Editing The Pen Addict 525/transcript (section)

== Knock Co. Collaboration ==


'''Myke:''' No. Like I have no requirements other than like Mark and I basically collaborate on the design, right? You know? So we'll talk about like what's good, what's bad, what we want to change, why we're doing certain tweaks, why we don't want to do certain things.

'''Brad:''' You get a say in what they want to do. Like if they've proposed a tweak, you can have a say in that at least. Yes.

'''Myke:''' Yeah. But that's it. Like I'm not involved in like and I will certainly, I'm sure, market it, right? Because I want people to know that these cases are out there. But I don't have to. You make money on it, right? Yeah. And I'll make money on it. Yeah. Exactly. But I'm not like required to do anything whatsoever, which was the goal with this, right? It's like completely hands off other than like some design discussion. You know, we talk about materials. We talk about colors. You know, if we change certain pieces of the design, you know, let's have these conversations, right? Let's make it, you know, we want to keep it as true to the original design. But it's also time for an upgraded product too, like just in shape and materials and things like that. So yeah, it's mostly hands off once the product launches, right? So it's really, really good. I'm happy with this setup.

'''Brad:''' And like it's saying about being hands on and being in San Francisco or not being hands on, being in San Francisco. Would you ever step behind a pen show table?

'''Myke:''' Hmm. That's a good question. I hadn't even thought about that.

'''Myke:''' I mean, I wouldn't say no, but there's no plans of that. Like, I'm not doing anything, you know, like I don't have like a rickshaw not co-event or, you know, Brad's going to be at the table, you know, working on San Francisco. Like literally, it's completely hands off. Obviously, I will be there and be around because I want to talk to people about the product because I'm happy with how the product turned out. But yeah, like no requirements, like I'm not working for rickshaw or doing anything like that. And, you know, no plans at pen shows to do any of that type of work. That's not really in my want to do's these days, right?

'''Brad:''' And how did these models compare to the originals? Like what's changed? Because there are quite a lot of changes, right? But I think they're all for the better.

'''Myke:''' Every single one of them for the better. So it's slightly larger. You'll mostly notice the size difference in the length, the height of the case. The height of the case is about probably like a half an inch taller to fit just some of the biggest pens that people use a little bit better, right?

'''Brad:''' So also they use a thicker lining, right?

'''Myke:''' Yeah. And so the thicker lining that did force us to change like some of the side panel width. So some of the depth is fractionally thicker, but that is very, very minor size diameter. So the width and the thickness is fractionally larger to account for the thicker plush interior, but the height is noticeably larger. But like you would notice them if you set this side by side to an original Sinclair that it's taller. But on its own, it feels like the exact same product. My favorite addition is the pocket on the outside. I've been using that pretty regularly in my prototypes. I like having that external pocket just for more storage. Like if people, a lot of people use the Sinclair, you know, has always had three pin slots on one side and then an open slot on the opposite interior side. And I always use that for paper goods and small notebook note cards. Well, a lot of people just stuff more pins in there. So now they can have either more pins on the outside, even more pins, or they can move the paper goods to the outside. So I like the addition of that external pocket. So it's been very good. Like I'm using an X-Pack material one. That's I think the thing I'm most excited about with Rickshaw is the variety of materials like to start with, which I think is really cool. We're doing a bunch of traditional thousand denier Cordura materials in the original Notco colors.

'''Brad:''' I was so happy to see that in the post. It would have been so sad for me if that wasn't an option, like the original material, like that would have been a bit of a bummer.

'''Myke:''' Yeah. So we're doing it the Notco way in the colors and materials, right, for some of the original launch. But then we're doing the Rickshaw style with the new materials that, you know, we didn't have access to or couldn't afford at the time, right, that Mark has inventory of. So we have things like X-Pack and just different materials that I enjoy from a carry perspective. But I like that we're going to have these original kind of colorways, models. And they'll be the same because we use the same fabric manufacturer to order like the base fabrics from. So you're going to see some very cool original Notco colorways that people have wanted us to redo for years. You'll be able to get that in the Sinclair Model R now, which I think is I'm most excited about that. Seeing like some of our original colors, it was like, oh, yeah, I want that one. And I want that one. And I want that one. Just because those are the cases that I remember most fondly, right? It's really cool that way.

