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[[File:SteveNorse-SmoothDublin.jpg|thumb|300px|One of the few Handmades Steve finished recently, a Smooth Freehand Dublin, courtesy [https://www.carvershelpingcarvers.com/ Carvers Helping Carvers]]]Steve was first educated as a furniture maker, and later started making pipes. He estimates he has made between 200 and 300 pipes at this point, but does not keep careful track. His first pipe was from a kit he bought from Pimo Pipe Craft. The kit not only got him started making pipes, but also served as an introduction to Pimo's long time owner, Ginny Baire. They have had an excellent relationship ever since, with each helping the other as Steve grew to love pipemaking, and eventually, the pipe making supply business. | [[File:SteveNorse-SmoothDublin.jpg|thumb|300px|One of the few Handmades Steve finished recently, a Smooth Freehand Dublin, courtesy [https://www.carvershelpingcarvers.com/ Carvers Helping Carvers]]]Steve was first educated as a furniture maker, and later started making pipes. He estimates he has made between 200 and 300 pipes at this point, but does not keep careful track. His first pipe was from a kit he bought from Pimo Pipe Craft. The kit not only got him started making pipes, but also served as an introduction to Pimo's long time owner, Ginny Baire. They have had an excellent relationship ever since, with each helping the other as Steve grew to love pipemaking, and eventually, the pipe making supply business. | ||
Steve is the owner of [http://vermontfreehand.com/ Vermont Freehand], which stocks what is undoubtedly the largest selection of pipe making supplies in the world. He started the business in 2005, with only $20 in seed money. You may be thinking, "how is that possible?". Well, that's only because you don't know Steve. He's extremely motivated, has a tenacious work ethic, takes great care of his customers, and he's smart! He's developed relationships with the best suppliers of briar, ebonite rod, and other tools and supplies from around the world, and has learned the ins and outs of the complicated business of importing and exporting the various materials through the customs process. He takes full advantage of buying in volume, stocking 40 variations of briar, ebonite rod from 3 different manufacturers, and 200 varieties of pre-molded stems in acrylic, vulconite, and bakelite. At times he also has nearly impossible to get meerschaum block and rare strawberry briar. He has developed an ongoing relationship with a group harvesting | Steve is the owner of [http://vermontfreehand.com/ Vermont Freehand], which stocks what is undoubtedly the largest selection of pipe making supplies in the world. He started the business in 2005, with only $20 in seed money. You may be thinking, "how is that possible?". Well, that's only because you don't know Steve. He's extremely motivated, has a tenacious work ethic, takes great care of his customers, and he's smart! He's developed relationships with the best suppliers of briar, ebonite rod, and other tools and supplies from around the world, and has learned the ins and outs of the complicated business of importing and exporting the various materials through the customs process. He takes full advantage of buying in volume, stocking 40 variations of briar, ebonite rod from 3 different manufacturers, and 200 varieties of pre-molded stems in acrylic, vulconite, and bakelite. At times he also has nearly impossible to get meerschaum block and rare strawberry briar. He has developed an ongoing relationship with a group harvesting [[Morta]] (Bog Oak) in the Ukraine, and he stocks a good inventory of both black and white bamboo (sometimes Buda Bamboo) and various other exotic materials used for accents in high grade pipes. | ||
After years of helping Ginny Baire with various tasks associated with the Pimo Pipe Craft operation, Steve purchased the business and merged it with Vermont Freehand. And very recently, he also bought Pipe Makers Emporium, and added their remaining inventory to Vermont Freehand. | After years of helping Ginny Baire with various tasks associated with the Pimo Pipe Craft operation, Steve purchased the business and merged it with Vermont Freehand. And very recently, he also bought Pipe Makers Emporium, and added their remaining inventory to Vermont Freehand. | ||
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File:VF Mimmo.jpg|Italian Brian from Mimmo (Romeo Briar) | File:VF Mimmo.jpg|Italian Brian from Mimmo (Romeo Briar) | ||
File:VF Algerian.jpg|Algerian Briar | File:VF Algerian.jpg|Algerian Briar | ||
File:VF BogOakBlocks.jpg|Morta (Bog Oak) Blocks | File:VF BogOakBlocks.jpg|[[Morta]] (Bog Oak) Blocks | ||
File:VF Bamboo.jpg|Bamboo | File:VF Bamboo.jpg|Bamboo | ||
