Production Updates! 💥
over 1 year ago – Wed, Aug 31, 2022 at 04:50:44 AM

Hey everyone, 

hope you're all doing great and enjoying the last of the summer. In the Parallel HQ we've had lots of parts arriving which is always exciting. I've never seen what 500 Victorinox classic SDs, 1000 screwdrivers & assembly jigs look like, but I do now.  It's quite difficult to fit into one frame of a timelapse, that's for sure 😂

So let's start by going over what's currently in the workshop, ready for assembly.  We have all the SDs, screwdrivers and assembly jigs ready to go. We also have most of the packaging complete and ready to be shipped to us. This means that in the next few weeks I can start assembling the kits ready for when the scales arrive and finish production. The scales & cross are still in the factory in production - we're expecting these to be with us within around 3-4 weeks. 

So here's the current timeline, I'd say we're a bit delayed (~ 2 weeks) but on track to start shipping orders in mid-October, if there are any further delays I'll be sure to let everyone know before that time.  

Packaging Design 

This was some of the most challenging design work I've done: lots of components to hold steady during transit and not much room to work with. The design that I've gone for utilises folded card inserts and access to interactive instructions which allow for video and diagrams. This way I can keep them updated if we need to change the instructions later down the line or improve them. 

The packaging factory has been making these for the last three weeks so super excited to get them into my hands and assemble them with the parts. Since there are a lot of moving pieces here, I'm planning on starting packing next week and getting things as ready as possible for when the scales & crosses arrive. This way it will just be a case of engraving the scales and shipping them out! 

Thanks for all your patience and hope you're all as excited as I am to get your hands on the finished kits!

We've ordered more kits in case people want to share with friends and family or pick up a few more, you all should have access to the pre-order store via backerkit, but if not here's the link 

Thanks again guys, 

Alex P

The Reason Behind the Designs -> Production Samples -> A New Emblem
almost 2 years ago – Fri, Jul 08, 2022 at 10:58:25 PM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

🏭 Production Updates! 🏭
almost 2 years ago – Fri, Jun 03, 2022 at 03:05:29 AM

All Surveys Sent and 73% Complete!

We have now sent the surveys out to all backers! The survey will have your details and how much you pledged - the total amount, including shipping will be credited on your account. Please choose what configurations you'd like for your pocket knife kits - you won't be charged extra if you choose the exact same configuration but feel free to experiment with different setups. It's a bit confusing because it tells you the additional cost when selecting but it's all worked out at the checkout so you won't actually be charged any extra - let me know if there are any problems and I'll be quick to help out. If you haven't completed your survey yet, it should be in your email inbox waiting - it's also pretty fun since you can see all the different configurations of pocket knives you can make - the deadline for completing the survey is June 10th.

Production Updates!

We've done the final round of testing to make sure of a few things.

- The sandblasting finish is consistent & sparkling. We have asked for sandblasting bead size #5 which is what we used for the initial production samples - it looks legit and we want to keep that aesthetic.

- The tool we use to help with assembly is easy and production-ready. We've tested the process and are really happy with how it's come together. We want the building process to be easy, informative and foolproof. It also means you can take apart and reassemble your own pocket knife for cleaning or to replace worn-out tools.

- The Torx screwdriver has been selected for the packs. We've done the rounds of sampling and have picked a solid contender - it's nice and portable and does the job well.

- Engineering drawings sent - all parts have been dimensioned and toleranced to ensure that the quality of the parts is consistent and at the high quality we expect.

- In terms of timeline we're on track, we expect our final samples to be back from our supplier in 2-3 weeks. If all is good we can sign them off and get going on the full production run on schedule - we have enough time to do another round of samples and still ship on time so no stress there.

If you need any help feel free to message me directly or email me at [email protected], until next time!

Alex Peet

Director, Parallel

💥 Giveaway Winners Announcement! 💥
almost 2 years ago – Thu, May 19, 2022 at 12:41:03 PM

Hey guys, 

today's the day we announce the giveaway for 25 of our awesome backers.  Everyone that backed the project got entered into the giveaway where there is over $1500 worth of goodies to give away... We've 'shot' a quick video to choose the winners, watch until the end for a little update on our production and packaging designs.  Here's a quick reminder of what's at stake for the lucky winners...

So without further ado - here's the video - no one was harmed during the making of this video, although we did break a few arrows...

If you're one of the lucky winners (by the way backer 50 is also a winner since they were part of the original top 10) then we'll message you separately along with the survey to tell you what you've won and what you'd like for personalisation. 

Survey Plans & Timeline Review

We will be sending the survey out in the next few days once we're all set up with Backerkit - it's a lot better for configuring your orders exactly and so you'll have an opportunity to update your pledge details, addresses and even chop and change your order.  We'll be offering some of our classic products on there so be sure to check out the add-ons too. Backerkit also has much better order tracking so you'll be able to follow along when we start shipping. As a quick reminder this is where we are on the timeline - apologies for the delay in the survey being sent out - we wanted to make sure we announced the winners of the giveaway first. The next big step with being reviewing the production samples which we're expecting to arrive around mid-June. 

Thanks again and let us know if you have any questions in the comments - or if you won drop an emoji to celebrate 💥💥💥

Talk soon, 

Alex 

Team Parallel

Winning Backers

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,10, 50, 100, 105, 116, 123, 125, 133, 149, 168, 177, 185, 196, 350, 366, 369, 359 & 376!

💥 MORE PRODUCTS / STRETCH GOAL 💥
about 2 years ago – Wed, Apr 27, 2022 at 01:58:56 AM

Hey guys, 

Alex here - hope you're all doing great today. Thanks again for backing this project - we're already getting things going for production on this side. We've got a few updates to keep things exciting for everyone...

MORE GIVEAWAY PRODUCTS

To celebrate us hitting 250 backers - we're adding 5 more products to the prize pool. This time we're going to be giving away even more of our classic range of custom SAKs. This time we'll be giving away:

2x Minichamps (1x Brass / 1x Titanium)

2x Ramblers  (1x Brass / 1x Titanium)

1x Climber (Brass)

If you're not familiar with the models, please check out the run down at the bottom of this post. 

That's an extra $450 worth of goodies thrown into the prize pool! Our big ambition is to get as many people interested in Swiss Army Knives, Engineering & Product Design so the more people that see the campaign the better - All project shares, emails or Instagram posts etc are massively appreciated! We even have a folder of creative assets of high-resolution photos here if you'd like to share it further: Creative Assets 

 NEW STRETCH GOAL CROSS MATERIAL

One of the most exciting design developments was figuring out a way to customise the cross material. It was such a satisfying moment assembling our first ever Titanium & Brass Cross combo. The beauty of this is that we can keep making new materials and make some really unique combinations. We've decided to add sandblasted matte black: anodized aluminium to the range. This will contrast beautifully with all three scale materials. It's scratch-resistant, lightweight and will get some nice Dark Knight vibes going.  If we manage to get 350 backers we'll add this material - for anyone that's backed a different cross add-on and wants to change - don't worry we can organise all this at the survey stage :) If you think we should investigate other materials feel free to drop a suggestion in the comments.

Thanks again for the support - every share is hugely appreciated!  

Cheers, 

Alex 

Quick Model Breakdown

The Mini Champ has the largest toolset from Victorinox but is still in the smaller pocket size (58mm long). The Rambler is in the middle range and has a bottle opener, cross head screw driver and a wire stripper included and the Climber is full size (91mm long) with a large knife & scissors set - along with a corkscrew and lots more! 

SAK = Swiss Army Knife / EDC - Everyday Carry (the gear you take with you every day to make daily tasks easier)