Expert Advice: Norwela Cues?

rayjay

rayjay

some of the kids
Silver Member
I'm looking for some expert advice....someone in my local poolhall has a Norwela cue for sale, and he was saying that Bill Schick and Jim Griffin were good friends in Shreveport, Louisiana and that he and Bill Schick started the Norwela (Northwest Louisiana) Cue company, and that Bill made a lot of the Norwela cues. I told him that I had never heard that, and I just looked at the Norwela/Jim Griffin's website where it says that he (Jim) "began learning the craft from a cue maker who had been trained under both Richard Black and Bill Schick". It's a very nice looking cue, lots of ivory and great craftsmanship, but did Bill Schick have a hand in it?? Is there any connection between Bill Schick and Norwela cues, other than mentioned above? Thanks to the experts in advance! :p
 
Norwela

You can't go wrong with a Norwela cue. I have one and LOVE it, have one more on the way that will be unbelievably good looking, designed by me and Jim about two months ago.

Bill and Jim do know each other, kind of hard for cue makers in a town the size of Shreveport to not know each other. Jim bought his equipment from It's George when they went out of business. Mike Wheeler, who has worked for both Richard Black and is currently at Bill Schick's place, helped Jim initially, Bill of course is always willing to offer advice, answer questions, anything of that nature. He is a super nice guy and very easy to talk with.

Simply said, Norwela's cues have some of Bill's influence, along with Mike's, and naturally Jim's.

Jim posts on here occassionally, can't remember his name, but just do a search for Norwela or simply give him a call. I see him occassionally at different pool halls around town and of course at his shop when I stop by and shoot the breeze.

Hope this helps.

Jeffery
 
Norwela

Jim not only has the It's George equipment, but he also has some equipment from Bill Schick too....alot of his inlay patterns and things too. Anyway, Jim is a good guy....I can't personally say I've had any of his cues, but I have talked with Jim a few times about his cues and equipment since I'm not too far away from Shreveport and my Mother-in-law lives there.

John
 
Hmm

Well, usually while we are there...time is spent doing stuff with my wife's parents....so I don't get to venture off anywhere. They actually live in Benton, but sometimes during the day we have free time.

We don't really get there too oftern....we may be headed that way in three weeks or so....
 
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Well Benton's just right down the road.

We have some nice places to play around Shreveport and in Bossier. I'm about to head out and get a bite to eat, but I'll leave you with a standing invitation to play when you're in town and have some spare time.

Have a good weekend.
 
Lots of bad information in that first post man. Bill never built any Norwella cues. I'm sure Mike Wheeler and Bill Schick both had a hand in helping Jim get up and running as I'm sure they helped him with inlay patterns and supplies. Bill and Mike are two of the nicest guys in cue building, they will help just about anybody that is willing to ask and take the time to listen. I've hit a few balls with Jim's cues and can't say a bad word about them, just don't pay too much hoping the connection with Schick will make the cue valuable. If you like the cue buy it for its own merits. Just my two cents.
 
Correct

I guess I didn't really read the first post fully. You are correct in that Bill never has made any Norwela cues. Jim and Bill know each other and Bill has been more than willing to share information and Jim does have some equipment from Bill, but that's where that ends.
 
Our personal experience with Jim has been that he is very friendly and very honest. If you have a question, just ask. He's always glad to answer. Oh. And, he builds a really sharp-looking cue, too! An all-around good guy.
 
Hope all this info helps

Let us know if you need any more information. It sounds like we have very knowledgable Norwela people posting here.

Seems like the concensus is that you can't go wrong with a Norwela. One thing I forgot to mention is that Jim has some very reasonable prices. Believe it or not I tell him occassionally that he is extremely underpriced, he just laughs and carries on.
 
Thanks for the information, guys. That all really helps a lot. The cue is beautiful and very well made, nothing at all wrong with it, but the connection with Bill Schick is what I did not know about. Thanks again!! :p
 
The second from the bottom cue in the pic below from Proficient Billiards is a Norwela. You can certainly see some Schick influence in that cue.

7-9-07.jpg
 
Interesting, that cue looks almost exactly like the one I was looking at. Someone told me today that there was a Bill Schick cue that looks just like it at www.onthehill.com. I went to the site, but it was closed. Nice cue! :p
 
John Or Rayjay

Hey,
I am always in Sherveport and i never knew that they had places to play. Could you tell me where to go when i would like to play pool.
 
Many Places

Keith, I play two nights a week in the APA in Shreveport/Bossier and have played at just about every pool hall in the area. I'd be happy to direct you to several of them.

My home hall is Secrets on Jewella Avenue on the west side of town. Bill Schicks place is just down the road about a mile or so. Fast Eddies is in Bossier just a block off I-20 at the Benton Road exit. Sidepockets is just south of the I-220/North Market intersection on Nelson Street. Just so happens SidePockets is where the ceremony was held that inducted Eddie Taylor into the One-Pocket HOF. I believe Grady Matthews was the mc of that induction.

These are just a few of the nicer places to play. Feel free to ask any other questions by pm or just shoot me an email at cuesncases@bellsouth.net.


Jeffery
 
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