Aug 16, 2016 | By Benedict

Hatch Innovations, a trio of talented designers and makers from Salina, Kansas, has used 3D printing to create a unique beard comb. The Knuckled Comb from Fully Bearded features four finger holes, is made entirely in the U.S., and is cast in urethane resin from a 3D printed mold.

You’ve probably noticed the trend: beards, everywhere. Long or short, groomed or bushy, voluminous facial hair hasn’t been this popular since the stone age, and the craze isn’t going to be trimmed down to size anytime soon. You might be a fan of the beard; you might not; you might not be able to grow a beard, for one reason or another. What most can agree on, however, is that beards need care: you can’t just leave a beard alone, or you’ll end up more Chuck Noland than Jon Snow.

Trimming is essential, conditioning is optional, but the thing that can really make the difference between run-of-the-mill face fuzz and a true lion’s mane is a high-quality beard comb. Don’t have one? Keep the razor at bay for now, because Fully Bearded, a product of Kansas-based Hatch Innovations, is releasing its unique Knuckled Comb, which was made using some clever 3D printing techniques.

Less than a year ago, a trio of friends attended the Make48 invention competition, where they were inspired to form their own design company. Hatch Innovations was born shortly thereafter, and the company is now delivering a product that is sure to satisfy the bearded percentage of the population. After reeling off over 50 prototypes on a Duplicator i3 3D printer, Hatch finally settled on the perfect design, which was made into a mold using a Stratasys PolyJet.

3D printing, the most manly form of manufacturing, was used at virtually every step of the design and development process. Using the 3D printed mold, the Hatch team was able to cast urethane resin prototypes, which were then adorned with a branded leather insert attached with a 3D printed jig. Even the brass branding iron used to create the logo on the leather insert was made from a 3D printed cast.

In order to get its exciting business venture growing faster than Gandalf’s chin plumage, Hatch are launching a Kickstarter campaign (not yet live) some time this month. Early Bird backers of the campaign will be able to secure a Knuckled Comb for just $12, while 3D printing enthusiasts will be able to obtain the CAD files for $5, should they wish to print their own. Other options include comb/oil combo deals ($21), Fully Bearded t-shirts ($25), and a 30X comb retail option that comes with a super-cool metal stand ($350). Should the campaign hit its target of $25,500 (subject to change), deliveries will commence in December 2016.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

Maybe you also like:











