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MARKSMITH Titanium | The Best EDC Marker You'll Ever Own

Created by Daniel Bauen + Microfacturing

Carry the world's first titanium retractable permanent marker every day to make a bold statement on surfaces that a pen can't write on.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Shipping update and Logo
over 3 years ago – Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 12:36:55 AM

Hi Friends,

It's been a long road, and thanks for sticking with us through it. I would like to announce that all Kickstarter orders are complete!!!!! 

It may take a while for your tracking number to update since there are a few packages waiting for pickup and international packages that are en route to the distribution center. If you haven't received a tracking email, please check your BackerKit for tracking.


There are still incomplete surveys. We can't ship your Marksmith until you fill out your survey, so please make sure to do that if you haven't done so already.


Where To Buy Refills?

Marksmith refills are available on our newly redesigned webstore: https://www.soulbuilt.us/collections/marksmith-accessories


Can I Buy More MARKSMITHS For Holiday Gifts?

Yes, but we have a limited supply remaining. Once we sell out of these, January will be our next restock. Marksmith is currently in stock on the Soul Built webstore, but we are working to add the custom engraving option directly on the product page since that was a very popular add-on. Right now the custom engraving is a separate item that must be added to the cart. 

You can order now, and if you want a custom engraving, please also add the custom engraving to the cart and enter the engraving details in the "ORDER NOTES" during checkout. 

An update will be sent out in a few days when the custom engraving option is integrated into the product page.


Marksmith Logo

As Kickstarter backers, you own the only non-branded MARKSMITH's in existence. It took us a while to figure out the optimal placement for the logo that wouldn't disturb the clean appearance of the design. Engraving the logos on the slide creates an Easter egg effect where the logo appears and disappears as you use the marker. New MARKSMITHS will have the SOUL BUILT (hammer+wrench=heart) logo and the MARKSMITH script logo engraved on the slide as shown in the videos below.


Our first attempts at engraving the logo used a deep-etch technique. Although this works, it creates a burned outer edge that requires a lot of sanding to clean up. Also, the marking needed to be filled with something like paint or... black permanent marker... for good contrast. Not ideal, and the marker must be disassembled for lasering, which makes the alignment tricky.


Watch this video of our experiment deep etching the logos in titanium:

The engraving method we perfected is an annealing type color change. No material is removed. The laser is run at a low enough power that it doesn't vaporize the titanium. It heats it to the point of changing color to black. Each pass of the laser creates a light color change, but multiple passes increase the darkness of the engraving until it is a deep black. This is similar to the process used to do the custom engravings. The color change goes deep and can not be removed.

Watch this video to see the final method we use to engrave the logos:

What's Next!

I've been waiting impatiently for this moment to be able to launch the next MARKSMITH Kickstarter campaign. This time we've gone ahead and done the production so that we can start shipping them immediately after the campaign is over. Stay tuned to find out more details as we preview it in the coming updates. The Kickstarter will launch in November and I'll let you know when the launch date is set in stone.


Thank you,

Daniel and Team Soul Built

Shipping Update & Custom Engraving Video
over 3 years ago – Sun, Oct 03, 2021 at 09:04:28 AM

How We Make Your Custom Laser Engraving

If you haven't seen this video yet, this is how we make your custom laser engraving, and it's pretty cool. Although the mark has no perceptible depth, the color change penetrates deep into the titanium, and won't wear off.

Shipping Update

We have been shipping MARKSMITHS tirelessly this month and still have a few hundred orders left to ship (About 12%). What slowed us down from the previous estimate? For the first while shipping, it was large batch groups of backers who had ordered the same items, and between inspecting, refinishing, and assembly, we could ship out about 100 of those a day. We were also mixing in complex orders and custom engravings. The rate of shipping dropped significantly once the large batches were out of the way and we were only doing unique orders. 

There has also been a cartridge shortage through our supplier (probably due to general supply chain shortages), so we had to find some alternate suppliers, and went through a few days where shipping was stopped. We only buy a few thousand at a time to make sure that we are getting the freshest marker cartridges. We now have all the cartridges needed to finish off the crowdfunding orders.

That being said, for anyone still waiting, I'm sorry it hasn't shipped yet, and we are making sure that it will be worth the wait! This coming week is a short work week due to the fall break school holidays, so it will take us about till the 15th to complete the shipments.


International Shipments

Just wanted to remind anyone waiting on International shipments that it can take a while after the label is created for tracking to update because the packaged goto a distribution center first. The international tracking link that you receive may not work, at least not after it leaves the US. Copy and paste your tracking number into the page at the following link, it will show you the correct tracking info.

https://globegisticsinc.com/track-your-parcel/


Thank you,

Daniel and Team Soul Built

UPDATE YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS!
over 3 years ago – Wed, Sep 01, 2021 at 11:50:53 PM

We've had a few backers tell us that their address was not updated after they received their shipping notification, and by that time it is too late because the Marksmith is already en route (it will hopefully be returned to us).

