Independent artisan Lachlan Tobiason approached us to devise a logo mark for his handmade knives. His single thought-starter was the word “lock,” a homonym for his nickname.

We found ourselves exploring ideas around codes, languages, and other symbolic systems that unlock meaning. After exploring concepts ranging from a very literal cipher designs to plays on American Sign Language, we settled on pulling inspiration from Braille, a system of writing primarily used by visually impaired people.

It represents a junction between the visual and the tactile—rendering what is most typically only legible through vision, and making it felt in the mind’s eye. The sentiment felt especially resonant for a craftsperson who created something meaningful with their hands.

The final mark abstracts and condenses the Braille spelling of “Lach” into a geometric personal seal, which was acid etched into every blade.

As an extension of our engagement, we designed a custom versatile chef’s knife featuring a carbon steel blade especially suited for rock chopping, and an ergonomic handle fashioned from Arizona Desert Ironwood, whose spellbinding burls complemented the knives subtle curves.