French Furniture designer Hervet-Manufacturier makes some really interesting looking angular furniture the looks like it what people thought the future was going to look like in the 70’s. It’s got a heavy Space 1999 vibe to it. And of course they also make some expensive hardwood retro “artisanal” cruisers. While they were at it, they released a formica laminated, laser engraved, limited edition Daft Punk skateboard that sold for $288. Hervet-Manyfacturier went with a retro mail order catalog inspired promo image, while Daft Punk’s chose a glossy 70’s skatemag style advertisement. [Source: DesignBoom] – Thanks to MC for the tip.

Dave Bergthold started Blockhead skateboards in his garage in 1985. Since then he’s had a kid, worked on the TV show Built to Shred and had a minor relaunch of Blockhead handful of years ago. While there are bigger plans for the Blockhead brand in the works, Bergthold just is launching a new project called the Skate Crate via Kickstarter. It’s an updated version of the fruit crate scooter, the forefather of the skateboard. It’s essentially a vintage styled cruiser with a removable crate and handle bars attached. There are three graphics available, blue you have the option to design and build your own. Because it’s a Kickstarter project, there are some cool incentives to donate, including Blockhead t-shirts and a great looking cruiser in it’s own right.

Gold Cup Skateboards comes to you from the mind of Lance Mountain. The boards are all made in U.S.A. and distributed by NHS. The product looks fully flushed out, right down to the “Power Slider” tail blocks. It’s not all retro nostalgia. Well maybe it is actually, but they do seem to be built with functionality in mind, as long as you are OK with a bizarro Streets of Fire ( Note “of” not “on” fire ) scenario where the technology of the future is wildly available in the past. It’s as if somebody forked a parallel universe on GitHub where certain niche technologies and fashions remained the same while the rest of the world advanced. Maybe they can get a young William Dafoe on the team. It’s a strange but interesting time in skateboarding. You can basically buy skateboard technology form any past generation right now. I can’t think of a similar scenario in any other sport. Imagine a football team where everyone decided to wear the old leather style helmets. I suppose you can still buy a basic wooden tennis racket. Maybe it’s just that skateboard styles and technology are more distinct through the ages.

The late 70’s gave birth to the plexiglass skateboard. They were fashion over function, more heavy but cool looking. I always wanted one. Somebody over at Pleasant Home made their own. There are no instructions, but I imagine it’s simple enough. Cut it out of thick plexiglass and heat up the tail with a torch and bend it over a pipe. My plexiglass working knowledge is limited to something I saw on TV once, or imagined I did, so take it with a grain of salt. I do know you need a extra fine tooth saw blade to cut it. I’m not sure how that works with a jigsaw though. The old plexiglass board I remember appeared to be molded rather than cut from a solid sheet. Maybe they weren’t technically plexiglass. I wonder if this board is too flexible. Come on Pleasant Home, let’s have a tutorial. That kicktail needs help.

Normally I’d be all over something like this, but I like the board so much that I don’t feel compelled to ridicule the optional equipment shown, namely the $25 aluminum scooter handle. I mean, If you are going to ride a scooter-skate, you don’t want to risk getting hurt on some cheap toy… Right? I think I can see where they are coming from on this, and that means I’m in a weird place right now…. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for these old solid aluminum decks, and I am solidly behind manufacturing a liquor store board that happens to be a near museum quality reproduction. This would probably fall under the movie prop category, since the wheels look the part, but have been upgraded to center set bearings so you could actually turn at speed without feeling like the wheels were about to blow out . The firm known as Roger Brothers Downhill makes these, as well as a surprising host of other machined products, including a skateboard deck with a built in bottle opener (where the skyhooks would go…) Now I’m definitely a fan.