When my six year old boy looks at the picture of a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, he likes it. He wants it. He knows nothing about the prestige or image of owning one of these makes. He does not care about the performance, top speed or horse power. He just sees it and wants it. On some level things that are beautiful just have an eye catching correctness that inspires our imagination.

This is how I felt the first time I saw one of Gary Hogue's hand planes. The magical pieces of wood, glass and resin all fit together somehow to create a ‘thing’ that I want. It happens that I am into handplanes and surfboard design but I believe that to be a coincidence. The design, craftsmanship and finish look like nothing I have seen before.

A tip of the hat to the Greenough Spoon with this beauty.

A tip of the hat to the Greenough Spoon with this beauty.

Signed by the man himself.

Naturally I had to find out more. Which was impossible without contacting Gary through good old Instagram. Luckily, he said that he would give us some time so we could learn more. Here is how it went down.

Hey Gary, thanks a lot for taking the time to talk to us at Surf Bunker, I literally don’t know where to start.

SB: Can you give us some background on how it came to be that you make this highly functional stoke gathering equipment?

Gary: First of all, thank you for that gracious introduction and compliments. And how cool is Instagram? It has connected and given a voice to millions. In this case my voice is my creations. And that is in a way where my story begins. I had tried for years to get some sort of creative traction but nothing ever felt right or lasted. I had been an unmotivated and uninspired backyard shaper for 30 years. I would do a couple boards a year at most.

Super cleanlines, subtle and reminds us of a Supercar's bonnet (hood)

Super cleanlines, subtle and reminds us of a Supercar's bonnet (hood)

Then came Instagram. Not long after I began 'grammin I moved from Newport Beach down in The OC up to San Francisco. A few people at my new job heard I shaped surfboards and asked me to teach them. I thought it would be cool to demonstrate and practice on something smaller than a stand up surfboard, so I created a large handplane template. I made the blanks big enough to allow you to shape real rails. I had so much fun shaping it that I decided to glass it and then I posted it on Insta and I got a positive response. That encouragement, mated with the very convenient scale of handplanes, was just the key I needed. @stoke_farmer was born.

Bringing back past designs from the colourful days of surfboard design. Stunning.

Bringing back past designs from the colourful days of surfboard design. Stunning.

SB: It looks to me that some of the shapes of your handplanes are based on surfboard templates of the past and present?

Gary: That is an interesting observation. I've also heard drug induced, alien intervention, channeling, that I am alien lol ... . That's the beauty of art. Everyone sees something different and the longer and harder you look, the more you see. That said, I think it was only natural that I was inspired by what was familiar to me. Boards and shapers of various generations are a part of my fabric. I am also heavily influenced by boats and Hawaiian/Polynesian canoes. I am on number 70 something of just handplanes. Each one has been a sort of iteration from the last. It might be on the shape or a new material or a new manufacturing process, but they all feel like one continuous creation to me.

In the rear, looks, like a nod to Bob Simmons planing hull. Lis Fish in front.

In the rear, looks, like a nod to Bob Simmons planing hull. Lis Fish in front.

SB: Can you tell us a bit about the process of construction starting with the design and imagining?

Gary: This may come as a surprise but I very rarely "see" the board before I start. I may have a vague idea that I have rendered but I know that once I start shaping it just sort of reveals itself. However, I do have some specific hulls for specific conditions. So, say if the board is going to be used at the Wedge, I would have that in my mind the entire time I am shaping because that place is a "take no prisoners" sort of wave. I would focus on that board being 100% performance then try to make it beautiful too. But a board for a mellower wave would permit me to focus more on aesthetic elements too.

Our personal favourite, classic and timeless.

Our personal favourite, classic and timeless.

I also like to experiment with new materials so how they behave will often determine my direction. Which is often in reverse cuz I screw things up all the time when I try new things. i.e. I was using something called peel ply on a fin laminate. It is a material that is designed to leave a clean surface on your laminate. Anyways, I was peeling it off my cured laminate, and I peeled the entire laminate off one side of the fin cuz I wasn't paying attention... I am constantly doing things like that because I am always trying new untried things and materials. I could never shape the same board over and over. I respect the people who do. You can see that they have mastered it. Its also a lot less headaches and surprises for them ... .

A Steve Lis style extra channelled twinny handplane.

A Steve Lis style extra channelled twinny handplane.

SB: Where do you get your inspiration for the designs?

Gary: I feel like inspiration is the most misunderstood element of creativity. People feel that inspiration is something that suddenly comes to you. But it's not like that at all. Inspiration is like a living being. It starts life so small as to be "invisible". It starts in that first picture you snap, or that first poem you write, or that first brush stroke of paint or that first dance move. Inspiration grows as you feed it with more poetry or dance or shaping. The longer you do it the healthier your inspiration becomes. Most people do something till it isn't fun, then they stop. But truly great art works and human achievements are only ever the result of continuing to feed that hidden inspiration when you're totally sick and tired of what you are creating. A masterpiece is only possible with years of drudgery. I'm on my 35th year and have yet to create my masterpiece ... .

Some very cool creations of Gary's

Some very cool creations of Gary's

SB: How would we purchase (if possible) one of these pieces for use? If so, how much and how long?

Gary: Ha! I have an unusual system. It goes like this: You commission me to create a piece for you. I agree under the following stipulations. I have complete artistic say (after all, that is the only reason I do this). I would do my best to ascertain your skill level, the waves you ride and then create something accordingly. My price will likely be 2-3 times that of other custom shapers (but the complexity and labor of my boards may be 5-10X that of other custom shapers) I give a price which will shock you and that I will regret as being too cheap for all the work I am about to do. I have learned to ask if there are any colors or shapes that one hates so I can avoid them, but other than that I just do what I do and y'all get the finished product. Of course I take a great deal of pride in what I do, so it will always be just a little bit better than the last one I made ... .

