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(Informations based on an interwiew and compiled by '''Chuck Stanion'''.)
(Informations based on an interwiew and compiled by '''Chuck Stanion'''.)
 
[[File:ErikNording.jpg|150px|thumb|left|Erik Nørding]]
Erik Nørding was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally educated in engineering. Pipe carving began as a hobby, but as time went by, he became more interested in pipe making as a profession. During the last 40 years Erik Nørding has built his own business, which today produces approximately 50.000 pipes a year, 90% of which are for the export market. From pipe design innovations to knife making to custom machinery and barbecue cookery, Erik Nørding´s inventiveness keeps expanding.
Erik Nørding was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally educated in engineering. Pipe carving began as a hobby, but as time went by, he became more interested in pipe making as a profession. During the last 40 years Erik Nørding has built his own business, which today produces approximately 50.000 pipes a year, 90% of which are for the export market. From pipe design innovations to knife making to custom machinery and barbecue cookery, Erik Nørding´s inventiveness keeps expanding.


A blacksmith and engineer, Nørding knows his way around pipe making machinery.
[[File:Nording.jpg|thumb|500px|Erik Nording Compilation courtesy Doug Valitchka]]A blacksmith and engineer, Nørding knows his way around pipe making machinery.


Strangely, it was not his love for woodworking that propelled Erik Nording into the pipe making field—it was his terrific facility with machines.
Strangely, it was not his love for woodworking that propelled Erik Nording into the pipe making field—it was his terrific facility with machines.
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It was about the time of his father's death that Nording learned the blacksmith trade. His mother knew that to ensure his future he needed more expertise than that. "She wanted me to prepare to run the factory;" says Nording. "She said, "You must learn engineering to run this company, because you must know more than the people who work here.' So I went to school and became an engineer."
It was about the time of his father's death that Nording learned the blacksmith trade. His mother knew that to ensure his future he needed more expertise than that. "She wanted me to prepare to run the factory;" says Nording. "She said, "You must learn engineering to run this company, because you must know more than the people who work here.' So I went to school and became an engineer."


