1980’s
Alva – Pig
The pig shape really took over the skateboard world in the late 70’s and early 80’s. This rare Alva scratch model pig measures 10 ½” x 30 ½” and was made in the Madrid factory. It was around this time that Christian Hosoi started riding for Alva and shortly after innovated the all-new fish shaped deck.
Hosoi by Alva
Christian’s first pro model skatedeck was put out as an Alva Skates offering through one of Christian’s mentors, Tony Alva. It was manufactured by Madrid and available in very small quantities. Unlike his, yet to be famous, Hammerhead model, this original shape was a basic pig template measuring 10 1/2″ x 29 1/2″. I remember seeing Christian doing very large backside airs at Marina Del Rey skatepark on a board just like this one. This example is set up with Tracker Gnarly Six Tracks and G&S Yo-Yo double conical wheels.
Christian’s first pro model skatedeck was put out as an Alva Skates offering through one of Christian’s mentors, Tony Alva. It was manufactured by Madrid and available in very small quantities. Unlike his, yet to be famous, Hammerhead model, this original shape was a basic pig template measuring 10 1/2″ x 29 1/2″. I remember seeing Christian doing very large backside airs at Marina Del Rey skatepark on a board just like this one. This example is set up with Tracker Gnarly Six Tracks and G&S Yo-Yo double conical wheels.
Head Honcho
Northwest Skateboards was a small skateboard company based out of North Vancouver, Canada. In the early eighties they produced this 10″ x 30″ Niko Weis (Niko was a local Vancouver skater who skated switch twenty years before it became popular). The board shown here is built with ACS Magnesium trucks, Sims Snake conical wheels and homebuilt aluminum rails with extra long lapper (or chicken sticks, as we use to call them).
Northwest Skateboards was a small skateboard company based out of North Vancouver, Canada. In the early eighties they produced this 10″ x 30″ Niko Weis (Niko was a local Vancouver skater who skated switch twenty years before it became popular). The board shown here is built with ACS Magnesium trucks, Sims Snake conical wheels and homebuilt aluminum rails with extra long lapper (or chicken sticks, as we use to call them).
Z-Rocket – George Wilson
If memory serves me right, I think this board came out around 1984 or somewhere thereabouts. This deck measures 10 1/4” x 30 12” and has a pretty crazy template outline, a flat kick profile and front & rear wheel wells. It’s George Wilson’s model, a P.O.P. local who ripped pools including the Dog Bowl at Marina Del Ray skatepark. This board is built with Tracker Six Track Ultralights which came out a bit later and Z-Smooth Jimmy Plummer conical pool wheels which were from a couple of years earlier. Complete with nose bumper, rails and skid plate this roller was originally built and sold at PD’s Hot Shop in Vancouver.
SMA Longboard
Headed by Skip Engblom, Santa Monica Airlines has had long standing underground status in the skateboard world, as has Skip himself. This 9 ½” x 42” SMA Longboard was released in the early to mid 80’s and features mild stinger rail treatment and a graphic penned by P.O.P. artist Kevin Ancell.
Skull Skates – Horse
The 10 1/4″ x 31″ Skull Skates Horse deck was the board we used to break into the US skateboard market. At the time our no nonsense approach to design, both esthetically and functionally, was taking hold in the skateboard world. Advertising was stark and uninformative and hype was kept at a minimum. Some skaters nicknamed this deck ‘The Squaretail’, for obvious reasons. A very solid board for skating pools, ditches, and ramps during that era.
The 10 1/4″ x 31″ Skull Skates Horse deck was the board we used to break into the US skateboard market. At the time our no nonsense approach to design, both esthetically and functionally, was taking hold in the skateboard world. Advertising was stark and uninformative and hype was kept at a minimum. Some skaters nicknamed this deck ‘The Squaretail’, for obvious reasons. A very solid board for skating pools, ditches, and ramps during that era.
Skull Skates – Diehard and Diehard Mini
This 10″x 30″ Skull Skates Diehard deck was similar in shape but smaller than the earlier Horse model. This board was cut from our V-concave model, which was a popular concave profile for Skull Skates up until the development of the Tub Tech family of concaves. We really started to get a reputation for building decks that withstood the rigors of pool skating mostly on the strength of this model. The mini version was popular as a street board and made in smaller numbers. Skull Skates recently made the 10″ x 30″ DieHard available as a reissue.
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Skull Skates – Steve Olson Skates
Steve “Bulky” Olson is one of the best known of the burly surf-style skaters. He was voted skateboarder of the year in 1979 for taking loose, fast vert skating to new levels. Steve’s models on Santa Cruz were staples of the industry in the late seventies. Steve was the first pro Skull Skates sponsored. The deck graphic was kind of a mock on his Santa Cruz checkerboard graphics, but with the checkers all breaking up and falling apart at the tail signifying his break with Santa Cruz. Steve had this crazy shape with a pointy nose and harsh sidecuts … we smoothed it out so it would “sell better”. Years later, when we made Swank’s model (Tod’s shape), I saw Olson somewhere and he pointed at Swank’s model and yelled, “that’s my shape!”
