Extinction Skateboards: Death Angel
Ok you’ve got your Sigafoos model. Also available is the very cool Death Angel, which is a retro shape reminiscent of the old Santa Cruz Claus Grabke. The art is also don by Ken Sigafoos. The picture here doesn’t do it justice. You’ll have to go to the Extinction web site to see a large version of the graphic. The concave on the Death Angel appears to be the same as the Sigafoos model, so it’s got a bit of a modern update with an upturned nose. Even though it’s got a retro shape, it’s still performs like a more conventional deck and not some unwieldy tank. It’s pretty sharp looking in person.
Dimensions 31.5″ x 9.5″
6″ Nose – 6.5″ Tail – 14.5″ Wheelbase
7 ply Canadian Maple made in the USA.
Hold on, there might some of you out there who are asking, “Who the hell is Ken Sigafoos?” Well, if it’s not your bedtime already… Ken, is “a former Brand-X and Triple X pro rider, and has been responsible for more skate graphics and punk album covers than he can remember.” Ever heard of the Faction? Need more info? There’s a short piece on negativeion.com. I love obscure companies, especially when they have a tie to the eighties. So I had a few questions for the guilty party, Scott.
How long has the company been around? I started it up in 2004. It took me quite awhile to get a board manufacturer who would work with the shape, size, and full coverage artwork. Ken worked on the graphics for about 3-4 months getting it to where I wanted it. He was great to work with.
What’s the inspiration for the name? I have always been into dinosaurs & fossils since I was a little kid and a few years ago, I was skating a park on an old Alva Craig Johnson, and some of the little kids kept calling me a dinosaur. I told them that in a few years I’d be extinct and they’d have the park to themselves. I started out with the idea of making boards for the 80’s era ‘dinosaurs” and the name Extinction had a cool ring to it.
What is your background in skating? I started skating in the early 80’s. Mostly riding street and the occasional quarterpipe. Toward the late 80’s I was able tro travel around the east coast skating all the great spots of the time. PA Cheapskates, Trashmore, OC MD, Houston, Jeff Philips park and to many to name. I came from the same area as Ken & Jay Sigafoos, & Rob Mertz.
So is Sigafoos part of the company or is he helping out with the art? Ken is just the artist. He’s a great artist and was really stoked to get his work on a board again. I was pretty excited myself that he agreed to let me re-release his classic Brand-X graphic on Extinction. Ken is still skating and works as a tattoo artist in Easton, PA. You can check out a sample of his stuff at www.remarkablescientificbreakthrough.com. After Ken is done with the art, another skate friend of mine from way back, Steven Raniszewski, handles all the graphic duties getting everything ready for the manufacturer. I’d be screwed without his generous help & friendship.
What are your plans for new releases? I’m currently working on a graphic that I’ll release on 3 contemporary sizes, and I’ve also been working on another 80’s era shape. Some more shirts, and I toyed with the idea of a wheel line, but it’s pretty tough to compete with what’s out there now, so I’ll stick with boards.
So there you have it. You can’t go wrong with one of these decks. High quality for an unbelievably good price, and you’ll be supporting a small company. Do it! Check out Ken’s art too, it’s got a really great Burroughs-meets-Warhol vibe. Oh, and Winston Smith. Yeah, everyone’s an art critic.
