The Air Bender
Surfing the Air Bender from Treefort Lifestyles on Vimeo.
Last summer we started making our own leather debossed logos out of donated scrap leather. Throughout this process we decided to experiment and craft a leather window surfboard. After testing out a number of different prototypes we found the right combination of thickness, structure and shape to allow the board to bend the air with ease.
The Air Bender is a labor of Love. After spending 8 months testing shapes and learning how to construct the board out of leather, we are happy with the final product. Each board is handcrafted in the Treefort garage by co-owner Jeff Curry.
Crafting leather has been a learning process but with trial and error we found the end result to feel like a handcrafted leather wallet. We start with a light weight veg-tanned leather hide and press out two surfboards on our 1 ton arbor press. One addition thicker piece of leather is pressed out, contoured with a skiver and sanded for the center of the board. This piece gives the boards stability and creates a real life surfboard shape. The top and the bottom of the surfboard are then hand dyed, treated and stamped with our logos.
Next we glue the thicker hide into the middle of the air bender and glue the top and bottom of the surfboard together. Once the board is dried we add a heavy duty stitch and punch in the hole for the waxed cord necklace. The edges are finished by sanding and burnishing with a custom leather tool. After the edges are competed we add on a 50" waxed cotton cord and tie two slip knots for an adjustable necklace and safety leash.
The Air Bender is easy and fun to use. Next time you are on a long road trip, loops the wax cord around your wrist (make sure the knot is facing outwards) and surf it our your window. In case you fall off your board, the safety leash will catch the board and the leather will not scratch your car. The design allows you to bend and shape the leather into the perfect shape for surfing. Once you get comfortable with your stance, tricks and slashes become as natural as surfing the air with your hand.
If you would like a chance to win an Air Bender for you summer adventures, head over to our instagram page and enter our Window Surfboard Giveaway @treefortlifestyles.