Steve “Bulky” Olson is one of the best known of the burly surf-style skaters. He was voted skateboarder of the year in 1979 for taking loose, fast vert skating to new levels. Steve’s models on Santa Cruz were staples of the industry in the late seventies. Steve was the first pro Skull Skates sponsored. The deck graphic was kind of a mock on his Santa Cruz checkerboard graphics, but with the checkers all breaking up and falling apart at the tail signifying his break with Santa Cruz. Steve had this crazy shape with a pointy nose and harsh sidecuts … we smoothed it out so it would “sell better”. Years later, when we made Swank’s model (Tod’s shape), I saw Olson somewhere and he pointed at Swank’s model and yelled, “that’s my shape!”
Skull Skates – Skate Safe
We did this ad in the eighties that had three mock shallow graves; each one with a skateboard deck as a tombstone and in bold letters above it said “Skate Safe”. People really dug that ad so we took that as a cue and put out the 10″ x 30″ (traditional pig style template) Skate Safe model skatedeck. This was basically the Diehard shape with a new paint job and was available in two different color combinations (yes, our first experiment with color graphics).
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Skull Skates – Skeletal
Re-working the popular 10” x 30” Skull Skates Diehard by adding stinger side cuts to the rails and the boneyard graphic was the recipe for the Skeletal model. The same deck eventually came in a second version, the Skeletal 2, which itself came in two different versions. The deck shown here is the very rare inverted white with black graphic option.
Skull Skates – Skeletal 2
The 10″ x 30″ Skeletal 2 shown here was a popular board for us in the eighties. It was similar to the Diehard shape, but with stinger style sidecuts added to the rails. The Skeletal 1 was actually the same shape, but with the all-human skeletal graphics instead of the assorted dinosaur skeletons featured on the Skeletal 2. This is still one of my personal favorite shape and graphic combinations to this day. Skull Skates recently made this deck available as a reissue.
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Skull Skates – Mutant
This has to take the cake for one of the strangest skateboard decks ever produced by Skull Skates. The original Diehard shape was modified with asymmetrical sidecuts and available in goofy and regular foot versions. The original graphic, shown on the orange goofy foot board, was covered with a ghost like mutant characters. The graphic on the white regular foot board shows a limited version graphic with the word “mutant” added to the artwork. The final version shown, on the black regular foot board, features a shoddy Jabba The Hut rip-off, created in a last ditch attempt to flog remaining Mutant stock that didn’t sell.
Skull Skates – Dead Guys Coffin
Part of what makes the eighties skateboards so interesting is the large variety of shapes, sizes, and graphic concepts coming about at that time. Skull Skates was the first to introduce the coffin shape board. This 10″ x 30″ Dead Guys Coffin was an instant hit with demented skateboarders everywhere and has spawned several imitations over the years. Featuring the first ever version of the Skull Skates Tub Tech concave profile, bugged out as it looks, it’s actually a functional design and featured some of the world’s most famous dead guys as a graphic theme.
Part of what makes the eighties skateboards so interesting is the large variety of shapes, sizes, and graphic concepts coming about at that time. Skull Skates was the first to introduce the coffin shape board. This 10″ x 30″ Dead Guys Coffin was an instant hit with demented skateboarders everywhere and has spawned several imitations over the years. Featuring the first ever version of the Skull Skates Tub Tech concave profile, bugged out as it looks, it’s actually a functional design and featured some of the world’s most famous dead guys as a graphic theme.
Skull Skates – David Hackett
David Hackett hailed from Malibu, California and in the Seventies established himself as a fierce force in the Los Angles pool and skatepark scene. Skull Skates collaborated with DH in the eighties and produced two unique and original skatedecks – the Hackett Street Sickle and the Hackett Iron Cross. Hackett boards were owned by true skateboard enthusiasts and are currently pursued by skateboard collectors around the world.
Skull Skates – Jonny Ray
Through Taters (A.K.A Potato Head, A.K.A Skatemaster Tate), we hooked up with Orange County musician and skateboarder Jonny Ray. J-Ray came up with two pretty crazy shapes (two tri-fin Bat tails), one smaller than the other, and each with cool graphics that he had designed. The 10″ x 30″ Skate Fast Die Hard even got legendary artist Ed “Big Daddy” Roth stoked … “and leave a good looking corpse” he quipped, rolling by our tradeshow booth. The 9 1/2″ x 30″ Team Skul was the smaller or mini version of the two.
Skull Skates – Band Boards
Also through Taters, Skull Skates hooked up with several different bands and produced decks featuring the bands names and graphics. I think the first one was Gang Green and eventually we made decks for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wasted Youth, Social Distortion, The Vandals, and a few other bands. Several other companies have also made boards for bands like JFA, Black Flag, Agent Orange, Metallica, etc. etc. Kind of a skateboarding sub-phenomenon.
Skull Skates – CCCP
The graphic concept for this 10” x 30” cutaway shape was created by R.D., one of the original founders of Skull Skates. I remember he was stoked to promote unity between the two nuclear nations [USA and Russia] during the Eighties Cold War Era. The main artwork was lifted from a 1930’s Soviet woodblock print featuring a motorcycle with a sidecar intended to advance Russian moral towards industrial superiority. The word “glasnost” apparently meant “a new openness” which was being touted by the Soviet government in the Eighties, as they were seeing an end to the Cold War on the horizon.
