I like Stanwell and Nording, but I think my favorite Danish brand/carver is Mogen Johansen and his Johs pipes. There has been a complaint or two about his finishes, but all of my five or six have been durable and smoke well. You get a lot of pipe for your money. I have a freehand, a large apple, a diplomat, a Dublin, and a particularly pleasing straight smooth billiard. He's just in synch with my visual taste and smoking habits. The freehand and big apple were my first Johs, Christmas gifts from my wife about eleven years ago. Oops ... and a Canadian, so that's seven.