Yo!
I'm Ben, the founder of Kali Fingerboards. Let me share a bit about my journey in fingerboarding.
In 2005, I stumbled upon fingerboarding and decided to replace the makeshift plastic card decks my friends and I were using by a Tech Deck. I quickly started learning tricks with the help of online resources like the "Petit Frère" magazine and forum. Besides being a part of the community, I was also drawn by the do-it-yourself aspect of the hobby, and I began crafting cardboard ramps and even tried my hand at making decks.
Even though a few brands such as Berlinwood, Rflx, Evolve, Spleenwood (which would then become Nécrose) or Flatface were already established, getting a wooden deck was a challenge for a 13-year-old like me. Online trades weren't as common as they are today.
So, I began experimenting with different techniques and materials to create a working mold and achieve decent craftsmanship. Around 2007, I felt I had something worthwhile, and the positive feedback from those who tried my decks led me to establish my first brand, Ambrosia.
Ambrosia
I crafted Ambrosia decks for a few years, refining my skills and experimenting with everything from printing wood on my parents' office printer to developing paper graphics and fine-tuning various elements like wood types, glues, and veneer thickness.
I also gained insights into graphic design, branding, and even started to sponsor a few friends I met along the way!
However, I reached a point where I felt it was time for a fresh start, applying the lessons I had learned.
In mid-2010, I began shaping a new identity for my decks, leading to the birth of Leaf Fingerboards.
Leaf
I distributed Leaf decks for several years, primarily through forums and word of mouth. During that period, the fingerboarding scene was flourishing, with companies starting to offer professional gear and fresh products being released regularly. Local events also began emerging, allowing me to assemble a team with some friends.
Around 2012, I began to gradually step back from fingerboarding. My post-secondary studies were in full swing, making it challenging to dedicate time to deck crafting. Additionally, I was living in a tiny bedroom without noise insulation, and the scene was less active than it was before.
Then in 2015, I discovered 3D printing and was astounded by its possibilities. After years of experimenting with all kind of putty, Bondo, aluminium pieces and epoxy resins, I could finally design molds with precision.
Precisely designing a mold and quickly producing it in a few hours seemed like a game-changer. However, I needed a new name, as someone else had claimed "Leaf".
So, with the help of my friend Paul, who was finishing his marketing studies, we crafted a new identity. I wanted a name that was concise, carried an oriental and spiritual vibe, and resonated with the skateboarding scene. After research and brainstorming, "Kali" emerged. The name of an Hindu goddess associated time, change, creation, power, and destruction, while being also an homage to California, birthplace of skateboarding. How perfect.
Kali
I launched a new Facebook page with branding by Paul, tried being active again on forums and... nothing.
I guess after these few years I probably had lost track with the scene, which either wasn't as active as it used to be, or probably moved elsewhere.
Then, in 2020, I relocated to Montreal, Canada, during the Covid pandemic. With plenty of free time and a desire to refine the deck shape I had designed in 2015, I revisited fingerboarding.
Encouraged by my friend Roberto, a former Leaf team member who also moved to Montreal and showed me fingerboard content on Instagram, I rediscovered a thriving and evolving scene. My passion was reignited, and I started crafting fingerboard gear again, from decks to concrete obstacles. The rest is history and available for you to see in the Gallery section.