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Skull Skates – Wee Boy
Although mini decks for little skaters are pretty common nowadays, back in the Eighties they were virtually unheard of. The Skull Skates Wee Boy model was one of the first ever production boards scaled down to meet the needs of small riders. Measuring in at just 7 3/4” x 24 1/2” this board was a popular seller in the mid-Eighties. The graphic for this deck was also available as a T-shirt design known as “Serpent Boy” and was originally lifted from a 1920’s elixir bottle which was suppose to calm the nerves of unruly children.
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Skull Skates – Hosoi Hammerhead
Christian Hosoi has been a very dynamic figure in skateboarding, particularly during the eighties. Christian was the highest profile rider ever to have rode for Skull Skates and his Hammerhead Mini, Mid, and Max models, by Skull Skates, were among the best selling skatedecks in the mid-eighties. Christian and his father Ivan did the designing together and created a skateboard deck that was completely original and captured the imagination of so many skaters. Christian was ripping at this time and I personally saw him destroy pools, vert ramps, jump ramps, ditches, and anything else he wanted to rip riding Skull Skates Hammerheads.
Skull Skates – Mondo Mutiny
Mondo Beck was an East Coast skater who originally gained notoriety at the Cherry Hill Skatepark in New Jersey. Mondo eventually moved to Los Angeles and began a long-term relationship with Alva Skates in the Eighties. Most of the Eighties Alva Fish boards were screenprinted and airbrushed by Mondo. He designed the shape and graphic for this deck and the “Mutiny” name was in reference to him bailing from Alva Skates… Skull also made another model for Mondo called the Stonefish.
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Skull Skates – Swank
Tod Swank was originally riding for Sims, which was part of Vision in the eighties. He was stoked to ride for Skull Skates to “get away from the corporate feel of Sims / Vision”, which is kind of funny now if you consider the fact that he’s CEO of Tumyeto, one of the leading corporate entities in skateboarding. His pointy nosed, sidecut template shape had an Islamic moon and star as a graphic at a time when the USA was warring with the Islamic nation of Iran. Shown here is the mini “Junior” version of Tod’s deck which measures 9 1/2” x 30”. Also available was the full size 10 1/2” x 31” model.
Tod Swank was originally riding for Sims, which was part of Vision in the eighties. He was stoked to ride for Skull Skates to “get away from the corporate feel of Sims / Vision”, which is kind of funny now if you consider the fact that he’s CEO of Tumyeto, one of the leading corporate entities in skateboarding. His pointy nosed, sidecut template shape had an Islamic moon and star as a graphic at a time when the USA was warring with the Islamic nation of Iran. Shown here is the mini “Junior” version of Tod’s deck which measures 9 1/2” x 30”. Also available was the full size 10 1/2” x 31” model.
Skull Skates – Tub Tech Logo
The very first skate decks made by Skull Skates (then G.N.C.) were flat with mellow kick tail and drum style wheel wells. The second mold was a radial concave and the third was our “V” concave. From there began the family of Tub Tech concaves featuring concave, kick tails, kick noses and mid deck kicks. With each version the Tub Tech profiles became progressively more pronounced. Shown here are the Tub Tech 1, 2, 3 and 4 logos.
Skull Skates – Justin Lovely
Tod Swank has had many nom de plumes; one of them was Justin Lovely. Skull Skates put out two Swank Splendor models (full-size and mini) featuring Islamic flag graphics. Also available in small batches were this board, the 10 1/2″ x 31 1/4″ Justin Lovely Teapots model, and another Justin Lovely deck, which had a coffee pot graphic. Swank took lots of cool black and white photos and did a few skate zines including the infamous Swank Zine and Dick’s Book. His style definitely meshed together well with the black and white Skull Skates look.
Tod Swank has had many nom de plumes; one of them was Justin Lovely. Skull Skates put out two Swank Splendor models (full-size and mini) featuring Islamic flag graphics. Also available in small batches were this board, the 10 1/2″ x 31 1/4″ Justin Lovely Teapots model, and another Justin Lovely deck, which had a coffee pot graphic. Swank took lots of cool black and white photos and did a few skate zines including the infamous Swank Zine and Dick’s Book. His style definitely meshed together well with the black and white Skull Skates look.
Skull Skates – Godoy
The Godoy brothers are tattooed twins who originally rode for Zorlac skateboards out of Texas. Skull Skates made a full size and mini model deck [shown here] for the Godoys, which both featured twin gargoyle graphics.
The Godoy brothers are tattooed twins who originally rode for Zorlac skateboards out of Texas. Skull Skates made a full size and mini model deck [shown here] for the Godoys, which both featured twin gargoyle graphics.
Skull Skates – Carlos Longos
Carlos Longos is a skater from Vancouver, Canada who basically ruled the skateboarding scene in Vancouver in the eighties. I traveled back and forth often between Vancouver and Los Angeles then and Carlos was actually better than a lot of the kids in California. Common now, but unheard of then, Carlos had two models out on Skull Skates, both were made in extremely limited quantities. One had a graphic that was a collage of various stuff that interested Carlos, and the other featured a photo of Carlos taken at his home park – China Creek.