This little beauty waiting it's turn to get out there.

This little beauty waiting it's turn to get out there.

SB: In your opinion, what was the most influential surfboard innovation in history?

Gary: Hmmm, I'd have to say the leash. It took surfing from an artful water dance that was as much about how you kicked out and "finished" the ride, and turned surfing into a mob of clunky reckless flailing kooks. (of which I am one)

When I was a kid we didn't use leashes. They were for kooks. But eventually the kooks got more rides than us and they started to surpass in us in skill from the shear volume of rides they would get. So we caved, lol.

A few years ago I met this guy Brian Himlan of @longshipdesign in Santa Cruz. He makes these lovely wood handplanes and paipos. He had some handplanes without straps and that piqued my curiosity.

While looking at Brian's boards I couldn't help but wonder if being strapless would offer that same unobstructed freedom of being leashless so I've been messing around with that. I think there is something there. It's like the kids who took the bindings off their snow boards. It opens things up to new possibilities ... .

Speaking of innovations, I feel that handplanes are going to have a subtle but powerful impact on surfing. The small scale and relatively simple performance perimeters makes creating them accessible to almost anyone. Granted they aren't always that sophisticated, but I am stoked to see so many people exploring making their own handplanes. It's gotten people into being imaginative and creative. Some are even pushing the perimeters of performance bodysurfing, while others have graduated to shaping surfboards. The other cool thing about handplanes is how little is expected of them. They just need to plane when and where you want them too. Of course you can optimize those two performance perimeters to an infinite degree, but for the most part it is that simple. That openness has translated into a freedom of design/use exploration that isn't possible in board surfing. I think you will begin to see some interesting hull and rail theories come from handplanes that will benefit surfboards.

The master shaper, Gary Hogue in his element. Making.

The master shaper, Gary Hogue in his element. Making.

SB: What are your thoughts on the globalization of surfboards and copy machines?

Gary: Oh man, that is a loaded question. Let me ask you something ... if you had to choose between a local veteran handshaper who was just churning out boards that weren't really innovative in any way, shape or form, or choose from a Chinese kid that has never surfed a day in his life but is on the cutting edge of manufacturing and materials technology and he reads every thing he could find on shaping, board design and performance, watched every video etc etc... who would you want to shape your next board? It's not an easy answer for me. I shape everything by hand, but I have helped others create files for machine shaping and you know what? It's the same exact process, only it's done on a screen before hand. Imho people who try to protect nostalgia and tradition at the expense of healthy growth are the problem. Sure, some things are worth preserving but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be improved upon when a better way is discovered. Would you rather paddle to Indo or take a jet? The only thing sacred to me is "creating". Create with old methods or new. Just keep creating and supporting those, near and far, who are also creating.

Two Greenough Spoon inspired handplanes.

Two Greenough Spoon inspired handplanes.

Showcasing different constructions.

SB: If you could give some advice (surf related) to an 18 year old you what would it be?

Gary: Two things; 1) Whatever you do, stick with it. Even when you hate it. It could be shaping or playing guitar or running marathons. Just stick with it. Life is way more complicated than it ever has been and I often see young people paralyzed at how daunting it is to navigate the world. By sticking with something and getting really good at it benefits EVERYTHING and creates a remarkably robust foundation to build other things on. 1) don't quit. 2) technology technology technology technology. Get in on it. Sure, shape by hand but learn how to use technology too. The line between the two is fading and it will be cool to be a part of human/AI design and shaping.

This dude is called Henry.

This dude is called Henry.

SB: A great 'taa' to Gary who really is at the top of the game as far as creating new and interesting functional handplanes. I can feel myself being tempted by the elusive price tag and I love the fact that you get what you get at the end, this shows true innovation during the creation process.  I think that Garry also has an interesting view on automation and does not baulk at the idea of technology and looks upon it as enhancing the design and creation process, whereas others may see it as a replacing them.

I find myself now wanting something from the @stoke_farmer more than ever, let's show a pic of these to my six year old. Yep, now he wants one too. And a Lamborghini. Doh.

A Steve Lis style extra channelled twinny handplane.

A Steve Lis style extra channelled twinny handplane.

A tip of the hat to the Greenough Spoon with this beauty.

A tip of the hat to the Greenough Spoon with this beauty.

Signed by the man himself.

Gary, testing a creation. Stoked.

Gary, testing a creation. Stoked.

Some very cool creations of Gary's

Some very cool creations of Gary's

Super cleanlines, subtle and reminds us of a Supercar's bonnet (hood)

Super cleanlines, subtle and reminds us of a Supercar's bonnet (hood)

Two Greenough Spoon inspired handplanes.

Two Greenough Spoon inspired handplanes.

Showcasing different constructions.

A brace of individual and functional pieces of art.

A brace of individual and functional pieces of art.

Bringing back past designs from the colourful days of surfboard design. Stunning.

Bringing back past designs from the colourful days of surfboard design. Stunning.

This little beauty waiting it's turn to get out there.

This little beauty waiting it's turn to get out there.

Our personal favourite, classic and timeless.

Our personal favourite, classic and timeless.

The master shaper, Gary Hogue in his element. Making.

The master shaper, Gary Hogue in his element. Making.

In the rear, looks, like a nod to Bob Simmons planing hull. Lis Fish in front.

In the rear, looks, like a nod to Bob Simmons planing hull. Lis Fish in front.

This dude is called Henry.

This dude is called Henry.

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