Hey everyone! We’ve now hit 60% shipped on Snarf! I've also seen some questions regarding our shipping process/order so I wanted to share that and a quick Funkenstein update. Apologies if this is TMI, I tend to go overboard with details, but transparency is important to me so sometimes its difficult to provide enough info without pushing folks into TL:DR territory! So if you read nothing past this, thanks so much for your patience as we wrap up Snarf and launch Funkenstein!

=SHIPPING ORDER=

Past projects had at most two variants and around 700 orders, so we could ship in backing order, which also determines serial-number priority. With Snarf’s 10 variants, nearly 1,100 orders, and 3,000 knives, we needed a different approach.

The knives arrive without serial numbers labeled on their boxes and aren’t packed in numerical order. That means we have to QC and organize an entire variant to locate its lowest available numbers.

We’re following BackerKit’s recommended grouping by package type, starting with the most common combinations. This makes fulfillment manageable in our small workspace because we don't have to keep all 10 variants accessible at once. Single-knife orders generally went first, progressing through blackwashed, satin, sunburst, G10, etc.. Shipping order has therefore followed package popularity rather than backing order.

We were also QC’ing each variant as we began shipping it, which slowed those early batches. All QC except Mystery Snarf is now complete, so even though the remaining shipments are all unique combinations instead of package groups, we expect the remaining 40% to move faster than the first 60% did.

=SERIAL NUMBERS=

This will probably be our last project with serial numbers engraved on the knives. They add considerable sorting time, and setting knives aside for adjustments can mean backers receive higher numbers than expected.

That said, we’d love to know how important serial numbers are to you. Alternatives could include a first-generation mark on every knife or a numbered clip filler included separately for you to install.

=FUNKENSTEIN PREORDER=

The Funkenstein preorder is moving to Tuesday, October 6. We’re waiting on finalized figures from the manufacturer, and prioritizing Snarf fulfillment has also cut into launch preparation. This is our first time preparing a launch while finishing another project, but we've been blessed to have some family and friends jump in to help us continue shipping in the times I've worked on Funkenstein!

Also some exciting news on the Funkenstein front - we're able to offer four variants for each size within the Funkenstein family, so satin with or without inlays and blackwashed with or without inlays:

Plus we received our inlay samples, and they're pretty swanky:

Thanks for your patience and support as we get the remaining Snarfs out the door!

-Michael