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Skull Skates – Ken Design
Ken McGuire was a California skater who was really into cutting edge street skating and was one of the first people to design a slightly narrower deck with a smaller rounder tail for street skating. This was at a time when vert skating was still raging. This mint 9 3/4″ x 30″ example shows Ken’s template shape and original graphic made from the Skull Skates Tub Tech concave.
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Skull Skates – Duane Peters
Legendary Duane Peters – the one and only “Master of Disaster” – skated for Skull Skates in the eighties. Duane would show up at spots and go head to head with every local, punishing them one by one, until they all had to give him respect. Duane had two pro models on Skull Skates, the first one shown here is the 10 1/2″ x 31 1/2″ Pig shaped board, which featured a graphic of Duane crashed out on a cemetery headstone (a cemetery in Vancouver) along with some crosses and stuff. The second model was a 10″ x 30 3/4″ cutaway shape that had a pointy nose and weird looking figure as the main graphic. Duane always skated like a champ, even though he claims he was “pretty messed up in those days”.
Skull Skates – Josh Marlowe
Josh Marlowe is a ripping skater from Baltimore, Maryland who made his way to California in the Eighties. Josh’s Model on Skull Skates measured 10 1/4” x 31” and was cut from the Tub Tech Three concave profile. The template shape of this deck is a cutaway with wide tail and a semi pointy nose. Finished in blazing Eighties fluorescent color with black and white tribal and Alva claw influenced graphics.
Josh Marlowe is a ripping skater from Baltimore, Maryland who made his way to California in the Eighties. Josh’s Model on Skull Skates measured 10 1/4” x 31” and was cut from the Tub Tech Three concave profile. The template shape of this deck is a cutaway with wide tail and a semi pointy nose. Finished in blazing Eighties fluorescent color with black and white tribal and Alva claw influenced graphics.
Skull Skates – Ian Frahm
The Skull Skates Ian Frahm model measures 9 3/4” x 31 1/4” and was definitely one of the rarer Skull Skates models ever produced. Ian was a NYC local skater who eventually ended up in Los Angeles. The blunt nose of his template shape was obviously influenced by the nose shape of the Hackett Street Sickle from several years earlier. The graphic done by Ian Frahm features a jailed character, a graffiti covered subway car and the New York skyline, which still included the twin towers of the World trade Center. In a bizarre twist of fate, this board was actually recently found and purchased from a skate shop in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia.
The Skull Skates Ian Frahm model measures 9 3/4” x 31 1/4” and was definitely one of the rarer Skull Skates models ever produced. Ian was a NYC local skater who eventually ended up in Los Angeles. The blunt nose of his template shape was obviously influenced by the nose shape of the Hackett Street Sickle from several years earlier. The graphic done by Ian Frahm features a jailed character, a graffiti covered subway car and the New York skyline, which still included the twin towers of the World trade Center. In a bizarre twist of fate, this board was actually recently found and purchased from a skate shop in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia.
Town & Country – Surf Designs
In the late seventies through to the mid-eighties, which was mostly the wide board era, Town & Country Surf Designs of Hawaii put out skateboard decks. Here we have the 10″ x 29 1/2″ T&C Blaster deck in a pig style template shape built up with old skool Venture trucks and Kryptonics blue double conical wheels (the conical areas made for a smoother transition on and off coping, etc.) Also, a Town & Country quad deck measuring 10″ x 30 1/4″ and featuring a cutaway template shape built with old school white Ventures and Sims B-52 two tone wheels.
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Gordon & Smith – Fibrelight
Several varieties of composite construction skateboard decks have floated in and out of skateboarding over the years. In the eighties, Gordon & Smith produced a line of super light vert skatedecks featuring feathery glass composite core and rubber wrapped rail. This board is 10″ x 31″ and a cutaway shape it was the Billy Ruff shape. Billy was another one of many excellent skaters from the eighties.
Several varieties of composite construction skateboard decks have floated in and out of skateboarding over the years. In the eighties, Gordon & Smith produced a line of super light vert skatedecks featuring feathery glass composite core and rubber wrapped rail. This board is 10″ x 31″ and a cutaway shape it was the Billy Ruff shape. Billy was another one of many excellent skaters from the eighties.
G&S – Neil Blender
Neil Blender is one of those enigmas in skateboarding who has a reputation for something, but nobody’s sure for what exactly. His loose drawing style influenced a whole generation of artist / skateboarders who have adopted and adapted Neil’s style. Neil designed this 9 1/2″ x 28 3/4″ template shape and interlocking heads graphic. When I hear the name Neil Blender I think of dorking at Sadlands.
Neil Blender is one of those enigmas in skateboarding who has a reputation for something, but nobody’s sure for what exactly. His loose drawing style influenced a whole generation of artist / skateboarders who have adopted and adapted Neil’s style. Neil designed this 9 1/2″ x 28 3/4″ template shape and interlocking heads graphic. When I hear the name Neil Blender I think of dorking at Sadlands.
G&S – Chris Miller
Chris Miller had a smooth, powerful skateboarding style and was a dominant force in the eighties skate park, ramp, and vert contest scene. This 10 1/8 x 31″ Chris Miller model deck from Gordon & Smith was a very sought after pro model. Cool graphic, good shape, and Chris’s pro model endorsement made for goodness. About this time Chris Miller and other pros were now taking aerial maneuvers on vert (ramps, parks) to new levels in height, distance, and tweakness.
Chris Miller had a smooth, powerful skateboarding style and was a dominant force in the eighties skate park, ramp, and vert contest scene. This 10 1/8 x 31″ Chris Miller model deck from Gordon & Smith was a very sought after pro model. Cool graphic, good shape, and Chris’s pro model endorsement made for goodness. About this time Chris Miller and other pros were now taking aerial maneuvers on vert (ramps, parks) to new levels in height, distance, and tweakness.
Zorlac – Gargoyle
Zorlac was a company from Texas that put out some pretty crazy boards with wild template shapes and artwork by the artist Pushead. This 10″ x 29 3/4″ Gargoyle model was produced in the mid-eighties and had one of the more insane template shapes available. Big spooned nose and tail with baroque side rail treatment. It screams frontside boneless!
Zorlac was a company from Texas that put out some pretty crazy boards with wild template shapes and artwork by the artist Pushead. This 10″ x 29 3/4″ Gargoyle model was produced in the mid-eighties and had one of the more insane template shapes available. Big spooned nose and tail with baroque side rail treatment. It screams frontside boneless!
Santa Cruz – Rob Roskopp
Another iconic skater of the eighties was Rob Roskopp; Santa Cruz’s wonder boy. His deck graphics were interesting in that they progressed in a series from one model to the next. Of the handful of pros at that time, Roskopp’s name was strong. This 10 1/4″ x 30″ pro model is built with Indy 169’s and Powell PP 3 wheels.
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Santa Cruz – Slasher
The Slasher was a mainstay in the Santa Cruz line-up and for a while it was known as the Keith Meek model. This 10″ x 29 1/2″ version is built up with twin Power Pivots, black Indys with copers, a curb hopper, and Kryptonic 63.5 CSI wheels …add rails and a nose bumper and you’d have one heavy duty (and heavy weight) skateboard. This period involved over use of bolt-on accessory items in skateboarding and boards ended up weighing a ton sometimes when people over did it.
The Slasher was a mainstay in the Santa Cruz line-up and for a while it was known as the Keith Meek model. This 10″ x 29 1/2″ version is built up with twin Power Pivots, black Indys with copers, a curb hopper, and Kryptonic 63.5 CSI wheels …add rails and a nose bumper and you’d have one heavy duty (and heavy weight) skateboard. This period involved over use of bolt-on accessory items in skateboarding and boards ended up weighing a ton sometimes when people over did it.
Santa Cruz – Jeff Kendall
Santa Cruz had several pro model decks in the eighties and one of them was the 9 1/2″ x 29 1/2″ Jeff Kendall model. Shown here with Ventures and Kryptonics 63.5 CSI wheels, it was smaller than your average 10″ x 30″ vert board. This deck was designed more for street, ditches, and smaller ramps, which shows in its smaller size and template shape. When I hear the name Jeff Kendall I think of footplants off of jump ramps.
Santa Cruz had several pro model decks in the eighties and one of them was the 9 1/2″ x 29 1/2″ Jeff Kendall model. Shown here with Ventures and Kryptonics 63.5 CSI wheels, it was smaller than your average 10″ x 30″ vert board. This deck was designed more for street, ditches, and smaller ramps, which shows in its smaller size and template shape. When I hear the name Jeff Kendall I think of footplants off of jump ramps.
Santa Cruz – Spidey
Santa Cruz was really handing out the pro models in the eighties. This 10 1/4″ x 30 1/2″ Spidey model deck features a cutaway template shape and Sex Pistols Rock n’ Roll Swindle rip off graphics. Once Steve Olson and Duane Peters left Santa Cruz it really never got that punk essence back. This deck was made in pretty small numbers.
Santa Cruz was really handing out the pro models in the eighties. This 10 1/4″ x 30 1/2″ Spidey model deck features a cutaway template shape and Sex Pistols Rock n’ Roll Swindle rip off graphics. Once Steve Olson and Duane Peters left Santa Cruz it really never got that punk essence back. This deck was made in pretty small numbers.
Vision – Jinx
Vision never had a super good reputation for their wood, they were really mostly known for shoes, t-shirts, and “Whack-It”™ (pin pong, elastic band, rubber ball gizmos). This 10″ x 30 1/4” deck was designed and endorsed by pro skater Marty Jiminez AKA “Jinx”. Vision did some pretty aggressive advertising in the 80’s and got their products into people’s heads mostly due to sheer persistence.
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Vision – Gonz
Mark Gonzales has been an important figure in skateboarding since the eighties. His street skating was so advanced that it took the rest of skateboarding years to catch up with what he was doing on ledges, handrails, etc. This 10″ x 30″ first issue Gonzales deck is black with white undercoat (predating the stained versions). It’s in pretty good condition thanks to the rails, skid plate, and nose bumper. Assembled with Indy 169s and Powell Mini Cubics. Best seller in the eighties for sure.
Mark Gonzales has been an important figure in skateboarding since the eighties. His street skating was so advanced that it took the rest of skateboarding years to catch up with what he was doing on ledges, handrails, etc. This 10″ x 30″ first issue Gonzales deck is black with white undercoat (predating the stained versions). It’s in pretty good condition thanks to the rails, skid plate, and nose bumper. Assembled with Indy 169s and Powell Mini Cubics. Best seller in the eighties for sure.
