I consider a "Freehand" any pipe that has been shaped by hand without the use of a lathe. So really, at least in my opinion, a freehand pipe can take on many different shapes, although most tend to be somewhat dublin-esqe in shape, others may be something else entirely, such as a volcano or a blowfish. Then there are those like what Duane mentioned above, in which the carver shaped the pipe in accordance with the pattern of the grain, following the grain to achieve any number of interesting shapes. Preben Holm is one that comes to mind that made wonderful use of this practice, resulting in pipes that, once again, were very dublin-esqe in appearance, and others that are just down right wild depending on how the grain twisted and turned throughout the briar. A plateau top isn't necessary on a freehand, although many of them are made this way. Sometimes however the carver may decide to sand the plateau down to reveal the beautiful birdseye grain lurking underneath. However there can be a find line, I suppose in what a freehand pipe can be, even with my definition.... some carvers can "freehand" a near perfect billiard, and I would have a hard time myself calling one of those pipes a freehand. Basically, there's plenty of room for interpretation.... and I'm confusing myself now. :rofl: