ENTER TO WIN A TIM STAMPS BOARD WITH CHRIS DEL MORO!http://surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/tim-stamps-giveaway-profile/Chris: When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up? Stamps: Laughs… I liked making things, my dad always made things and I held wrenches while he built race boats and other nifty crafts. I always knew I wanted to work with my hands. Stamps: This is hard stuff…Fidgets with planer, thinks… What led to it was growing up around the back of a surf shop, old days style. Being a kid, surfing and being on a so-called team. I was exposed to being around custom shapes and learning to fix my own dings and I had a natural aptitude towards fixing and building things, which I got from my dad. It went from doing some dings, to spraying, to laminating and eventually I was shaping surfboards and it kind of stuck. Chris: Who would you consider as a mentor in your shaping career? Stamps: As a mentor, someone who gave his craft to me is Rich Harbour. That’s where I learned to shape and the basics of design. Being a surfer myself and taking what I learned from him, has led to my own form of design. Chris: Your considered one of the best surfer/shapers on any coast, what advantage do you think this brings to your customers? Stamps: Who considers that? I’m still stunned by the first part of the question, what did you say? Thinks awhile…I think I have the advantage of taking an idea or concept adding my style to it, taking it for a surf, feeling it under my feet and then understanding if it’s a keeper or a dud. I do ride every shape, which I think is an advantage, because I know what’s it’s doing. I then send it out to various test pilots to insure it’s been through a few generations before the average customer orders one. Chris: If you could be one person in history, who would it be and why? Stamps: Oh wow, that’s kind of creepy. I wouldn’t want to be him forever, but I would like to see what’s happening in Einstein’s head. He’s really creative and smart. Stamps: I’d like to have the surf heritage museum at the beach one day, then I could ride everything from classic longboards to shorter weird things. Doesn’t that seem like a dream. Stamps: I love chocolate chip cookies! Stamps: I shaped a weird mid concave short board 10 years ago that was a take off a Greenough spoon. It had moments of brilliance. Chris: What’s the most important aspect of a surfboard? Stamps: I think the most important aspect, is the total package. You have to have everything working together to have the board work right. Rocker, volume, rails, fins, need to all work as one. Chris: Is there a certain design or way of surfing that currently motivates you. Stamps: All types of surfing motivate me, I’m interested in riding and shaping boards that allow you to surf the way you envision surfing. Chris: What percent of the boards you shape are PU and what % are epoxy? Stamps: I’d say I’m doing 40% epoxy. It goes through waves, sometimes I don’t think I’m going to make another one, then those are the only orders I get. Overall their strong, a lot of people that get them are never going back. I think it’s a valid material. Chris: Besides waves, shapers are the most crucial aspect in surfing culture; do you feel shapers receive the respect they deserve? Stamps: From a select percentage of people we do, in general I’d probably say no. Chris: Who would be a good leader of the world? Stamps: One person would be tough, because then you’d have a dictator and power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Remember that from ninth grade? Anyways, sorry, laugh’s… Chris: If you could rename your self what name would you choose? Stamps: Well my birth certificate says my name is Tomothy. Laughs… I just called my mom on that a few years back and she never noticed it. So I guess I’d rename myself Tomothy Stamps. Chris: What do think your strong points as a shaper are? Stamps: I think my strong points are my open mindedness, I guess. Everyone has his or her design and philosophy for what works. I realize that what I ride isn’t the answer for everyone and I can take constructive criticism. Even if a board is shaped brilliantly, the curves could be in the wrong spot for a front foot or back foot surfer. You need to be willing to work with people. Stamps: Lot’s of surfboard orders, good waves, a happy wife and my dog Cowboy. Chris: If you were able to reenact the scene from the movie “Almost Famous” where your standing on the roof of a pool party and get to yell one thing at the top of your lungs what would it be? Stamps: Laughs… I’m a man of few words, so I would jump off the roof and let people see what I did and that would speak for its self. Chris: What are your plans for the coming year? Stamps: Make some great surfboards, surf a lot and enjoy life. It’s the best time for surfboards, except for the molded stuff. Chris: If someone wants to try one of your rocket sleds, what’s the best way for them to get their hands on one? Stamps: Look at the website www.surfboardsbystamps.com , give a call and come on by. Stamps: Just as a good guy, who worked hard, I tried to put out a good thing, who didn’t rip anyone off and I traveled lightly. |