Vision – Gator Mini
One of the hottest decks in the Vision line up in the eighties was the Vision Mark “Gator” Rosgowski model. My favorite footage of Gator is an old Gullwing promo video from the eighties. This deck is a 9 1/2″ x 29 1/2″ mini version in the popular stained finish and with clear side rails. New old stock, mint condition, and a nice deck.
One of the hottest decks in the Vision line up in the eighties was the Vision Mark “Gator” Rosgowski model. My favorite footage of Gator is an old Gullwing promo video from the eighties. This deck is a 9 1/2″ x 29 1/2″ mini version in the popular stained finish and with clear side rails. New old stock, mint condition, and a nice deck.
Schmitt Stix – Lucero
John Lucero rode for Schmitt Stix for a number of years and prior to that he was riding for Madrid. I think this is the first Lucero model on Schmitt. The board is a 10″ x 30″ cutaway style shape with nice graphics. Built up with Motobilt trucks, Rat Bones wheels, and the full nylon set of skid, rails, and nose rail. Graphics were now driving the market like never before.
John Lucero rode for Schmitt Stix for a number of years and prior to that he was riding for Madrid. I think this is the first Lucero model on Schmitt. The board is a 10″ x 30″ cutaway style shape with nice graphics. Built up with Motobilt trucks, Rat Bones wheels, and the full nylon set of skid, rails, and nose rail. Graphics were now driving the market like never before.
Schmitt – Joe Lopes
Another Schmitt pro model, this 10″ x 31″ Joe Lopes was also a strong presence in skateboarding for a time. The template shape features a stinger style cutaway near the tail, a blunt triangular nose shape, and the infamous Bar-B-Que graphics. Decks all through this era seldom strayed from the standard 10″ x 30″ size, which worked well for vert, launch ramps, etc. Schmitt has always had a good rep., thanks to the efforts of it’s founder, Paul Schmitt.
Another Schmitt pro model, this 10″ x 31″ Joe Lopes was also a strong presence in skateboarding for a time. The template shape features a stinger style cutaway near the tail, a blunt triangular nose shape, and the infamous Bar-B-Que graphics. Decks all through this era seldom strayed from the standard 10″ x 30″ size, which worked well for vert, launch ramps, etc. Schmitt has always had a good rep., thanks to the efforts of it’s founder, Paul Schmitt.
Schmitt – Chainsaw
There were a few things about the Schmitt Chainsaw that made it unique. Firstly, the shape of the template, with it’s jagged lightning bolt rails, was unusual and secondly, the graphic, which matched the shape, consisted of one large chainsaw running the length of the deck. Lastly, the size of this deck, measuring 10″ x 34″, was very uncommon. Larger than a regular deck, but not as big as a full on 36″ longboard.
There were a few things about the Schmitt Chainsaw that made it unique. Firstly, the shape of the template, with it’s jagged lightning bolt rails, was unusual and secondly, the graphic, which matched the shape, consisted of one large chainsaw running the length of the deck. Lastly, the size of this deck, measuring 10″ x 34″, was very uncommon. Larger than a regular deck, but not as big as a full on 36″ longboard.
Schmitt – Yard Stix
Not many companies made longboard skatedecks in the eighties – and of the ones that did, most never became popular. The exception was Schmitt Stix with their 9 3/4″ x 36″ Yard Stix or “Yard Stick” deck. The one shown here is built with Indys (with rear Grind Master device), Powell T-Bones, plus rails and skid plate. You were almost guaranteed to see one of these at your local skate spot around ’87, ’88. Dudes doing drawn out sweepers with two sets of knee pads on.
Not many companies made longboard skatedecks in the eighties – and of the ones that did, most never became popular. The exception was Schmitt Stix with their 9 3/4″ x 36″ Yard Stix or “Yard Stick” deck. The one shown here is built with Indys (with rear Grind Master device), Powell T-Bones, plus rails and skid plate. You were almost guaranteed to see one of these at your local skate spot around ’87, ’88. Dudes doing drawn out sweepers with two sets of knee pads on.
Bob Schmelzer
This 7 ¼” x 27 ¼” Bob Schmelzer deck is typical of the freestyle specific decks made in the mid eighties. This was a self-produced model put out by the owner of the company who made it.
Per Welinder
Per Welinder rode for Powell Peralta as a freestyler in the eighties and his 7 ¼” x 27” pro model shown here is a flat single kick profile featuring graphic by Vernon Courtlandt Johnson, it was released in 1983.
Kevin Harris
Kevin Harris is a top-notch freestyle skater form Vancouver Canada who still kills it to this day. Kevin had two pro models on Powell Peralta, the 6 ¾” x 26 ¼” Mountie with Beaver and the 7 ¼” x 27” Beaver with Mountie – both released in the mid eighties. Also shown here is the rare 6 ¾” x 26 ¼” Kevin Harris guest model on Skull Skates, made in a limited quantity of only 100 pieces in 2006.