'''Brad:''' And then because of the materials, they have like a bunch of optional features you'll be able to add at some point. Yeah, exactly. A Velcro loop patch for Velcro backed patches, webbing loops for other EDC gear to be attached to them, and a belt loop. Like just stuff like that. It's like none of those things are for me, but they're for someone. Exactly. The ability to be able to offer all this stuff. I mean, I don't, this is not meant as a slight to you, but like this is the ideal place that Notco could have gotten to is like this kind of manufacturer, right? Like to be able to say not just like we have all these colors, that you just choose what you want.

'''Myke:''' Right. And the style and aesthetic Notco has always had has been that, right? Even though we couldn't make them like Rickshaw does, make them to order, right? Essentially, Rickshaw is made to order shop for all intents and purposes. Like Notco could never have done that, right? But the aesthetic and the ability to mix and match colors and just to have this really standout aesthetic for the product, we always believed in it, Notco. You know, we wanted to make something that stood out. Even if it was just basic black, right? You still knew what it was. You knew that was a Notco case. And, you know, we can get that at Rickshaw now. And I think you will see that as we go through and keep producing these cases. I'm pretty excited about this. I am too. I'm really happy with the product as it turned out. Like it's super high quality. It's super well made, which like there was no doubt in my mind, you know, that it would turn out this way. But like it's also like a hard process for me. It's like, okay, well, do I am I giving up some of like the DNA of what made Notco? And it's like, well, it's not always going to be what it used to be, right? And understanding that from like a personal perspective and not letting go, but being content with like different phases of different businesses in your life, like that's a hard thing to do. And it's important. You know, it's an important thought process to have, you know, to just kind of kind of if you want something to happen, like, you know, what do you have to give up or what changes do you have to make or what sacrifices do you make to continue something that you love? And, you know, want it to like be in like a really good place. And I think we are with this Sinclair Model R. Like I'm really, really ecstatic with how the product turned out and working with Mark has been has been very good. And, you know, the the style of the case is exactly what I want. And I'm I'm excited to get these in people's hands.

'''Brad:''' Yeah, like you could be staunchly in the camp of like, no, like this has to come from me 100 percent. Like this is my idea. Like I know better than anyone how this thing should be made. You could do that. But then right now, this it wouldn't exist at all.

'''Myke:''' Yeah, exactly. I'm not in that place in my life to do this. I'm in my place, the place in my life to do this. Yes. And I'm very, very happy with how it turned out. And I think it's going to be really good. And like if it goes well, like this is just literally scratching the surface. And it's, you know, just seeing how, you know, we can can work on different projects and with different companies and and keeping the knock name out there and the knock design aesthetic and the feel and look and functionality of a lot of these products. Like I'm excited to see what happens next. But we got to get this launched first. So San Francisco Pen Show, they will be available physically. And then online right at that same time from the rickshaw.com. So we'll have the links in the show notes. And I'm sure we'll talk about it as we get closer to the show or in the show recap of my trip to San Francisco. But it's going to be nice to have these cases there.

'''Brad:''' My kind of dream for you now is like you become basically like a one man design studio. Mm hmm. And come up with these ideas and other people can make them or people come to you and they're like, Brad, help me, you know. Yeah.

'''Myke:''' Make a pen case. We got ideas. I am never lacking for ideas. That is one thing I promise you.

'''Brad:''' All right. If you want to find links to all of this stuff today, go to relay.fm slash pen addict slash five to five. Just a couple of weeks away from the San Francisco Pen Show. Excited for that. Yep. Very excited. Anyway, I'm not going to be there. Yeah. I'm excited. I'm excited. Be nice for you.

'''Myke:''' The best part about a pen show week is we don't have to miss any episodes, right? Yeah. I travel after an episode and I'm back before the next one. So we'll have a good preview and a good recap here coming up soon.

'''Brad:''' If you want to find Brad online in the meantime, go to penaddict.com. You can go to spokedesign.com. You can find Brad. He is at Dowdy. He is on Twitter. Penaddict on Instagram. And he's also twitch.tv slash penaddict. Streams three times a week. I am at imyke. A-K-E. Thank you to Pen Chalet and Sanebox for their support of this episode. And we'll be back next time. Until then, say goodbye, Brad. Goodbye, Brad.

[[Category:Podcast Transcripts]]
[[Category:The Pen Addict Podcast Transcript]]