B I L L Y K A H N
Billy’s earliest interest in woodworking emerged in 1987. When, at age twelve he built his first skateboard ramp. Early on, Billy displayed a strong passion for wood. Whether it was maneuvering a maple deck beneath his feet while touring the U.S. as a team rider for Consolidated Skateboards, or building ramps out of 2 x 4’s, plywood and masonite. Throughout his young adult life Billy built countless ramps, street courses and obstacles for personal use as well as professional competitions and demos. While feeding his hunger to travel, build and ride a skateboard, he was quietly laying the foundation for the next development in his love affair with wood... Woodworking.
Taking a more focused interest in woodworking he spent several years educating himself through reading books and building small projects in his spare time.
In 2004 Billy moved to the Northwest, where he worked as a builder at The Joinery (one of Portland’s largest producers of hardwood furniture). After three years, Billy decided it was time to move on in order to expand his horizons.
Billy started Holdfast in 2007. He currently works out of his shop and in the homes of private clients building furniture and doing finish carpentry, as well as taking on subcontracted work with reputable Portland companies, such as Arts and Craftsmen, and Old School Renovations.