Lance Mountain
Likely one of the most versatile skaters to have ever ridden for Powell, Lance Mountain’s pro deck came in a full size and the mini 9” x 28 ½” shown here. Lance’s skating has taken him from curbs, jump ramps, pools, vert ramps and beyond. This set up is built with black hollow body Indys and OJ II wheels.
Powell – McGill
This is skateboarding at its candy-coated pinnacle. Some people feel as though Powell’s contribution to skating in the eighties was kind of lame; there’s no arguing that Powell skaters were capable of doing tricks, but their style is what seemed to be lacking. This hot pink Mike McGill is built with Ultra Tracker Six Tracks with copers and eye gouging pink Cross Bones wheels. It measures 9 3/4″ x 30″ and was endorsed by pro skateboarder Mike McGill who was originally from Florida.
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Powell – Guerrero
Tommy Guerrero is a San Francisco based skater who is credited with opening a lot of peoples eyes to street skating during a period when vert skating was still the dominating force. His 9 3/4″ x 29 3/4″ Guerrero pro model on Powell is shown here built with Gullwings and Powell 2 Rat wheels. This set up sports the mandatory rib bones and tail bone.
Powell – Cabellero
My favorite Cabellero deck is the original pig shape with the oval dragon graphic in silver or gold. Sorry, there isn’t one of those in the museum; instead we have this later eighties 9 5/8″ x 29 3/4″ cutaway shape still mint in the shrink-wrap. The Cabellerial is the best Cab trick and I remember first seeing the sequence in a magazine – it was a mind blower. This board features XT (extra tarpaper) construction, which was almost the undoing of Powell.
My favorite Cabellero deck is the original pig shape with the oval dragon graphic in silver or gold. Sorry, there isn’t one of those in the museum; instead we have this later eighties 9 5/8″ x 29 3/4″ cutaway shape still mint in the shrink-wrap. The Cabellerial is the best Cab trick and I remember first seeing the sequence in a magazine – it was a mind blower. This board features XT (extra tarpaper) construction, which was almost the undoing of Powell.
Dogtown – Aaron Murray
Aaron Murray was a Venice based skater who received the nickname “fingers” after reportedly tearing off a finger or two skating a rickety ramp somewhere. His model shape and graphics highlighted his personality displaying a number of skeletal fingers in the graphics as well as a serrated siderail shape for finger grabbage.
Aaron Murray was a Venice based skater who received the nickname “fingers” after reportedly tearing off a finger or two skating a rickety ramp somewhere. His model shape and graphics highlighted his personality displaying a number of skeletal fingers in the graphics as well as a serrated siderail shape for finger grabbage.
Alva – Bill Danforth
Bill Danforth’s tri-tail models on Alva were among the best selling skate decks in the eighties, due in large part to the nomadic lifestyle Bill led. There are two decks shown here: the original 10” x 30” Alva Danforth from the mid 80’s and the 9 ½” x 32” replica model put out by Bill’s company American Nomad in 2006.
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Alva – Chris Cook
Chris Cook was a gnarly pool skater in the eighties. He was one of the many hardcore skaters who was mentored and sponsored by Tony Alva during that time. The Alva team was unstoppable and all of the many models of decks seemed to sell well. The Chris Cook model shown here measures 10 1/4″ x 30″ and features small front wheel wells and pretty trippy looking graphics. Also shown is the 9 3/4″ x 29 1/4″ Chris Cook mini / street model.
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Alva – Craig Johnson
Craig Johnson was a Texas skater who rode for Zorlac before switching over to the Alva posse. His shape was one of the more interesting, it measures 10 1/4″ x 30 3/4″ and had a cutaway design with bumpy siderails near the tail. This deck also had a notable innovation, which was featured in the other Alva models at the time, the tri-tail. The tri-tail was a steep angled kicktail with a very defined kind of V or funnel shape. People who liked it swore by this configuration and it sold like crazy.
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Alva – Dave Duncan
Dave Duncan was another member of the Alva posse (one of the many with dreadlocks). He skated pools, ditches, vert, ramps, skateparks, etc. His model on Alva Skates measures 10″ x 30 1/2″ and featured a fishtail shape with bumpy grab handle siderails and a blunt nose. The Alva scratch graphic with the claw breaking through was the bomb – another reputable model from Alva Skates.
Dave Duncan was another member of the Alva posse (one of the many with dreadlocks). He skated pools, ditches, vert, ramps, skateparks, etc. His model on Alva Skates measures 10″ x 30 1/2″ and featured a fishtail shape with bumpy grab handle siderails and a blunt nose. The Alva scratch graphic with the claw breaking through was the bomb – another reputable model from Alva Skates.
Alva – John Gibson
Chris Cook was a gnarly pool skater in the eighties. He was one of the many hardcore skaters who was mentored and sponsored by Tony Alva during that time. The Alva team was unstoppable and all of the many models of decks seemed to sell well. The Chris Cook model shown here measures 10 1/4″ x 30″ and features small front wheel wells and pretty trippy looking graphics.
Alva – John Thomas
I can remember John Thomas (another dread) being the master of launch ramps and hoisting big contorted airs over parched asphalt on hot California day. John Thomas had a pro model on Alva Skates, which measured 10″ x 30 3/4″ and had a unique diamond tail / Coke bottle kind of shape. You had to hand it to Alva; they really had a wide variety of shapes in the tri-tails. This one is an airbrushed version.
