The Lost Art of Shaping

Ed Barbera works with his hands everyday in a small red barn along the Bodega Highway leading to the rugged Northern Californian coast. But rather then working with animals or in agriculture, Barbera works with polyurethane and fiber glass shaping custom surf boards. He is one of only a few surfboard shapers left doing everything by hand. He shares a little about his life and craft with Sonoma Magazine photographer Conner Jay.

[@MrBarborosa]

Thats ma dad! Luv it

[@hotwaxsurfshop]

THANKS ED
I Learned From You First....1980/81

[@ahinalu1]

You shaped me a few boards. I still have a few of them. No one has shaped a twinzer like you did.

[@shacktime]

First board I ever owned/rode was a Barbera I bought off a Kahala School chum, Rick Lowndes. I was 14/15. Just started my freshman year at Kalani. It was 6’2”, a rounded pin, flat deck, and boxy rails. I only weighed 90 lbs at the time so it was perfect for me to learn on.
Heaps of the Kahala groms I looked up to rode Ed’s boards.

[@24davidhubbell]

Have some great memories from the N. Shore with a Barbera 7'3" with red hawaiian print fabric on the fins circa 1996, Thanks Ed! Board died in Tahiti.

[@bobartist9936]

got one of his boards back from 2009 :-) the best board I had since ever !!!
I had shapers here in europe to whom I showed the design - you should have seen their face :-)

[@fakdaworld808]

UNCLE ED...this is Justin from Hawaii Steves son........
THIS MAN WAS MY FATHER MENTOR IN THIS TRADE.....a badass shaper ....my father went on to start his own business called iwi nalu surfboards in Honolulu.....

[@SunshinesMorning]

WHERE EEZ DA BRAD PIPAL COMMENT?