I've been fingerboarding since childhood, I guess starting around 6 or so. So, 2002? I was tech deck obsessed and I really loved the mini tech decks. I had some sick old tech decks ramps that I wish I still had. Then around 5th grade, so 2005 I guess I started to find out about real fingerboarding. I had already learned stuff because as a kid my friend had that old school tech deck VHS that showed the guy doing all the tricks. Like many, I learned the 360 flip first and then kick flip. I also remember watching mike schneider's "how to kick flip" video religiously at the beginning. But then everything changed when I watched Alex McMillan's part in MNO.

So then I basically became obsessed with Alex McMillan's style. I became a master of nollie 360 flips because he made them look so legit. Then, my first wood fingerboard was the first edition Fapwood (made by Taylor Lucas). I still have it but that thing is beat to shit and the griptape on it is homemade, so needless to say it may need upgrading.
I got back into the scene in the past few months as tech deck has recently been making considerably bigger boards. I've never had wheels with bearings as back in my day Mike and Winkler were the only people producing them, but cost has gone down much.
If anyone has any recommendations for cheap starter decks and wheels, let me know.

welcome! Alex McMillan is a legend. I had a Fapwood also, loved it. I would recommend browsing the company section of this forum, plenty of good decks for cheap! As for wheels, Flatface all the way man.. don't waste money on cheap china bearing wheels. For trucks i would get blackriver or tech deck wides if you don't want to spend the cash on blackriver trucks. you can find wide tech deck ones on amazon, just search around for the longboards with the right kind. unless you are using a deck thats not wide, then you can just get some dump trucks from flatface.

I stopped fnigerboarding in '08 when I left to college, but started in '99 when I got my first Tech Deck, and was instantly obsessed. I was 9 years old (now 26). Was on the TD forums constantly, and then fingerboarderz.net, Red Zone, and FFI. These communities still hold a soft spot in my heart (yes, even the TD forums. They were all an integral part of my childhood).

I believe my first non-TD board was a plexiglass Sunnyside board by Scott Hetkowski (watched the Sunnyside video "Thursday" CONSTANTLY). I really miss those days a lot. Moshmelloz, all D-Rods (who used to be my favorite fingerboarder for sure) obstacle how-tos, the hundreds of bushing companies. There was a lot of ambition in the kids back then and I'm really glad to see that ambition never ceased. The scene is looking great.

Speaking of videos, though, anyone know of someone who could get ahold of any of the older full-lengths like Sunnyside's "Thursday", 907's "Oh" and "Timekeeper", Vegas's "Lights Out", etc? I could use a full dose of nostalgia.

not sure about those videos you posted but try this link for some older full lengths http://www.fingerflipinc.com/forum/index.php?topic=24289.0

I started fingerboarding back in 2008 when I used to get a bunch of Tech Deck's for Christmas, I then had gotten a Tech Deck Plan B R-Shecks Warehouse set from my uncle, then it followed then.. My first wooden fingerboard was from Dooby Decks in 2009, I had gotten 3 of them from him in a trade, I wasn't into skate grip or things like rip or fbs, I had super glued some grit sandpaper and superglued my trucks as well.. Then followed my No Comply T1 with Roll 9's, my first legit setup.. I had a redemption agape, then a bunch of China decks, a couple yellowoods, etc..

But I came from around No Comply and Redemption days.. Not when Instagram was around.. When I was always being banned from FBC haha.. Good old times, nice to see other peoples stories!

Man, I remember NC and Redemption. Solid companies.

meekin wrote:

not sure about those videos you posted but try this link for some older full lengths http://www.fingerflipinc.com/forum/index.php?topic=24289.0

You are golden.

Dang, I feel old. Picked up fingerboarding around '97 & stopped around '99. First started making fingerboards out of whatever I could find. I remember being so psyched when you could start finding tech decks in normal stores like Wal-Mart! Then picked it back up again about a month ago! Wish I had never stopped. Glad I picked it back up. SO FUN!

