Noah Hildebrand
I’m Noah, the craftsman behind Blue Ridge Woodcraft. I am a 14 year old woodworker from Raleigh, North Carolina. I have been working with wood since I was 11 years old. What originally started out as a small weekend hobby has since grown into a business. Outside of woodworking, I enjoy long distance running, mountain biking, and spending time with family. Recently in November, I completed the Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon first in my age category. This year (2025-2026) I am a freshman at Needham B. Broughton High School downtown Raleigh.
My Story
My Start:
About 3 years ago, I was introduced to woodworking by one of my relatives. Some of my earliest projects included of refinishing an antique chair, making a simple knife handle, and crafting a few small charcuterie boards. I later was given a few larger pieces of wood by the same family member consisting of 3 slabs of black walnut wood, and a slab of English walnut. These pieces were much larger than anything I had worked with before. I eventually decided that I would make them into larger charcuterie boards, similar to what I create today. After making my first one, I quickly became obsessed.
One Step at a Time:
After making a few charcuterie boards, I kept making improvements one board after the other. Some of my first improvements ranged from epoxy, experimenting with new finishes, handle designs, and much more. Although these boards are progressively changing, they all have one thing in common: the passion for craftsmanship that drives every piece I create.
Where I’m at today:
Although my products are consistently are changing, I still operate out of the same small home shop where it all began. Every piece is still created by hand, with the same attention to detail and passion that started my woodworking journey. Even as my craftsman ship improves, my mission still remains the same: create high quality, handcrafted pieces that can be enjoyed for years to come.