm here all weekend you've been a great crowd.

MAN!!! ONE MINUTE to shape a pipe !! I'd like to see one of those :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

The "old" Nording scale is likely still in use. Melahn52 and jacquesdubois (Kevin and James, respectively here in Reno) have a Nording "16" and a "20." Both pipes are stunning, and smoke well. The Nordings I have are cheap mass-produced ones, and are nothing short of annoying to smoke for me nowadays. I won't be getting any more lower-end Nording pipes.

 

[LIPIPE]

I have a monster Nording. I'm smoking Penzance in it right now and it is a beauty and smokes like a charm. I would not hesitate to purchase another.

 

[idbowman]

The "old" Nording scale is likely still in use. Melahn52 and jacquesdubois (Kevin and James, respectively here in Reno) have a Nording "16" and a "20." Both pipes are stunning, and smoke well. The Nordings I have are cheap mass-produced ones, and are nothing short of annoying to smoke for me nowadays. I won't be getting any more lower-end Nording pipes.

My Nording is in the $100 range, so better than ultra cheap but no where near high grade. Still...I've never had a single problem with her (she's particularly fond of ribbon cut VaPers).

 

[Simple Man]

Nordings rock! I think they are really under-appreciated by a lot of pipers. I know the freehand look is a bit dated, but then again so am I. :lol:

I'd like to get one of his higher end traditional shapes sometime.

 

[tech2576]

I have one Nording, not high end but a nice pipe.
Mine smokes quite well and a rather large freehand, but it is considerably lighter than it looks like it would be.

 

[LIPIPE]

Weight is relative. I'm a clencher. My Nording is well balanced, and even with a fully packed bowl it is a pleasure to smoke and very comfortable for the long haul. A fully packed bowl in a Nording is a long haul smoke.

 

[Dutch]

Here are a few pics of my 3 Nordings. The rusticated pipe in pics 5 and 6 is my favorite. It has the famous bumblebee stem and rustication that always gets a lot of compliments whenever I smoke it.

 

[kaiser83]

I have 2 Nordings that I bought online. One is a giant that smokes great. The other is one of his bare signature series pipes that gargles like the dickens if I don't let it rest a couple days between smokes. I like his pipes and wouldn't hesitate to buy an estate at a good price, but as far as new ones I don't think I will get another unless it is one of the zebra pipes or his hunter series. Just my opinion FWIW.

 

[EC Outlaw]

Like LIPIPE, I have one of his large freehands, stamped "Handmade by Eric Nording". Very large bowl, best suited to a Va that you want to DGT. It's like the Henry rifle that the Confederates spoke of; "that damned yankee rifle that they load on Sunday and shoot all week!" I can load a bowl and DGT it three or four times before I get to the bottom. :lol:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I used to think my Nordings were okay, but I think I hadn't settled into "good habits" and was ignorant to my lack of luck with them. I have three, and they all, to a greater or lesser degree, do not work with me. I have $10 no-name pipes that smoke wonderfully, but my beautiful entry-level Nordings haven't gone my way. Part of it is tobacco chamber. They're way too tall and narrow for my tobacco and smoking style.

Not to say these pipes don't perform well, just not for me. I may sell one of them here on the board, and it kills me, because it was my first new pipe that made me so happy back when I was picking up the pipe again. I need to fund my Secret Santa participation anyway.

8)

 

[Simple Man]

I used to think my Nordings were okay, but I think I hadn't settled into "good habits" and was ignorant to my lack of luck with them. I have three, and they all, to a greater or lesser degree, do not work with me. I have $10 no-name pipes that smoke wonderfully, but my beautiful entry-level Nordings haven't gone my way. Part of it is tobacco chamber. They're way too tall and narrow for my tobacco and smoking style.

Not to say these pipes don't perform well, just not for me. I may sell one of them here on the board, and it kills me, because it was my first new pipe that made me so happy back when I was picking up the pipe again. I need to fund my Secret Santa participation anyway.

8)

Well, there you go! I'm carrying mine out to the trash right now! :lol:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

:lol: Poor Nordings. :no:

:lol:

8)

 

[Simple Man]

:lol: Poor Nordings. :no:

:lol:

8)

:lol!: That's ok, the guy who runs my B&M says the same thing about Petersons. He says noobs buy Petersons because it is the only pipe they ever heard of. He also thinks they are inferior and boring... and I still bought one. :lol:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

That's a really good point to bring up: Peterson. Every Pete I've acquired (three now) took a little adaptation to smoke, but they are consistent. Part of it was bowl styling (which affects tobacco chamber shape/size), so that's a variable I can't discount--freehands might not be my kind of thing. Peterson, however, does what they do, and do it well. I've seen the light, so to speak.

Just for the record, I'd never discourage someone to not buy a Nording...I enjoyed mine for a few months, but things changed. That happens. Because the Tinder Box here has a HUGE Nording account, they have tons of them in the $70 - $130 range, so "everyone here has them." I was no exception. *shrug*

8)

 

[Slide]

I've had good luck with Nording pipes. I have two smaller traditional shaped ones I picked up this year for $50.00 that smoke great. Then I have several Freehands that smoke very well also. I do have one that seems to like to gurgle.

The freehands see very little use lately due to the types of tobacco I am smoking. But I may try them with some of the faster burning burley blends.

 

[tech2576]

I used to think my Nordings were okay, but I think I hadn't settled into "good habits" and was ignorant to my lack of luck with them. I have three, and they all, to a greater or lesser degree, do not work with me. I have $10 no-name pipes that smoke wonderfully, but my beautiful entry-level Nordings haven't gone my way. Part of it is tobacco chamber. They're way too tall and narrow for my tobacco and smoking style.

Not to say these pipes don't perform well, just not for me. I may sell one of them here on the board, and it kills me, because it was my first new pipe that made me so happy back when I was picking up the pipe again. I need to fund my Secret Santa participation anyway.

8)

Well, there you go! I'm carrying mine out to the trash right now! :lol:

I need to run by your place about once a week and go through your trash!!! 8)