Walking On the Wild Side--My First Nording

[sparrowhawk]

Aftermath--well, I've had my black giant Nording now for over a week, and successfully broken it in. It is an enormous, massive smoke, quite different in quantity and quality than my usual British/Irish billiards. I save smoking it for special times: once, perhaps, in the morning, and late in the evening.

A friendly member of this forum, thinking I needed to burn up some more money, showed me a link to another Nording: the polar opposite of the black Nording. This one is even larger, and is completely rusticated in earthy two tones. It looks very pagan compared to the sleek sophistication of the first Nording. So of course I ordered it, now thoroughly in the throws of PAD. I should have it by Thursday, when of course I will post a photo. And there's still a third Nording I'd like to get, the Royal Flush Jack, but that one's got to wait.

A note: watch for Sunday's "Pic of the Week." I promise something very special.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I can't wait to see photos of the new pipe I hope you enjoy it as much as the black freehand. Something tells me it won't be long before you get that Royal Flush.

 

[iwbiek]

i purchased one of nording's erik the red series back in college. they're rather small, inexpensive,conservative looking pipes with smooth shanks and rugged bowls and a beautiful deep red finish with black grain. i don't know if they're considered free-hand or not, but each one is definitely one of a kind.
well, that poor pipe has taken a terrible beating from me over the years. first, i forgot it was in my back pocket, sat on it, and broke the stem off in the shank. i took it to a pipe shop in lexington, ky, and they sent it off to be repaired (not to nording though). the replacement stem was fairly ugly compared to the original, but this was a straight pipe with a long shank and a short stem, so i wasn't too bothered. however, the bit was wider, so i discovered they had actually drilled the hole out a couple millimeters larger in diameter!
over the years the walls of the hole wore down and the stem got really loose. this also wasn't helped by the fact that i had burned the edge of the hole slightly because the shank got clogged by a piece of toothpick on a drunken night out (don't ask me why) and i had the BRILLIANT idea of trying to unclog it by burning that bit of toothpick with my lighter (i had lost my pipe tool so i had no nail and the piece was really snug and deep in there).
so now, not only is the shank slightly blackened and uneven at one end (though i actually don't mind, it gives it more character), but the stem became so loose the pipe was nearly useless. rather than retire it completely, well before its time, i bit the bullet and epoxied the stem into the shank. now i actually use it fairly frequently and it's still one of my best balanced and best smoking pipes. it's the most comfortable one i have for clenching.
maybe i'll post some pics later.

 

[sparrowhawk]

I'd be curious to see this restored pipe.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I would like to see that as well.

 

[sparrowhawk]

Agreed, I was exaggerating out of politeness. But a survivor, certainly, and with a faithful owner.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

If he loves that old piece of briar, that's all that matters.

 

[iwbiek]

it's late here in europe so i'll take a picture of it tomorrow.
in my defense, the majority of damage to it was sustained within 2 years of when i started smoking. i'm going on 12 years now.

 

[petes03]

That's a beautiful pipe you've got there, Sparrow! A friend of mine has one of the same series as yours. However, he's very rough on his pipes, and despite guidance from myself and another friend, he's has cracked the bowl on his! We've tried to guide him on pipe maintenance, but he didn't really listen until he cracked this one! I have 2 Nordings myself, and they are excellent smokers! Congrats on your pipe, enjoy it!

 

[sparrowhawk]

How do you manage to crack one of these giants? With a sledge hammer? Thank you, by the way. These Nordings are really something else, aren't they? I'm really enjoying mine. Also, I notice from your avatar you are a Peterson fan: I just got back my Dracula billiard direct from Dublin--I wasn't happy with the sparsity of ornate lines on the stem, and asked them to replace it. They did, and the pipe was returned to me in timely order this afternoon.

 

[petes03]

I agree, it seems like it would be impossible to crack a bowl like that, but he did somehow! And yes, I am a Peterson fan. It's good to here that they took care of you with your Drac! I have one as well, mine is an "03" which is a full bent apple. It's also the sandblasted version, and it's a good smoker as well.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Nice Nording Sparrow. Now you walk with giants (or at least with a giant pipe).

 

[sparrowhawk]

Despite what one hears about Q/T at Peterson's, I have three (all from the Drac series), a 69 bent tip, a straight pot, and a billiard, all sandblasted, and they are all good smokers. I have every confidence in a Peterson pipe.

 

[iwbiek]

i own three petersons: a bent killarneyn (i think it's a 338), a system standard 307, and a sherlock holmes deerstalker smooth. peterson is by far my favorite brand of pipe and if I had the money, i'd buy damn near the whole line. i've been lusting after a spigot for years

 

[guhrillastile]

The Danish bug bites hard Sir Sparrowhawk. Im sure we will have much to speak of during our next chat. Glad to see the rotation expanding.

 

[sparrowhawk]

The Danish bug has indeed bit hard: another Nording arrives tomorrow, and when my funds build back up, I'll be getting a Royal Flush pipe. Where will it end? To think, at one time my dearest wish was to own a Dunhill. I think that unlikely now, there are too many other good pipes out there. The Petersons, the Nordings, and above all the Ashtons.

A note if anyone is keeping up: I promised something special for the coming week's Pic of the Week. This may or may not happen until the following week for technical reasons; my technical pen points pooped out, and I had to replace them. Replacements aren't sold locally, so I have to get them online. I've ordered the necessary equipment, but they probably won't arrive in time for me to accomplish the promised drawing. I usually need a week to do this kind of drawing, but it will still be October, and I still promise you will be pleased with the results.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I'm looking forward to that Pic of the Week when you get it done Shoot me a pm when you post it, so I don't miss it.

 

[sparrowhawk]

Will do, Anthony.

 

[quincy]

Beautiful!

 

[cigrmaster]

Nice looking pipe Sparrow, glad to hear you love it.