File:VermontFreehand-BambooShorts.jpg|Black and White Bamboo "Shorts", which offer a better yield | File:VermontFreehand-BambooShorts.jpg|Black and White Bamboo "Shorts", which offer a better yield | ||
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File:SteveNorse&Mimmo-Chicago.jpg|Steve Norse and Mimmo (Romeo Briar) | File:SteveNorse&Mimmo-Chicago.jpg|Steve Norse and Mimmo (Romeo Briar) | ||
File:VermontFreehandSetup-Chicago.jpg|The Vermont Freehand "Store" at the show | File:VermontFreehandSetup-Chicago.jpg|The Vermont Freehand "Store" at the show | ||
File:VermontFreehand-ChicagoBriarSelection.jpg|Pipe makers selecting | File:VermontFreehand-ChicagoBriarSelection.jpg|Pipe makers selecting briar at the show, a rare opportunity | ||
</gallery></center> | </gallery></center> | ||
As you have guessed by now, Steve Norris seldom takes a day off. In spite of that, due to the success of Vermont Freehand, Steve's pipe making has taken a back seat. The few handmade pipes he makes a year are beautiful, and well crafted. Steve is self taught. When he started he only had a couple of sanders, a coping shop, and some sandpaper and stain. Like many others in recent years, he learned a lot from the [http://www.pipemakersforum.com/ Pipemakers Forum]. And then it was just a matter of practice. Norris says it took about 50 pipes before he gained a full appreciation for how important the little things can be. He now has a very well equipped pipe making workshop, and works hard to make sure all those little things come together when he finally has time to make pipes himself. "I've been doing it a long time now, and yet I'm still learning. I can't just whip out a high grade", Norris says. | As you have guessed by now, Steve Norris seldom takes a day off. In spite of that, due to the success of Vermont Freehand, Steve's pipe making has taken a back seat. The few handmade pipes he makes a year are beautiful, and well crafted. Steve is self taught. When he started he only had a couple of sanders, a coping shop, and some sandpaper and stain. Like many others in recent years, he learned a lot from the [http://www.pipemakersforum.com/ Pipemakers Forum]. And then it was just a matter of practice. Norris says it took about 50 pipes before he gained a full appreciation for how important the little things can be. He now has a very well equipped pipe making workshop, and works hard to make sure all those little things come together when he finally has time to make pipes himself. "I've been doing it a long time now, and yet I'm still learning. I can't just whip out a high grade", Norris says. | ||
[[File:VermontFreehandPipes-Chicago.jpg|thumb|A large display of Vermont Freehand Pipes at the 2017 Chicago Pipe Show]]In addition to his hand mades, Steve recently designed several pipes which are serially produced for him by [[BriarWorks]]. They come in several shapes and finishes in both briar and Morta. | [[File:VermontFreehandPipes-Chicago.jpg|thumb|A large display of Vermont Freehand Pipes at the 2017 Chicago Pipe Show]] | ||
In addition to his hand mades, Steve recently designed several pipes which are serially produced for him by [[BriarWorks]]. They come in several shapes and finishes in both briar and [[Morta]]. | |||
<center><gallery widths=250px caption="Vermont Freehand Pipes, courtesy smokingpipes.com"> | <center><gallery widths=250px caption="Vermont Freehand Pipes, courtesy smokingpipes.com"> | ||
File:VermontFreehand-SmoothNorseDog.jpg|Smooth NorseDog | File:VermontFreehand-SmoothNorseDog.jpg|Smooth NorseDog | ||
File:VermontFreehand-MortaNorseDog.jpg|Morta NorseDog | File:VermontFreehand-MortaNorseDog.jpg|[[Morta]] NorseDog | ||
File:VermontFreehand-blastedBilliard.jpg|Blasted Billiard | File:VermontFreehand-blastedBilliard.jpg|Blasted Billiard | ||
File:VermontFreehand-blastedCherrywood.jpg|Tanblast Cherrywood | File:VermontFreehand-blastedCherrywood.jpg|Tanblast Cherrywood | ||
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*Most of the information in this article was gleaned from an excellent article in [https://pipesandtobaccosmagazine.com/2017/03/in-search-of-steve-norse/ Pipes & Tobacco Magazine]. The link is the first part of the article, but if you haven't yet, you should consider subscribing. It's a fantastic publication! | *Most of the information in this article was gleaned from an excellent article in [https://pipesandtobaccosmagazine.com/2017/03/in-search-of-steve-norse/ Pipes & Tobacco Magazine]. The link is the first part of the article, but if you haven't yet, you should consider subscribing. It's a fantastic publication! | ||
== Contact Information == | |||
Steven E. Norse | Steven E. Norse | ||
Dorset, Vermont 05251 | Dorset, Vermont 05251 | ||