Nording Valhalla

[andya27]

I was going to purchase a Nording Signature. So I went to my preferred vendor (one of our sponsoring vendors) and put a Signature in my basket. Decided to take a look around at the other Nordings before I checked out, and saw this Valhalla. I'd seen them at another vendor's site, liked them, but I have a preferred vendor - and they just didn't have these Valhallas at my preferred vendor. Until that day.
So the Valhalla, along with some tobacco, made it to my house yesterday.
I know, it isn't anything like a Signature. The bowl is smaller. But the thing is - I like small to mid-size bowl pipes. It's an unusual shape for a Nording. And of course there will always be a Signature waiting for me when I make my November purchase.
This is a very nice pipe. Forget how little it costs (under $75) - it's just a nice pipe. Smokes great right out of the Nording sock. Very light - great clencher - and the walls are surprisingly thick making it very cool in the hand. I couldn't be happier.
Will I ever own a Nording that costs over $100? Maybe. But I don't have to - not when he makes such fantastic pipes at very reasonable prices.

 

[yaddy306]

Nice grab, Andy.

I was eyeing that one up myself, and saw yesterday that it was no longer available.

Nice shape, and nice rustication.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

A couple of years ago, when I was building a rotation, I picked up one each of the different shapes in this line, and a few of the 100 line. I don't smoke the 205 or 206 that often, but the 204 and 202 get a work out. They are all great smokers. I have a few of his other pipes, but if you look at what he calls his high-end pipes closely, you'll see that they really aren't that much better than his regular old production pipes. The bits are the same inject molded stems as the rest, and there really isn't anything about them to set them apart. If you set ten of his hunter series next to each other, you'll see that they are all exact, meaning that they were all probably made in Poland with the rest of them. I keep hearing that Nording hasn't even touched one of his pipes in decades, and if you look at his tour schedule, he barely even makes it back home.
I love my Nordings, but they are what they are, cheap but great smokers. I don't plan on buying any more of his pipes over $100 ever again. You're money would better spent on one of the other Danish pipemakers.
Don't get me wrong, I adore Erik Nording. I've met him twice, great guy and great businessman. But, he just doesn't put the effort into the high end like others still do.

 

[stluisrey]

That is a sweet looking pipe.

 

[saint007]

Very nice! I think I'll fire up a Nording when I get home.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

After my tobacco sits out for a bit for some dry time, my Nording Royal Flush Ace is sitting here next to me waiting to be fired up. I've been wanting one of those Valhallas for a good long while now, just haven't pulled the trigger on one yet. Hands down, they have the coolest name in all of pipedom. Yours is a fine looking pipe indeed, enjoy the heck out of it!

 

[wallace]

That's what I would call perfection in modern pipe styling. I love how the smooth finish looks like syrup overflowing from the bowl. Very nice!

 

[puffy]

Beautiful

 

[shaintiques]

I like the look of those, that is a great looking pipe, congrats.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Drats, I sounded like an ass above.

That is a very nice pipe. Congratulations. You're going to love it. I love my Nordhallas a lot.

 

[andya27]

I put in three smokes last evening, and all were quite good for a new pipe. I've seen this pipe described both as an apple and a tomato. I'd probably describe it as a tomato, as the walls flare out, with a very cylindrical chamber - deep but not very wide. The final smoke last evening was Lane 1-Q, and the bowl has a nice sweet aroma this morning, but not what I would consider ghosting. Most of my aro pipes are larger bowl pipes, but I think I may use this one as my small bowl aro smoker.
As I look at my photo above, it reminds me of a volcano. I guess Valhalla is a much easier name to pronounce than Eyjafjallajökull (the Iceland volcano that erupted in 2010).

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Just to expound on what you've said about the volcano at the risk of sounding like a know-it-all again... folklore was my area of study for years, plus I had the opportunity to talk with Erik about this. The Valhalla line comes from the Völsunga saga. The valkyrie, Brynhildr, was kept captive in a volcano protected by a dragon... so the story goes, yadi yada... then in the end Valhalla caught fire with an alchemical reaction that turned it to lead and melted into the sea. Nording gives us 5 different types of pipes from 100's-500's that depict different types of finish from a smooth red to these rusticated ones to a brown. The idea is to conjure the volcano, the dragon, and heaven/hel melting into the sea. I suggested he come up with a pipe line based on Thor's hammer, so if you see him coming up with a line called the Mjölnir, be sure to think of me, ha ha. Be sure to listen to some Wagner while smoking it. Maybe it will conjure up some Nordic stolz for ya, ha ha.

 

[murf]

I have that exact shape and love it. I also have the 201. both are great smokers, and for a good price.
Cosmic, thanks for the mythology. I've started reading some Norse mythology (free ebooks), but haven't read that story yet. I hope it's in another book I have, because that sounds like a good one.

 

[jmatt]

Drats, I sounded like an ass above.

That is a very nice pipe. Congratulations. You're going to love it. I love my Nordhallas a lot.

For what it's worth, I thought your comments were very reasoned and well put. When you sell pipes from $67 to $670, they aren't all created equally. But most of them seem to be workable smokers, regardless of price.

 

[lvacgar]

Gorgeous pipe, great picture. I must say this image prompted me to pull the trigger on a very similar pipe in the Valhalla line. Is this example one of the 200 series? This was the only review and real world photo I could find.
While I wait for the postman tell me about the lighter...

 

[smoothsailing]

Received a Valhalla 100 #06 from my wife for Christmas.Great smoker and wonderful looking pipe for its price.