Fingerboard!

August 8, 2007 10:21 PM

Fingerboarding. The art (sorta?) of skateboarding on two fingers.
posted by fungible (24 comments total)

via videosift
posted by fungible at 10:27 PM on August 8, 2007

Ha! That's fun stuff. And a nicely done video too. Finally, a form of skateboarding I might actually be able to do (maybe). Kinda reminds me of fingerskillz.tv

Sorry for the link to a corporate viral marketing thing, but I thought it was pretty cool (and relevant).
posted by slogger at 10:35 PM on August 8, 2007

Man, that takes me back to 1985. I used to fingerboard on my desk during Sister Floretta's class....
posted by Shanachie at 10:39 PM on August 8, 2007

Not totally the same thing, but when I was in 4th grade or so, I used to take the cardboard toilet paper tubes, and draw little breakdancers on them, then pull back with force towards me, so the tube would flip all over spinning around and "breakdance".

Now we just need a finger-dj and finger-graffitti, and we'll have a whole finger-urban playset!
posted by symbioid at 10:54 PM on August 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

Granted, I suppose to do it right, you'd have to invent finger-breakdancing moves, and perform them with your fingers, not flipping a tube around.
posted by symbioid at 10:54 PM on August 8, 2007

As someone who a) loves skateboarding, b) likes tiny stuff, and c) tends to be fidgety with his hands, i was pretty much hooked on techdecks from day one. Also, they come with little tiny tools so you can take them apart, making them the perfect "pretending to look busy at your desk, while you're really screwing off" accessory.

Great Post.
posted by billyfleetwood at 11:00 PM on August 8, 2007

what?
posted by tehloki at 11:01 PM on August 8, 2007

what what?
posted by symbioid at 11:03 PM on August 8, 2007

IOW, do you mean "what are the mechanics behind this?" Or "dude, WTF is wrong with you?"
posted by symbioid at 11:05 PM on August 8, 2007

Eloquent fingers!
posted by Cranberry at 11:14 PM on August 8, 2007

symbioid: you make it sound like some sort of telekenetic power.
posted by tehloki at 11:24 PM on August 8, 2007

Pure physics. There's no "control", unfortunately. Just using the springiness of the tube, along with pressure and backwards rotation which caused it to flip around all over. Not nearly as cool as these skateboarding tricks...

Just something my imagination came up with for entertainment during the years of reaganomic deprivation.
posted by symbioid at 11:38 PM on August 8, 2007

Where's the little Fisher Price security guard, telling him that he can't do that on this table top?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:02 AM on August 9, 2007 [3 favorites]

FINGERBOARDING IS NOT A CRIME
posted by loquacious at 12:44 AM on August 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

Mental Masturbation ...
posted by homodigitalis at 2:54 AM on August 9, 2007

Brings back memories, we used to build these from melted rulers at school.
posted by fire&wings at 4:20 AM on August 9, 2007

At my school, we would take white poster board, draw on it, cut it out, then cover it with magic tape (the clear stuff) and use those as "finger boards." Tech decks came to late for us, but I'll never forget my shark deck design.
posted by drezdn at 6:31 AM on August 9, 2007

Loved that, really nicely made. Great lighting and sound, timing, everything.

Finger stuff is cool. Bottle thwack. Pressing the right buttons, trumpet playing. Magic smoking fingers. aww cute little sneakers breakdance. Musical coin roll.
posted by nickyskye at 8:16 AM on August 9, 2007

Someone should post this to Cuticle Overload.

I didn't think he'd make that jump over the telephone, but he nailed it!

I was just waiting for the dude to wipe out and bust knuckle.
posted by Atom Eyes at 9:35 AM on August 9, 2007

Fantastic! Thanks fungible.
posted by peacay at 10:03 AM on August 9, 2007

That Sneakers Breakdance video is freaking awesome.
posted by hellphish at 10:20 AM on August 9, 2007

The foley is what really makes it work.

Fantastic.
posted by aubilenon at 11:25 AM on August 9, 2007

When Fingerboarding first hit the scene was all the rage took the world by storm started, my nephew had one and I thought it was the stupidest thing I ever heard of. My opinion never changed.

Until today! [Cue dramatic chipmunk.]
posted by The Deej at 11:57 AM on August 9, 2007

Cool!

In 7th grade we used to take cardboard and make tiny little decks, use sandpaper for grip tape, glue on a pencil eraser as "trucks" and stick a set of Matchbox wheels through the rubber. We started fingerboarding in class after we saw Lance Mountain do it in Future Primitive.
posted by deern the headlice at 1:24 PM on August 9, 2007