Italian Craftsmanship
Italian
Craftsmanship
Every fingerboard Jeremy builds carries two things: 40 years of skating knowledge, and an Italian's refusal to ship anything he isn't proud of.
Jeremy. Italian by origin. Skater by life.
Jeremy has been skating for 40 years. Not casually — seriously, obsessively, the way Italians approach things they care about. He grew up in a culture where the difference between good and excellent is considered worth arguing about over dinner.
That sensibility followed him into the workshop. When he started building fingerboards in Ho Chi Minh City, he brought the same standards he'd learned watching Italian artisans — furniture makers, leatherworkers, stone carvers — work with their hands. The idea that craft deserves to be done correctly, or not at all.
Every board leaves the workshop having passed through Jeremy's hands at every stage. There's no production line. There's no "close enough." 15,000+ boards shipped. A 4.8★ average across 5,400+ verified reviews. A defect rate below 0.5%.
Those numbers don't happen by accident. They happen because of where Jeremy comes from.
"In Italy, we have a word — artigianato. It means craftsmanship, but it also means the pride that comes from making something properly. Every board I build, I build as an Italian. That standard doesn't switch off."— Jeremy, founder & sole craftsperson, Saigon Skateboards
The Process
Six stages. All manual. All done by Jeremy. This is what Italian craftsmanship looks like in a fingerboard workshop.
Wood Selection
It begins with touch. Each sheet of Canadian maple is checked by hand — grain direction, moisture content, density. Exotic woods like ebony, bird's eye maple, and white ash are assessed one piece at a time. If the wood isn't right, it doesn't become a board. Simple as that.
Precision Cutting
Veneers are cut to exact dimensions — 11cm × 4cm — then arranged in a strict 5-ply sequence (3 vertical, 2 horizontal) that balances strength with flex. The grain orientation is deliberate, not random. This is the skeleton of everything that follows.
Pressing
Titebond Ultimate adhesive is applied with even pressure across every surface. Then the stack goes under a 32-tonne press. Temperature and humidity are actively controlled: 40–45°C, humidity at or below 60%, wood stored at 11%. Glue bonds formed under these conditions last a lifetime.
Shaping
A wood router traces the board's profile. Then begins the part no machine can replace: hand-sanding in progressive grits, up to 4,000. Each pass is tactile. You feel the board becoming what it should be. This is where Italian patience lives — in the grits.
Finishing
Two finish options — lacquer (high gloss, protective, preferred by most riders) or beeswax (matte, smooth, prized by collectors). Both applied using strict, repeatable protocols. The finish determines how the board looks in five years, not just the day it ships.
Final Inspection
Every board receives a 30-minute personal inspection before it's packed. Jeremy checks each stage — press, shape, finish, hardware. Defect rate sits below 0.5% because problems are caught at step one, not step six. Only boards that pass leave the workshop.
The Materials
No mass-produced blanks, no mystery wood. Jeremy selects and inspects every material that enters the workshop.
Canadian Maple
The industry standard for a reason — tight, consistent grain, optimal stiffness-to-weight ratio, and proven durability under the stress of fingerboarding.
Ebony
One of the densest hardwoods on earth. Deep black, almost oily in feel, with a natural smoothness that needs minimal finishing. Weight and authority you notice immediately.
Bird's Eye Maple
Rare figuring caused by abnormal growth — every sheet is genuinely one-of-a-kind. Visual drama without sacrificing structural integrity. Each board is photographed for authenticity records.
White Ash & Mahogany
Ash brings a pronounced grain and more flex — preferred by riders who want a board that responds to pressure. Mahogany adds warmth in both colour and feel.
Bamboo
Lighter and more flexible, with a clean aesthetic. No endangered species, no compromise on performance. One of the strongest natural materials in fingerboard construction.
Titebond Ultimate
Professional-grade wood glue with superior water and heat resistance. Applied under controlled conditions — the boards don't delaminate.
The Workshop
Dedicated workshop in Ho Chi Minh City — purpose-built for fingerboard production
Active temperature control throughout — because wood behaves differently in heat
Workshop humidity kept below 60%; wood stored in climate-controlled cabinets at 11% moisture
These aren't vanity specs. Wood absorbs moisture. An uncontrolled environment creates boards that warp, delaminate, or lose flex consistency within months. Controlling the environment is controlling the quality.
Custom 1-of-1 Boards
Every standard board is individual. Custom boards are in a category of their own.
Custom 1-of-1s let you specify everything: wood species, veneer layup, concave depth and profile, graphic treatment, laser engraving, hand-painting by Huong (Jeremy's wife, who paints each piece as original art). No two are alike. Every custom is photographically documented for authenticity.
Lead time is seven days. Price is double the standard equivalent — because the process is double the work, and the result is genuinely irreplaceable.
International buyers who understand handmade goods understand the value immediately.
Enquire About a Custom Board- Wood species: Your choice from our full selection
- Concave: Custom depth and profile to your preference
- Laser engraving: Text, graphics, or patterns on deck surface
- Hand-painting: Original art by Huong, painted by hand
- Veneer layup: 5-ply configuration specified to order
- Lead time: 7 days from deposit confirmation
- Documentation: Full photo record — proof of authenticity
What You Actually Get
A board that performs
Controlled glue bonds, precise veneer orientation, and hand-sanding to 4,000 grit produce consistent pop, stable flex, and a surface that responds predictably under your fingers.
A board that lasts
Workshop humidity control and premium adhesives mean the boards don't warp or delaminate. Customers in humid climates — Philippines, Southeast Asia, Australia — report boards holding their shape for years.
A board with a story
You know exactly who built it, what wood is inside, and how many pairs of hands touched it (one). That provenance is increasingly rare — and for collectors and serious riders, it's what makes a board worth keeping.
A board backed by real expertise
40 years of skating means Jeremy knows how a fingerboard should feel before he starts building one. He's not guessing at specs. He's translated his own riding knowledge into the boards he makes.
Shop boards built the Italian way.
Browse the full collection — standard completes, individual components, or reach out about a fully custom 1-of-1.
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