Please verify that your shipping address on Backerkit is up to date!

How To Update Shipping Address on Desktop

We used Backerkit for surveys, and therefore if you need to update your shipping address, it must be done through their interface. Here's a video of how to do it on the Desktop Computer. Scroll down for Mobile instructions, since the layout is different.

How To Update Shipping Address on Mobile Device

Here's a video of how to update your shipping address on a mobile phone or other mobile devices.

Thank you,

Daniel and Team Soul Built

Shipping Update & Maintaining the Brushed Finish
over 3 years ago – Wed, Sep 01, 2021 at 01:04:19 AM

We've been shipping MARKSMITHS like crazy, trying to wrap up all the Kickstarter shipments by the end of the month. However, we will have to continue shipping into September.

We're shipping 100-200 Marksmiths per day, which is about 2-4 of the mail bags shown below. There will still be about 1000 Marksmiths remaining to ship in September to complete the Kickstarter shipping. If you haven't received an email shipping confirmation, and/or the Backerkit status does not show shipped, then it has not yet shipped. Therefore, if you request a tracking #, we won't have one since it hasn't yet shipped.

We put a lot of effort into carefully inspecting each Marksmith, and making sure that the surface finish is perfect before shipping these out. Take a look...

Maintaining The Brushed Finish

Titanium is scratch resistant but it will still get some scratches and scuffs as you use it. We chose the brushed finish because, in addition to looking amazing, it's an easy finish to maintain. The machine shop says that it's a difficult finish to achieve, and they would prefer to bead blast or stonewash because those are faster and less expensive finish options. However, the brushed finish is the only one of those finishes that can be refinished at home without specialized equipment. I made this video to show you how you can easily maintain the brushed finish of your Marksmith...

Reusing Packaging Material

Most of our shipping is done using poly or kraft mailers. In addition to new mailers, I hope that you don't mind that we are reusing packaging material (padded mailers and boxes) to reduce waste. We have a lot of used only once packaging material, so don't be surprised if yours arrives in an Amazon mailer. Unfortunately, most mailers are not recyclable, so reuse is the best option to reduce waste. I am looking at eco-friendly options like biodegradable bubble padded mailers made from PLA (plant-based), but the ones I've found so far are quite expensive, costing 3-4 times the price. Then you also need labels that use bio-degradable adhesive. If you have any experience with eco-friendly packaging, I'd like to learn more. I'm not letting any of this hold up the shipping, but my goal is to find a sustainable packaging alternative for future shipments. 

About half a days shipments

Tag Us On Social Media

I'd love to see pictures and videos of your Marksmiths, so please tag us on social when you post.

#marksmith

#soulbuilt

TikTok - @soul.built

Instagram - @engineerable or @krvrknives

YouTube - @engineerable

Twitter - @Soul_Built_Us


Thank you,

Daniel and Team Soul Built

International Tracking & Shipping Update
over 3 years ago – Mon, Aug 09, 2021 at 10:23:26 AM

Marksmiths are still on schedule to all be shipped by end of August (31st). We're currently waiting on a new batch to arrive next week followed by another the week after and then the final batch the week after that.


You will receive a shipping confirmation email when your Marksmith ships.

We are still answering many "I haven't received it yet" questions. We are happy to answer your questions, but if you have not received a tracking confirmation email, or Backerkit doesn't show it as shipped, then expect a "Check this recent update" response.

We will post an update announcement once all Kickstarter rewards have shipped (beginning of September).

Until then, I would like to request that you please wait to ask "Where's my tracking", "I haven't received it yet", etc until after we have announced that all orders have shipped. Answering those questions consumes our limited resources as we focus on getting these out the door. If we haven't posted an update announcing that shipping is completed, and you have yet to receive a tracking number, then your order has not shipped yet.


International Tracking

It has been brought to our attention that the international tracking link that you receive may not work, at least not after it leaves the US.

If you instead copy and paste your tracking number into the page at the following link, it will show you the correct tracking info.

https://globegisticsinc.com/track-your-parcel/


MARKSMITH Videos

I post MARKSMITH related videos on a regular basis to our YouTube Channel. Videos are posted before updates, so if you want the freshest content and see what else we are working on, Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/engineerable?sub_confirmation=1

This is the MARKSMITH Playlist

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJZvr9eL7PeyAB5Dttfg6F1JLLBaZAG2h


How To Change The Permanent Marker Cartridge 

There have been many questions about how to open the Marksmith and change the cartridges. 

Here's a video that covers replacing the cartridge. The most important part is to properly seat the cartridge in the tip before screwing it back together.

How To Convert to Highlighter Cartridge

 If you purchased a highlighter cartridge refill, this is how you install it in your Marksmith.

How To Replace The Highlighter Cartridge

Thank you,

Daniel and Team Soul Built