Grip Thumb—Mark

Located southeast of Japan, is a small island called Guam. Though a small island, it has a solid skate scene. Pleasure Island 1 and 2, GU1000 and Dude!Bro.Dollar! are some of the local videos that came out of there. Mark is one of the OG's of the Guam skate scene. He's an absolute skate nerd and always stoked on skating. I am fortunate to call him a good friend of mine.

Mark has always had some crazy grip jobs on his board, and I thought it would be fun to ask him a few questions about it. This is Mark's Grip Thumb:

When did you first doing custom grip?
Ever since I got a hold of a razor blade haha. Those shits were illegal around my time since all the emo kids wanted to slice themselves so maybe middle school. I thought shit was all done after you placed your grip! Then, over the years, I did doodles. The typical kid stuff, not no graffiti tagging stuff. Characters like Bart Simpson, Bender, Mickey Mouse...

THPS custom boards on characters in the games helped spark that drive. I started with die cuts from Enjoi skateboards. They had a Marc Johnson pro grip or some shit that had four die cut sheets and three punched out holes with colored stickers. That felt cool as shit for me.

Then also seeing the older OG skater guys board. His grip was Mob when they first came out, but it was a naked cop chick. I was always so stoked on how they did it or how it was possible.

"They had a Marc Johnson pro grip or some shit that had four die cut sheets and three punched out holes with colored stickers. That felt cool as shit for me."

I've seen some crazy spiderweb cuts on your grip before. How long do those things take?
That one was a process because I learned from Jamie Thomas the design aspect. In one of his Berrics or Nine Club interviews, he talks about how it's nostalgic for him as an adult to put more care and effort in a setup. I tried it as well; shit takes about half to an hour.

At first, I was into that spiderwebs one. Then, I started adding a twist with mummy wraps. It reminded me of my first MxMxM Shiki pro model. That spiderweb and mummy wrap, I dubbed as my signature custom Mob grip. I started doing that only now on my past eight or ten decks so maybe about 2017 to now.

The signature spiderweb and mummy wrap

How do you plan out your grip designs?
Sometimes I keep my thoughts, "This would look sick on my next deck." When I see a top graphic, I'll try to display it so the slices of grip and lines can still show it. It just comes when you see a board. Hell, even stickers inspire.

I remember doing one with bats and a jack-o'-lantern pumpkin and webs. That was fun.

It's like jack-o'-lantern carving but for griptape! When the pumpkin is actually in front of you, brainstorm some type of design that you'll need to stick by cause it's a one time shot.

I like that jack-o'-lantern analogy. You mentioned Jamie Thomas earlier, but do you have any favorite griptape artists?
I'm stoked on anyone's grip with doodles or cuts and designs. Even stencil spray painted grip like Mouse. Gou Miyagi doesn't even skate griptape. He uses some tatami linings. I love that

Stencil art is hard, but I've seen beautiful ones on grip. It always reminds me of Jason "The Kid" Adams art in a way.

Mouse was popping ages ago, but to be honest, I hate spraying my grip. It loses the grit and they get clogged up with paint. That's maybe what also pushed more for the die cuts. They're more grippier and grooves help when the board is old and grits are gone.

Sounds like Mob is your go to.
Mob is the best! Nothing after. Have you seen Miles?! They give you a plastic red razor blade, like what the fuck?

Most people don't know but Mob actually has different types of styles and models. There's a small number in the bak that indicates grits. They also have the heavy duty rock salt grain type of grits for vert skaters. If you don't go through old boards and ride an old beater, I guarantee Mob will still hold with grip. Jessup loses grit overtime, and all the rest lose grit in a few weeks. Sorry not sorry Grizzly, I can't be having no electric tape on the top of my deck. I have a fresh ass sheet of Grizzly from over the years that I keep in my closet, but I don't think I'll ever use it. Just waiting on some homies to randomly ask me if I got griptape.

"Have you seen Miles?! They give you a plastic red razor blade, like what the fuck?"

Do you have any tips for custom grip designs?
You need to be able to mirror your design on the back of the sheet and remember when cutting you're gonna flip it over and place on a deck. Cutting each piece one by one helps, rather than cutting all of it at once and getting it mixed up.

Also, I learned that when you cut and peel the back, there's gonna be loose grits that become dust. So when you place it on the deck, be careful it's clean and dry so the shit can stick. I've had some decks where some grit dust got under some pieces and shit would pop up when the sun hits. It's worse than air bubbles.

Scissors are the best. I only use razor when it's time to outline the deck, that's it. If the design has hella thin lines, maybe fine razor to line that shit up. It's just as cool to see a board's bottom graphic as well as top grip design or cutout for top graphic.

Scissors, it just works

You ever get reactions from your grip?

For sure. Some people trip out, wondering how it was done. Of course I tell them. I like how it introduces the though of knowing that it's possible to put cutout designs and more! They can learn to do it and try it on their board as well. It gives other fellow skaters a break from just a random black solid top and inspires them to see or create something artistic in their liking.

One thing I love is when dudes use paint markers and make some cool designs. I love drawing Toy Machine or Alien Sect dudes on griptape as well. Shit's rad, cheers to Ed Temps!

Do you have any rules when gripping boards?
My rules are simple gotta be Mob. But some of my processes are kind of random. I'll first lightly sand the top of the board to take some of the clear coat off the top. Quick outline sand so my flick and shit doesn't get too grippy and caught on the edges of the board's outline. Also, one light zig zag sand on the top after pounding the shit to stay gripped on.

There are also times I spray half of the side of my board black cause I'm into dipped decks and colored plies. It's just visually pleasing when I see all the random custom shit. Can't forget Enjoi color bolts. Those are the indicators. I hate doing that cut grip to tell you where's your tail, that shit is lazy.
Other than that, no rules. I hope others just enjoy it and get stoked when they see a skateboard under them with little artistic things they can be proud or happy of.

Do you have any new techniques you want to implement into your next grip job?
I might try Thunder bolts. But techniques, nothing new. I'm just gonna go with that same old same old of what I know and like.

Sounds good man. Any last words? Shoutouts?
Shoutouts to you Will for being a rad one. I love the work you've been doing, whether skate related or visual arts; I enjoy seeing it!

Also, thanks for reminding me that even just setting up grip on a skateboard is always fun and exciting. Skateboarding is nothing but a blessing that keeps on giving, through our worldly views and even through our creative outputs! It's such a great thing.

Shoutouts to everyone who actually are humbled by putting on grip and having a new board! I think skaters are just so used to putting on new decks just to ride. They lose that aspect of feeling so proud to have a new deck and the feeling of setting up a fresh a one and putting stickers and customizing their grip, just like when we were kids.

I love skateboarding, enjoy it! Skateboarding is forever, we are not.

Thanks Mark for doing this interview! If you would like to keep up with Mark's insane grip jobs, follow his Instagram. He also recently became a YouTube partner, so go subscribe to his channel and help a fellow skater earn some of that ad revenue.