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But by the time he finished his education, Nording had lost interest in the family factory. "That's because I had started making pipes," he says, holding up the Nording hunting pipe he is smoking. "And pipes are much more interesting than razor blades."
But by the time he finished his education, Nording had lost interest in the family factory. "That's because I had started making pipes," he says, holding up the Nording hunting pipe he is smoking. "And pipes are much more interesting than razor blades."
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Nording's father. a pipe smoker himself, taught the young novice how to properly pack, light and enjoy a pipe. "I was very proud," says Nording. "My father taught me to relax with the pipe. Not to inhale." It was much better than the cigarettes, and Nording's love for pipes has since then continued and grown.
Nording's father. a pipe smoker himself, taught the young novice how to properly pack, light and enjoy a pipe. "I was very proud," says Nording. "My father taught me to relax with the pipe. Not to inhale." It was much better than the cigarettes, and Nording's love for pipes has since then continued and grown.
<center><gallery widths=200px caption="Examples and nomenclature, courtesy Doug Valitchka">
File:NordCoat01.jpg|NORD-COAT
File:NordCoat11.jpg|NORD-COAT Nomenclature
File:NordingAS01.jpg|AS
File:NordingAS07.jpg|AS Nomenclature
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File:Nording01 1.jpg
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File:Sorn01.jpg|Sorn, made by Nording
File:Sorn07.jpg|Sorn Nomenclature
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Long before he graduated from engineering school at age 25 he was a more experienced pipe smoker than most men his age. He frequented a pipe shop in Copenhagen and often had his pipes repaired there. "The guy who did the repairs in that shop" says Nording. "could see that it was a good business, and he wanted to start his own pipe making shop." That repairman's name was Skovbo. One day he approached the young Erik Nording with a proposition. "You are a blacksmith and an engineer," Skovbo said to Nording. "You must know a lot about machinery. Can you make me some pipe making machinery?"
Long before he graduated from engineering school at age 25 he was a more experienced pipe smoker than most men his age. He frequented a pipe shop in Copenhagen and often had his pipes repaired there. "The guy who did the repairs in that shop" says Nording. "could see that it was a good business, and he wanted to start his own pipe making shop." That repairman's name was Skovbo. One day he approached the young Erik Nording with a proposition. "You are a blacksmith and an engineer," Skovbo said to Nording. "You must know a lot about machinery. Can you make me some pipe making machinery?"
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Skovbo thought the price was very good. "That's fantastic," he said. "The price is right. Now I'll start out for myself, make some pipes and when I earn some money I'll pay you."
Skovbo thought the price was very good. "That's fantastic," he said. "The price is right. Now I'll start out for myself, make some pipes and when I earn some money I'll pay you."
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<gallery heights=280 widths=400 caption="Two Nording 20's, Erik's Highest Grade with Sterling Mount, Courtesy Dennis Dreyer">
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Image:Nording20_02.jpg|<font size="1">Photos by smokingpipes.com</font>
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<font size="1">Photos by David Goostree</font>
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It must have been a terrifically discouraging moment for a young man who had just completed what he thought was his first paying job in a new career. As Erik Nording now remembers that moment, sitting in a beautiful home that contains a pipe making shop large enough for 20 workers making tens of thousands of world-famous pipes, his face exhibits amusement at that memory. But back then, as a youngster trying to get a foothold in the world, his expression must have been more akin to horror.
It must have been a terrifically discouraging moment for a young man who had just completed what he thought was his first paying job in a new career. As Erik Nording now remembers that moment, sitting in a beautiful home that contains a pipe making shop large enough for 20 workers making tens of thousands of world-famous pipes, his face exhibits amusement at that memory. But back then, as a youngster trying to get a foothold in the world, his expression must have been more akin to horror.
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To his credit, Nording shows no sign of triumph in the fact that he has proved Skovbo wrong by becoming one of the best-known pipe makers in the world. "He said that he would continue with SON pipes alone, that he no longer needed me," says Nording. However, the partners had a legal agreement that whoever wished to dissolve the partnership first would leave the company to the remaining partner and be paid off without interest over five years. So Nording became the one to keep the company.
To his credit, Nording shows no sign of triumph in the fact that he has proved Skovbo wrong by becoming one of the best-known pipe makers in the world. "He said that he would continue with SON pipes alone, that he no longer needed me," says Nording. However, the partners had a legal agreement that whoever wished to dissolve the partnership first would leave the company to the remaining partner and be paid off without interest over five years. So Nording became the one to keep the company.
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Image:sonD5a.jpg|<font size="1">Photos by Poul Rasmussen</font>
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<center><gallery widths=350px heights=300px caption="Sandblasted SON and Nomenclature, courtesy Doug Valitchka">
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It was difficult. Nording was finishing school, paying off his partner and trying to make pipes. "I could make a pipe that was smokable," he says, "but not beautiful." The ability to craft the sculptures that Nording pipes have become was a long process. However, he struck upon an idea. "I was a blacksmith; I could make anything out of metal if I had a drawing to work from. Why not do the same with pipes?"
It was difficult. Nording was finishing school, paying off his partner and trying to make pipes. "I could make a pipe that was smokable," he says, "but not beautiful." The ability to craft the sculptures that Nording pipes have become was a long process. However, he struck upon an idea. "I was a blacksmith; I could make anything out of metal if I had a drawing to work from. Why not do the same with pipes?"
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Consumer interest in Danish freehand pipes helped Nording expand throughout the 1970s and early '80´s. "They were easier for me to carve," he says, "because nobody in those days knew the free-hands. We were making thousands and thousands of those." The Nording factory at that time reached its peak production, and Nording employed 52 workers.
Consumer interest in Danish freehand pipes helped Nording expand throughout the 1970s and early '80´s. "They were easier for me to carve," he says, "because nobody in those days knew the free-hands. We were making thousands and thousands of those." The Nording factory at that time reached its peak production, and Nording employed 52 workers.
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Things have slowed somewhat since, and currently Nording employs 6 pipe makers, who produce approximately 15,000 pipes a year. They work in the shop that takes up the lower level of the Nording residence. It's spacious, more than 800 square meters, with three main workrooms, several smaller offices, and a large storage area for the 20,000 blocks of briar kept on hand, which comes mainly come from Corsica and Greece. "I don't age it," says Nording. "I allow it to dry properly, so it ages a little during that process, but once it is dry it's fine for pipe making. All this talk about it being necessary for briar to age 30 years or whatever for good pipes, in my opinion, is nonsense. I've seen every stage of harvesting. I've been out digging the briar; I've been to sawmills; I've experienced everything. And I'm telling you, once you can dry a piece of briar without it cracking, it is ready to work."
Things have slowed somewhat since, and currently Nording employs 6 pipe makers, who produce approximately 15,000 pipes a year. They work in the shop that takes up the lower level of the Nording residence. It's spacious, more than 800 square meters, with three main workrooms, several smaller offices, and a large storage area for the 20,000 blocks of briar kept on hand, which comes mainly come from Corsica and Greece. "I don't age it," says Nording. "I allow it to dry properly, so it ages a little during that process, but once it is dry it's fine for pipe making. All this talk about it being necessary for briar to age 30 years or whatever for good pipes, in my opinion, is nonsense. I've seen every stage of harvesting. I've been out digging the briar; I've been to sawmills; I've experienced everything. And I'm telling you, once you can dry a piece of briar without it cracking, it is ready to work."
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Even with all this, Erik Nording keeps inventing new things. Hundreds of unusual pipe designs, various patents, and knife designs fill his offices. And he is currently expanding a new business in Demnark: Barbecue style catering. "Barbecue is almost unheard of in Denmark," he says. "But it's going to be big."
Even with all this, Erik Nording keeps inventing new things. Hundreds of unusual pipe designs, various patents, and knife designs fill his offices. And he is currently expanding a new business in Demnark: Barbecue style catering. "Barbecue is almost unheard of in Denmark," he says. "But it's going to be big."
[[File:NordingGiantPipe.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Nørding's Giant Pipe]]


Perhaps the most famous of his more unusual achievements, though, is his giant Nording pipe fashioned from hundreds of other pipes and mouthpieces. This pipe has been on display in several public venues, including the Copenhagen airport, and has been named the world's largest pipe by the Guinness Book of Records.
Perhaps the most famous of his more unusual achievements, though, is his giant Nording pipe fashioned from hundreds of other pipes and mouthpieces. This pipe has been on display in several public venues, including the Copenhagen airport, and has been named the world's largest pipe by the Guinness Book of Records.
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* Aalbørg
* Aalbørg
* Eriksen
* Eriksen
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  Erik Nording Pipes
  Erik Nording Pipes

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