Order Fulfillment Information
The Smith Blade was offered through Kickstarter, which is a crowdfunding platform rather than a traditional online store. Kickstarter campaigns support the development and production of new products, so items are often not yet manufactured when backers pledge. Because the product still needs to be created—and in some cases new manufacturing facilities must be set up—fulfillment timelines can be longer than what you might expect from a standard retail purchase.
Additionally, overwhelming demand has influenced both production and shipping schedules. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please visit the Smith Blade Updates page in our store, and our Vlogs YouTube channel where we share behind-the-scenes progress on bringing the Smith Blade to life.
Delivery Expectations (Estimated)
- Founders Edition Orders: Mostly complete, started shipping in November.
- Smith Blade Pros: Currently manufacturing and shipping.
- Standard 14-in-1: Production for the Standard models is currently being prioritized. Please note that if your order contains multiple types of knives (e.g., a Standard and a Pro), the entire order will ship once all items are ready.
All other orders will be shipped on a case-by-case basis, depending on the specifics of each order. As we continue scaling production, we’re actively learning and refining our processes. Because of this, and as is common with many Kickstarter projects, there are still several variables that make it difficult to provide an exact shipping estimate at this time. We understand this can be frustrating, and we’re grateful for your understanding as we work toward full production capacity.
When your order ships:
You’ll receive a shipment email once your order is fully produced and on its way. The tracking number might not update for up to two weeks for customers in the USA, as we have to import orders into the country before FedEx can pick it up after it clears customs.
Unless you’re looking to make changes to your order, the information shown when you log in and check your order on Hacksmith.store will be the same status our support team has available.
If you are curious, and want to check the status of our manufacturing progress, you can head to the Smith Blade Production Updates page.
How the Survey Works
- Review Items: Items you pledged for on Kickstarter are listed at the top of your survey.
- Survey Code Balance: Your Kickstarter pledge amount will appear in your cart as “Survey Code Balance.” This is a gift card assigned to your survey. Please verify that this balance is displayed before completing your purchase. If it’s missing, enter your survey code (found in your survey email) in the Discount Code/Gift Card field at checkout. Not doing so will make our checkout ask for the full amount of your pledge to complete the order.
- Upgrades: Click “Explore Upgrades” at the top of your survey page to view available options.
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Add-Ons: Ensure any additional or previously paid-for add-ons are added to your cart before checking out.
IF YOU DO NOT SELECT YOUR ADD-ONS DURING THE SURVEY, THEY WILL NOT BE ADDED TO YOUR KNIFE/KNIVES.
If you have already paid for an add-on, selecting it again in the survey will not result in an extra charge. It just lets us know which knife gets which feature, especially if you have multiple knives. - Review Your Order: Double-check all order details, including items in your cart and your shipping address, to reduce the chance of errors.
- Order Confirmation: After completing your survey, you will receive an email summarizing your order.
Visit this link: Survey Verification Portal
Please note that this portal is not intended for modifying or editing surveys that have already been submitted. Once submitted, surveys are considered final and cannot be changed through this portal. This portal is intended strictly for individuals who have not yet been able to access their survey via email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where am I in the production queue?
Fulfillment logistics for the Smith Blade involve migrating data from Kickstarter into our Shopify platform. When backers complete their surveys, those pledges are converted into Shopify orders. Currently, fulfillment is being processed by Shopify order number, which corresponds to the time the survey was completed rather than the original Kickstarter backer number. This is temporary.
We are currently updating our internal ERP system to better integrate Kickstarter backer numbers into Shopify. Once this update is finalized (expected within the next 1–2 weeks), we will transition to fulfilling orders based on backer number, with continued priority given to Founders Edition and Early Bird backers as remaining currently unanswered surveys are submitted.
Please note that if your order includes a blade modification, fulfillment may take slightly longer as we ensure these specialized units meet our rigorous quality control standards. We are committed to producing and shipping all units as quickly as possible.
When will my order ship?
Shipping timelines are dependent on production ramp-up and your specific position in the fulfillment queue. While we cannot provide exact dates for every individual order at this moment, our team is working around the clock to increase manufacturing capacity. We are also enhancing our system's documentation capabilities to provide more granular updates as orders move through the production phases.
What is the best way to sharpen the Smith Blade?
The Smith Blade features a unique geometry that differs from traditional curved pocket knives. Because the blade profile is straighter, we recommend exercising caution near the tip during sharpening to avoid unintended rounding of the point. If you are new to blade maintenance, we suggest researching flat-grind sharpening techniques or get it sharpened professionally.
We plan to release a dedicated tutorial vlog in the near future that will provide comprehensive instructions on the best methods for maintaining and sharpening your Smith Blade.
Why can’t I add certain options to my order that I paid for on Kickstarter?
Due to the limitations of Kickstarter, it allowed add-ons that weren’t compatible with certain Smith Blade versions — for example, laser engraving or tritium on the Lite model, to be added to your pledge.
Because Kickstarter payments are processed as a single pledge through Shopify, we can’t refund individual add-on amounts. However, any unused balance from your pledge can be applied toward shipping, taxes, or to purchase other items when completing your survey.
Why was my order cancelled, or why can’t I place my order?
There are a few common causes:
- Shipping Restrictions: Due to import laws and regulations, certain products (such as Mini-Sabers) cannot be shipped to countries like Germany, Australia, and Mexico. If your survey contains one of these items, please remove it to ensure your order can be processed and shipped successfully.
- Incomplete survey: Please ensure your survey is fully completed — missing details can prevent checkout.
If your order was cancelled, check your email for a message from us explaining the issue and next steps.
Can I make changes to my order?
