Yo!
I'm Ben, the founder of Kali Fingerboards.
I discovered fingerboarding in 2005, when I bought my first Tech Deck to replace the plastic card decks my friends and I were making. I started learning tricks with the help of the "Petit Frère" magazine and its forum. Beyond the community aspect, I was immediately drawn to the DIY dimension of fingerboarding. I quickly made some cardboard ramps and tried crafting my first wooden decks.
Although several brands like Berlinwood, Rflx, Evolve, Spleenwood (which later became Nécrose) or Flatface were already established, it was challenging for a 13-year-old to get a wooden deck. Online purchases weren’t as common as they are today.
I then started experimenting with different techniques to create a functional mold and decent craftsmanship, and by 2007, I had something worthwhile. The positive feedback from those who tried my decks encouraged me to create my first brand, Ambrosia.
Ambrosia
I crafted Ambrosia decks for a few years, improving my skills and exploring various techniques: from printing on wood to paper graphics, while fine-tuning aspects like wood types, glue, or veneer thickness.
This period also allowed me to gain valuable knowledge in graphic design and branding, and I even started sponsoring a few friends I met along the way!
At some point, I felt it was time to start fresh and apply all the skills I had learned to a new project.
So, in mid-2010, I began shaping a new identity for my decks, which led to the birth of Leaf Fingerboards.
Leaf
I distributed Leaf decks for several years, mainly through forums and word of mouth. At the time, the fingerboarding scene was thriving, with companies regularly releasing new products and professional gear. Local events also started emerging, which led me to form a new team with friends.
Unfortunately, I had to gradually step back from fingerboarding. My university studies demanded a lot of my time, and I lived in a small, poorly insulated dorm room. The fingerboarding scene was also much less active than before.
In 2015, 3D printing became more accessible, making it possible to design molds with exceptional precision, ending years of struggles with all kinds of putty, aluminum pieces, epoxy resins, etc.
The ability to design and quickly produce a perfectly precise mold seemed revolutionary. However, I needed a new name, as someone else had used the name "Leaf" during my absence.
So, with the help of my friend Paul, who was finishing his marketing studies, we crafted a new identity. I wanted a concise name with an oriental and spiritual inspiration, resonating with the skateboarding world. After research and brainstorming, the name "Kali" emerged. A Hindu goddess associated with time, change, creation, and destruction, while also being a nod to California, the birthplace of skateboarding. It was perfect.
Kali
I created a new Facebook page featuring the new branding designed by Paul, resumed activity on forums, but... nothing.
It seems that, after all these years of absence, I had lost touch with the scene, which was either less active or had evolved elsewhere.
In 2020, I moved to Montreal in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. With plenty of free time and a desire to refine the shape I had designed in 2015, I decided to dive back into fingerboarding.
At that time, my friend Roberto, a former Leaf team member who also lived in Montreal, introduced me to a lot of fingerboarding content on Instagram. I realized the scene was more alive than ever, reigniting my passion. I started crafting fingerboard decks again, followed by concrete ramps. The rest of the story is available in the Gallery section.
