Brace Mk-1 Prototype II
At the beginning of the year, I posted some info about the first Brace prototype I've been working on here. Some time has passed and the next iteration of said bracelet is now complete, using a lot of design feedback from the first.
The P1 prototype had a lot of hard edges that made it uncomfortable in some situations. While those made it look really cool and... edgy, it was less cool when you would take it off and have a sharp red ring around your wrist from where it dug in all day. Now all the interior edges are nicely rounded out and it makes for a much nicer wear throughout the day.
The second big change was splitting the limbs and adding a spring in the middle of the limbs to apply light pressure while wearing it, which prevented it from flopping around as much as the P1 did. This helps a lot when running or jogging with the bracelet on, or when you need to push it up your arm for washing your hands and such. This really made it comfortable to wear, and I really like the way it fits now. With this the P2 can fit more wrist sizes too, without it having to be cut to size like the P1 had to be. I'm still debating the one size fits all vs a bespoke fit, as there are pros and cons to both.
The next challenge is figuring out the latching mechanism. The present latches can be too easily disengaged by various motions, so will need to be modified to prevent unwanted detachment. It works well when your arms are moving about, but actions such as reaching into your pocket tend to disengage the latch.
The finish shown in these photos is not the final finish, as I'm now displeased with the cast black look. It gives it a very raw unfinished vibe, which I don't want. I will probably sand these parts down to the steel underneath and see what it looks like all plain steel. The black color still has potential, so I might try to anodize or patina it back to black.
Already begun is work on the third revision. It's just in the CAD and 3D printed stages now, but I'm designing it for other means of manufacture rather than just indirect metal printing, and other materials than just stainless steel.
I'm also playing around with a spring only method of keeping it on your wrist, which is less fun, but simpler; which means it might be completed faster than the speed the latched version is coming along. I have frequently deviated from my designs like this in the past, which is the reason my overall projects take a very long time to develop, but I'm trying to figure out what works best with what I have available.
I hope I am narrowing in on a design that I am really satisfied with and that works really well, and I feel like I am getting really close. I have been chipping away at this project for several years now, so I hope I get to show off something more final soon.
Stay tuned!
