Redwood Rodrigo Fish Handplane

This custom, bodysurfing handplane for Rodrigo is among the most beautiful and storied we've ever crafted.

The bottom is made of laser-cut "fish scales" created from cocobolo, koa, Honduras mahogany, walnut, meranti, spruce, and flame maple offcuts from Santa Cruz Guitar Company and bay laurel floorboards made in 1853 for the cooperage (where barrels were made) at the old Cowell Lime Works which is located on what is now the campus of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The top is made of fiddleback redwood salvaged from the Santa Cruz Mountains. The inlayed wooden star was crafted by our collaboration partner Paul Jasper of Cooper Pig Fine Woodworking in Framingham, Massachusetts. The star matches a larger one that Paul created as an inlay in Rodrigo's custom canoe made by Preszler Woodshop. Paul used wood from the Ventana Upcycle Partner Program to create the handplane star. The red colored Doug fir is from the hull of the Western Flyer, considered by many to be the most famous fishing boat in the world. John Steinbeck, Ed "Doc" Ricketts and crew sailed this 77-foot sardine boat into the Sea of Cortez in Baja California, Mexico in 1940. The following year, Steinbeck published his book, The Log from the Sea of Cortez about the adventure. The stringer down the center of the top side is also made of this storied wood. Learn more about this amazing boat and Ventana's use of its wood. The lighter wood in the stars is from the floorboards of the historic cooperage building on the campus of UC Santa Cruz. The cooperage was used to make barrels for limestone during the California Gold Rush in the 1800s. The darkest wood is ebony from Santa Cruz Guitar Company fret board offcuts. Martijn filled the natural cracks in the wood and the gaps around star with brass using a secret Ventana process. The lighter wood on each side of the Western Flyer center stringer is spruce from Santa Cruz Guitar Company offcuts.

The strap is adjustable nylon webbing covered with neoprene reclaimed from O'Neill Wetsuit research and development.

Included free is a Sagebrush Board Bag made of a reclaimed coffee sack and remnant material.

It's glassed with tree sap-based epoxy from Entropy Resins and Aerialite fiberglass.

Handmade in Santa Cruz, California and designed by master craftsman Martijn Stiphout

Dimensions: 14" x 9" x 3/4"

Weight: 1.2lbs

Visit the directory of pictures and videos of this handplane being created. 

This handplane is made with upcycled and reclaimed materials from the following companies. Learn more about the Ventana Upcycle Partner Program!