All DK Surfboards
My goal is to make all whom I have worked with proud by shaping good quality boards and keeping "custom surfboards alive" by true craftsmen.
Daniel Keggie - DK Surfboards Owner and Shaper
Born and bred in Durban, South Africa and fresh out of the water, I was touched by that "surfing feeling" at an early age and have never looked back. My backyard shaping days began when I was eighteen years old. As a qualified fitter and turner I ended up focusing on something I was far more passionate about, shaping sufboards.
I took my first handshape to my mentor, Peter Lawson, the founder of Hooded Villian surfboards. Peter was kind enough to give me a shove in the right direction and showed me the do's and donts of board design, and moulded me into a competent shaper.
Later I was offered a position shaping surfboards in Portugal for Miguel Ruivo's Hot Buttered logo. Here I was open to try new things and not only worked on shaping but on every other aspect of surfboard construction. The whole experience taught me a lot and is something that I feel every shaper should have to help produce a high quality performance product. I really enjoyed the experience and time I spent in a country that has some of the best surf spots Europe has to offer.
Once back in Durban, I was given the opportunity to work with one of the best shapers in SA, Spider Murphy, who I admire and respect, and was lucky enough to learn more tricks of the trade and refine my shaping skills. To add to the injury I had the pleasure to work alongside other well known shapers, Errol Hickman and Graham Smith. I have enormous respect for these shapers and these legends were kind enough to share their ideas and support.
Safari and Spider Murphy offered me the opportunity of a lifetime, not only shaping amongst the "top guns" and learning from the best in the industry, but also having faith in me by allowing me to shape Donald Takayama longboards in SA. I was inspired by Don himself and designed my own DK Freedom model longboard for Safari, designed for the "Modern Longboarder".
The DK Safari label is something that I was very proud of and appriciated all the knowledge gained as well as every bit of what the experience had to offer. With the support of my better half, family and friends, and the feedback of my team riders, Mark Hill, Mike Varikas, Rory Beach, Mammo, and let's not forget the gals, Lynn Mackey and Madz, as well as the Safari Team as a whole, my dream has finally become a reality, shaping high quality performance surfboards.
Next stop on the tour was Newquay, England, where I am currently shaping and designing my very own DK Surfboards and look forward to the challange that lies ahead, I am a firm believer in constructive criticism as it helps me improve my designs and shapes by always being open to new ideas, from team riders and fellow shapers. My goal is to make all whom I have worked with proud by shaping good quality boards and keeping "custom surfboards alive" by true craftsmen.
