Origin Story

My journey into woodcraft began as a young boy, growing deep roots into my soul. Fast forward 25+ years, Oak Origins Woodcraft was born.

My Dad and I spent Summers traveling around in his beat up work truck, hopping from job site to job site. We covered many miles together in the greater Bay Area in California, checking in on various tasks his company was working on and sometimes, just to see if people were feeling satisfied with the service overall. While on site my Dad was always networking with other contractors, many of which we'd come to know well over the years. Developing relationships continued to keep us in touch with our clients more intimately and also revealed to me the power of word of mouth.

Many of our clients knew about my Dad’s obsession with collecting firewood and over the years we gathered trailer loads of it. We'd dump it all in the side yard and start splitting (all with a handmade, engine-ran wood splitter that my Dad and Uncle Marv built, video of that below 👇 .) I was introduced to so many beautiful varieties of wood, from Eucalyptus to Acacia, Bay to Oak.

Wood had an immediate and long lasting impact on my life. Out of the many species we picked up along the way, Oak was special. The way it feels when you first split it and run your hands down the grain. The incredible aroma, both alive and dead, especially when it burns. How stubborn it is, full of knots and twists. Oak has always stunned my senses and engaged the craftsman in me to emerge. 

I think of the trips my Dad and I took collecting firewood often, and not a day goes by where I do not feel grateful for my origins.