Monthly Update
12 months ago
– Mon, Dec 04, 2023 at 12:14:06 PM
Hi folks,
Time again for a monthly update for Keen! When we last spoke, we were hoping to get the final drawings submitted to our manufacturer within a week or so. Turns out, we actually had a TON of tiny tweaks and improvements that we ended up making, but the good news is the drawings are indeed submitted and they are now working on the production samples. We are hoping to receive those samples by the end of the month, fingers crossed.
In terms of the little tweaks and improvements we made to Keen since the campaign ended, check out this short video Tom put together, essentially walking through the CAD files and showing off some of the details. That might sound boring but it’s actually really insightful! And will give you a sense of all of the little decisions that go into making a product like this.
Watch the video
So, as mentioned, we hope to receive the final production samples from the manufacturer by the end of the month. If these samples are perfect, then it means we can push “go” on production and begin making Keen. However, this is one of the crucial times in the process, when it is important to not rush and make sure everything is correct. It is the last chance to make tweaks or improvements before manufacturing, and often we have notes on finishing or machining steps that need to be improved, that require another round of production samples. So, although we are hopeful we'll get back a perfect sample and can move to production, there are almost always little tweaks we need to make. This is why making physical goods takes so long, the cycle time between revisions can be really slow.
We will do the next monthly update when we receive the samples and we can report back if they are good or if we need to go one more round. In the meantime, we hope everyone has a lovely holiday and a happy new year!
As always, if you have any questions or feedback, let us know.
Until next time,
—Tom & Dan
Monthly Update
about 1 year ago
– Tue, Oct 24, 2023 at 05:13:27 PM
Hi folks!
Tom and Dan here with our first monthly update for Keen. Since funding ended, we’ve spent the last month in the weeds of all of the little details that need to be tightened up and finalized before we submit the final drawings to our manufacturer.
One area of investigation is to see how utility blades vary across different manufacturers. You would think they would all be identical, and they more or less are, but they do vary in specs a little bit. So we ordered a bunch, took exact measurements, and then charted them out in a spreadsheet. This allowed us to find an average, and to see how much each differs from that average. We want to make sure all blades will fit, but to also make the tolerances as tight as possible.
On the topic of sweating the details, here is a dimensional drawing of the tray, which is the internal piece that holds the blade. As you can see, there are tons of little dimensions and relationships, and if you change one, they all automatically adjust. So, getting everything dialed in just right is definitely a process.
Our goal is to submit the drawings to our manufacturer by the end of the week. They will then produce another set of sample parts, and if there are no issues, we will approve them and move into production. Crossing our fingers they will be good to go, but you never know.
That’s all for now, we are excited with how this is moving along. We continue to use and love our Keens every day, and we are excited to share them with you all soon.
Until next time,
Tom & Dan
All systems go!
about 1 year ago
– Sat, Sep 16, 2023 at 05:55:07 AM
Hey friends,
Just wanted to send a quick note of thanks for supporting Keen on Kickstarter! The campaign ended last night, and we raised $185,353 from 1465 backers. Amazing! We are so excited to make this tool for you.
If this is your first time backing a project by us, welcome! To give you a lay of the land, we like to send project updates roughly once a month. We have found this is a good cadence to keep you folks up to date without inundating your inboxes. If you want to follow along more closely, we definitely recommend checking out our podcast and following us on Instagram.
We use Backerkit to collect your shipping info and color selections. We don’t need to send those surveys out just yet, and we’ll give you a heads up when it’s time to expect it in your inbox.
That’s it for now! Thanks again for your support, we’re excited to have you along for the ride.
Until next time,
Tom & Dan
Thank you!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Aug 17, 2023 at 11:23:57 AM
Hi folks!
We wanted to send an (overdue) message of thanks for backing Keen on Kickstarter! We reached our funding goal just 5 hours after launching. We are so happy to have you on board and can’t wait to share the journey of bringing a product to life with you.
We just released an episode of our podcast chatting all about Keen with our friend Myke Hurley. We discuss the path we took to arrive at the final design, the design thinking, pricing… all manner of things. If you are interested in the “behind the scenes” we think you will find it a worthwhile listen.
We still have 29 days left in this Kickstarter campaign, so if you know of anyone that might also be interested in Keen, please feel free to pass it along.
Let’s go!
Tom & Dan
PS. Check out this little "behind the scenes" video of the unedited stop motion frames for the Kickstarter video if you want to get a sense of how the sausage is made.