Me I made fingerobarding in 1846

Turnt wrote:

Me I made fingerobarding in 1846

Damn lmao

Anyway, I started in 2012 and have been going on and off until now. I only occasionally used to browse ffi a few years back as a guest. So far ive been fingerboarding for a year straight. So not for that long

Sup dudes. Just made an account. You guys making me feel like im cool and shit. Haha.

I signed up for the techdeck forums in like 2002 or 2003. I forget. One of my earliest idols was Phils Savage. Always thought his videos were very interesting. I remember watching some stuff posted by Jader Muller as well back then.

Anyone remember Raymond Rivera? He really made a mark back in the day with Vegas decks.

Hey Alex,

It's Simon (Scartledge) from way back in the FFI days.It's cool to see you back around as we're totally the same 'era'!

Hope you're well man.

damn @SiCar i didn't even realize you were Scartledge from FFI, i definitely remember you haha.

but i think we are both from the era when there was no such thing as a "professional fingerboarder"

I don't know if this post has been too long dormant to post without conflict, but I came into fingerboarding back in like 2005 or so. I remember my first wooden fingerboard was a Primo deck, and I soon after got a set of Flatface G2 wheels. I remember the Primo cost $5, and the G2's cost $12. That was back when USPS tracking numbers were the new thing, and people would wait up to two weeks for their stuff from time to time, since there was no way to prove that someone had shipped the deck, other than show a picture of a receipt. lol. I also remember the day that everyone blew the hell up because Taylor Rosenbauer bought $5G's worth of BRR

Andrew U wrote:

I don't know if this post has been too long dormant to post without conflict, but I came into fingerboarding back in like 2005 or so. I remember my first wooden fingerboard was a Primo deck, and I soon after got a set of Flatface G2 wheels. I remember the Primo cost $5, and the G2's cost $12. That was back when USPS tracking numbers were the new thing, and people would wait up to two weeks for their stuff from time to time, since there was no way to prove that someone had shipped the deck, other than show a picture of a receipt. lol. I also remember the day that everyone blew the hell up because Taylor Rosenbauer bought $5G's worth of BRR

Andrew Ungren?

Yeah. I believe that I remember you from the weed thread. hows it going?

Andrew U wrote:

Yeah. I believe that I remember you from the weed thread. hows it going?

LOL I remember that thread. That was a legendary thread. Been good though man how bout you? You still fingerboarding?

Indeed it was. Myes... I'm glad to hear you're doing well my dude. I still fingerboard, not as often since I have a full time job, and spend most of my other time learning the Forex markets. But I recently went on buying spree and got a few new setups that I'm stoked about, as well as a bike rack so I can try to put down some heat haha. you?

Andrew U wrote:

Indeed it was. Myes... I'm glad to hear you're doing well my dude. I still fingerboard, not as often since I have a full time job, and spend most of my other time learning the Forex markets. But I recently went on buying spree and got a few new setups that I'm stoked about, as well as a bike rack so I can try to put down some heat haha. you?

Haha good to hear you're still at it man. Always nice to hear when someone around back then is still fingerboarding as well. I'm pretty good though. Going to school, working, just been pretty busy. Still find time to sesh though in my free time.

I hear that. I find myself playing with it when I'm nervous too, not even sesh just bust flip tricks on my leg or whatever is there. Although nothing has changed about me loving all the new products out now.

the ffi weed thread... still can't believe they deleted that thread.. good times

Were you there too?! Did you have a different SN?

I'm always messing around with my setup when I'm watching tv or doing homework or whatever haha. And yeah there's a lot to keep up with nowadays, so many more companies than there used to be.

lol that weed thread was so good, totally forgot about that

true that, man. It seems like nowadays there are so many generic knockoffs of orignal stuff like Flatface and Blackriver lol. So fingerboarding aside, where ylu working and what are you studying?