Afghanistan Bananastand

I believe this ran in the June 1988 issue of Thrasher. The rest is history.

New Fish Tail Spoon Nose

Well, there is nothing "new" about the shape anyway. Reminiscent of several H-Street decks produced from 1989 to 1991 namely the Ron Allen, this one measures 10" wide by 31.5" long, with a 6.5" tail and a 6" nose, and a 14.5" wheel base.


The Indy 169s are dwarfed by the 10" width of this deck. The wheel wells add a nice touch, but I like them more for their purpose than their appearance. With a set 1/4" Indy riser and 60mm 95a OJ Street Razors this set-up is ready to roll!

Vans Pool Party 2013 Masters Division

Common Criminals: The Anthology of Stoke

We skateboarders are a diverse and opinionated lot, each of us with our very own story about how a seven-ply maple plank with four urethane wheels forever changed our lives. Sometimes these stories get collected and shared, and David Thornton's Common Criminals: The Anthology of Stoke is one of those extraordinary collections.

Thornton, a father, executive chef, freelance writer, and skater, compiled the short stories of a dozen skaters with his own anecdotes and narratives. The result of his effort is an interesting and enjoyable medley of skateboarders "talking story" about their favorite pastime. Common Criminals contains adventurous tales of searching for backyard pools, recountings of lifetimes spent on board in pursuit of the stoke, and testimonials of aging lifers who live to skate and skate to live. Thornton and his contributor's stories are unique and are presented in diverse writing styles ranging from stream of consciousness, to memoir, to the informal essay, ensuring the reader something interesting with the beginning of each new tale.

To get a copy in your hands (or on your Kindle) order here and begin reading this book.

Fish Sticks

LIFE Skateboards Sean Sheffey circa 1990 - 1991. The fish shaped boards of this particular period often sport a slightly longer nose (approx 5" to 5.5")than their late 1980s predecessors which usually had a nose measuring 3.75" to 4". Boards of this particular period averaged about 31.5" in length and also featured double-drilled front truck mounting holes for dual wheelbase/nose length.


LIFE Skateboards Kien Lieu model. Another prime example of the 1990 - 1991 period with its dual wheelbase/nose length, and the fish shape with subtle to very little flare out in the tail if any at all.