I can remember John Thomas (another dread) being the master of launch ramps and hoisting big contorted airs over parched asphalt on hot California day. John Thomas had a pro model on Alva Skates, which measured 10″ x 30 3/4″ and had a unique diamond tail / Coke bottle kind of shape. You had to hand it to Alva; they really had a wide variety of shapes in the tri-tails. This one is an airbrushed version.
Alva – Jim Murphy
Jim Murphy A.K.A. “Murph” was another eighties pro skater who was sponsored by Alva skates, ripped, and had dreadlocks. Murph’s model measures 9 3/8″ x 29 1/2″ and I think this is a mini with a full version also being available. The example shown here is an airbrushed deck built with Hardcore trucks and City Street wheels. Just on the horizon there are signs of skateboarding slowing down.
Jim Murphy A.K.A. “Murph” was another eighties pro skater who was sponsored by Alva skates, ripped, and had dreadlocks. Murph’s model measures 9 3/8″ x 29 1/2″ and I think this is a mini with a full version also being available. The example shown here is an airbrushed deck built with Hardcore trucks and City Street wheels. Just on the horizon there are signs of skateboarding slowing down.
Alva – Fred Smith
Fred Smith had dreadlocks and rode for Alva Skates during the eighties. His regular size deck and the mini or “punk size” deck shown here were both popular models. This deck measures 9 1/2″ x 29 1/2″ and, like most minis at the time, was intended for street use while the full size models were designed for vert. Fred’s full size deck was called “The Loud One”, a reference to his outgoing personality. Fred was a solid skater just like everyone else in the Alva Posse.
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Alva – Posse
The Alva Posse deck measures 10” x 30 ½” and although it says street on the graphic it’s actually a full size deck formed from the Alva Tri-Tail concave. The coolest thing about this deck is the artwork, which shows scaled down versions of all the assorted Alva pro model graphics grouped together as a collage.
Phil E
Phil Espenshade is a skater from San Diego who was infamous for his mini ramp skill and for his skate zine called, “I’m Your Momma”. Phil’s model on Skull Skates is a large 10 ¼” x 32” (a couple of inches longer than most at the time) and is progressive in that is was one of the earliest decks with a very larger and pronounced kick nose.
Skull Skates – Double Kick
The 10”x 31” Skull Skates Double Kick is unique in that it’s a double ended design that pre-dated most double kicks by four or five years. The shape itself is very boxy and really looks like it has two tails and no nose. This deck was made in very small numbers and had a sister model known as the Double Time.
Skull Skates – Chili Peppers
By the late eighties skateboarding was officially in a slump due to parks closing, ramps coming down, and people generally losing interest. Some blame the magazines for focusing so much on vert and ignoring the underground street revolution, which had been brewing for awhile. The deck shown here is the 10″ x 33″ Chili Peppers Octopus deck, which shows a progression into a narrower tail and an over all stretched out shape more suited to street skating and overall skating as opposed to vert only.
By the late eighties skateboarding was officially in a slump due to parks closing, ramps coming down, and people generally losing interest. Some blame the magazines for focusing so much on vert and ignoring the underground street revolution, which had been brewing for awhile. The deck shown here is the 10″ x 33″ Chili Peppers Octopus deck, which shows a progression into a narrower tail and an over all stretched out shape more suited to street skating and overall skating as opposed to vert only.
Diehard II
By later in the eighties, Skull Skates released an updated version of the original pig shaped Diehard. The Diehard 2 had a squaretail and mild cutaway rails and measured 10” x 31”. Shown are two different versions, one cut from a Tub Tech 2 mold and the other a Tub Tech 3 concave.
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Ricky Stiles
Ricky Stiles is a powerhouse pool skater from Orange County that has two very limited production models on Skull Skates in the late 80’s. The deck shown here is a 10” x 32” cutaway shape cut from the Tub Tech 3 concave. There was also a mini version, which was a narrower and pointier shape.
Dan Tag
The 10 ¼” x 33” Skull Skates Dan Tag deck is a large board released in the late 80’s and cut from the Tub Tech 3 concave (pronounced concave, nose, tail and mid section kick). The roughly illustrated graphics are of a tattered flag and the template shape is an original outline with cool nose shape.
Blockhead – Sam Cunningham
As the eighties drew to a close, skateboard shapes continued to morph from the fat vert shapes towards the more streamlined street shapes. Also, skating was in a transition stage with mini ramps and ditches, etc. serving as the middle ground between the twelve-foot deep skatepark bowl and a street curb. This 9 7/8″ x 33″ Blockhead, Sam Cunningham, is another good example of a vert shape becoming a street shape. Along with the new template shapes, came longer and steeper nose kicks.
As the eighties drew to a close, skateboard shapes continued to morph from the fat vert shapes towards the more streamlined street shapes. Also, skating was in a transition stage with mini ramps and ditches, etc. serving as the middle ground between the twelve-foot deep skatepark bowl and a street curb. This 9 7/8″ x 33″ Blockhead, Sam Cunningham, is another good example of a vert shape becoming a street shape. Along with the new template shapes, came longer and steeper nose kicks.
