Barracuda Bottle Opener

A private commission from a client who wanted a custom bottle opener and keychain for his closest childhood friends. The object had to allude to a specific shared memory — drinking beers on a boat as kids, jumping into the water, and coming face to face with a barracuda. One opener, several copies, a story behind each one.

We sketched several barracuda silhouettes, then converged on a profile that worked equally well as a wall-mounted opener and a pocket keychain. The body curves around a steel insert that does the actual opening; the tail forms the keyring loop. Every line had to read clearly at a glance — this is an object people hand to a friend and tell a story with.

Concept sketches, full CAD model, multiple test prints to tune the bite of the opener and the balance in the hand, and a finished short run with hand-finished detail. Each opener was packaged with a card retelling the story it was made from.

Delivered to the client and gifted to his friends. A small, deeply personal object — proof that a studio that can ship software can also ship a thing you hold in your hand.