Yes. And to be honest, this has been sitting in the back of my mind for 10–15 years. I’ve wanted to create my own lock for a very long time, and I’ve even come close to something that might be viable. But I’ve never allowed myself to go all-in on it.

The knife industry is incredibly mature, and true innovation is hard. Most mechanisms we use today were invented decades ago. Still—new ideas continue to appear, so there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to contribute. The biggest obstacle isn’t the industry. It’s me.

I said in a short Instagram video recently that my brain “just isn’t wired” for this kind of engineering. That’s the story I’ve been telling myself for years. At the same time, I’ve started reading The Artist’s Way as part of launching my Creative Wednesday ritual. One point in the book is repeated over and over: let go of your core negative beliefs.

I consider myself a confident, positive person, but when it comes to lock engineering, I’ve clearly been holding myself back. So I’m done with that narrative. As of today, I’m shifting gears and taking this seriously. Designing my own mechanism has been a long-time dream, and I’m finally giving it the attention it deserves.

Thanks for the nudge.