Case study · Business cards · Future Relic Knives
Future Relic Knives ↗A card that ships with the knife
Two cards for Future Relic Knives: a rounded white card with a hand-drawn mountain and sun mark in textured rust-red letterpress, and a portrait certificate card with the name and fill-in lines for model, blade, handle, number and date of birth.
The idea
Future Relic Knives is run by Mikey, a graphic designer turned knife maker based in Austin, Texas. He started out collecting and modifying knives before making his own.
Two rules
- 01Let the press show. Rust-red letterpress, leaving the slight texture of the press in the solid areas.
- 02A certificate, not a business card
Why it works
The certificate turns each sale into a numbered piece. Printed with the same rust-red and hand-drawn feel, it tells the buyer the knife was made by hand.
Start from these materials
Same paper, foil and finish, locked in — nothing of Future Relic Knives's artwork comes with it.
Questions
- Can letterpress show texture on purpose?
- Yes. A lighter impression with more ink leaves a hand-printed mottle in solid areas.
- Can a card be written on?
- Uncoated stock takes pen and pencil well, so it's ideal for fill-in cards.
- What is a product certificate card?
- A card that records the details of a handmade item, like a birth certificate for the piece.