Production has begun. Corrections can only be made for errors caused by a malfunction in the survey itself. If incorrect options were submitted for any other reason, we are unable to modify the order. Please review all selections carefully before submitting.
Some changes might require cancelling your order and waiting 24 hours for the survey to reset.
Why doesn’t my address work at checkout?
There are a few reasons an address might be rejected:
- We cannot ship to PO boxes.
- UK addresses without a house number should include “0” or “1” before the street name.
- Military bases are not supported by our couriers.
- School dorms require the school’s official shipping address — please confirm it with your institution.
If you’ve double-checked these and still can’t proceed, try simplifying your address format or contact our support team for help.
Why is there an extra shipping charge labeled “Customized Product”?
The “Customized Product” shipping charge is a system requirement for handling orders with custom Smith Blades. Because our U.S. fulfillment center can’t process custom knives, a small portion of the shipping fee is separated to ensure your custom order is routed correctly. This doesn’t necessarily mean there are two shipments — it’s simply how our system manages custom orders behind the scenes.
However, especially for U.S. customers, this charge also helps us split and route certain products in your order towards our U.S. fulfillment center if need be to minimize the impact of U.S. tariffs.
Will my order ship in multiple packages?
Products are shipped as they become available. Items that have shipped will appear in your shipping email. If you have not yet received an item from your order, it likely has not shipped yet and is not lost. You will receive an additional email notification once the remaining item(s) ship.
NOTICE: Third-party tracking apps such as Route, Shop by Shopify, and similar services are not designed to handle pre-orders or split shipments. In our testing, these apps may time out and incorrectly mark an order as “delivered,” or, in the case of split shipments, show the entire order as delivered even though only part of it has shipped.
For this reason, we do not recommend using tracking apps for orders that include Smith Blade pre-ordered products.
What is the policy regarding U.S. Tariffs?
The Smith Blade STANDARD 14-in-1 and PRO 21-in-1 are made in Canada, and are expected to qualify under CUSMA (the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement), which would mean that Smith Blade orders shipped to the USA should not incur tariff charges.
We are currently undergoing verification to confirm full qualification and will provide an update as soon as we have final confirmation.
Note: The Smith Blade LITE 7-in-1 is not included in this exemption, as it is manufactured in China.
Does anodization help protect from rust?
No, anodization does not help protect against rust — it is mainly used to add color. Titanium is already highly resistant to rust and corrosion on its own.
Can I still buy a Smith Blade?
If you missed our Kickstarter campaign and did not get the chance to buy a Smith Blade, and would like to do so in the future, you can head to this page to sign up for our newsletter and be notified when we release it officially on our store.
Payment & Pricing Updates
- November 13, 2025: We disabled international currencies on Hacksmith.store. Since all Kickstarter pledges and corresponding gift cards are in CAD, this prevents mismatches between your pledged items and your gift card balance caused by currency fluctuations. If you made a purchase before this change and noticed a substantial mismatch, contact us at support@hacksmithretail.com
- February 11, 2026: US customers can now pay in USD again. We will continue to re-enable international currencies, as we have fixed the discrepancy issue.
- February 13, 2026: We are issuing refunds for any sales tax that was charged to customers in Alabama. We do not meet Alabama’s economic nexus threshold for sales tax collection and are not legally able to register to collect and remit Alabama sales tax at this time.
Contacting Support
Support ticket volume is currently high, and our team is working as quickly as possible to respond to everyone. To help us assist you efficiently, please keep the following in mind:
- Submit only one ticket: Sending multiple tickets about the same issue can slow down our response time, and duplicate tickets may be flagged as spam. One clear ticket ensures your request is addressed as quickly as possible.
- Review the FAQ before submitting: Many common questions are answered above. Reviewing it first could save you time and help you find an immediate solution without waiting for a response.
- Provide detailed information: Include all relevant details, such as account info, screenshots, error messages, and steps you’ve already tried. The more information you provide, the easier it is for our support team to understand the issue and resolve it faster.
As always, thank you for your patience. Smith blade manufacturing is the absolute top priority of Hacksmith Industries as a whole. We really appreciate your confidence in ordering a Smith blade with us. We want to deliver on that promise, and we're going to deliver on that promise—hopefully sooner than later.
Comments
4 comments
Hi, if you add answers with approximate real shipping dates (e.g., for orders No. 1-2000 [date] and so on), that would save many questions.
This is the first notification you've sent that we need to add all items to the order, the instructions say to edit the order, it's not possible to edit the order.
I know that you are probably very busy and trying to get orders out as fast as possible and I am willing to be patient.
As someone who has had a long career in product management here is some unsolicited advice:
Delays are inevitable and part of the cost of doing business, but the worst mistake you can make when there are delays is to be silent. Communication is a critical part of product management, and it becomes even more critical when things don't go as planned.
From a lot of customer's perspectives (including my own), they feel out of the loop and unsure of when or if they are going to get their product.
I trust that is not your intent and that you are diligently working with a system that is over capacity and putting out constant fires (I get it, from experience), but try not to make the mistake of stressing your most ardent supporter's good will by being too silent for too long.
If this was my product, I would throw together a quick dashboard that shows the most recent order numbers/backer number's shipped. Then allow someone to enter their backer number or order number and get a rough ETA based on place in line and current daily fulfillment velocity. It doesn't have to be perfectly accurate (because it won't be) it just gives some peace of mind that you haven't forgotten or lost the order.
I bet that would cut down support inquiries by an order of magnitude.
for feedback- this is a circular set of links- This website has not been updated for some time and says to go to kickstarter. The kickstarter campaign has not been updated since early january, and it says to come to this website. There are several comments there that have gone unacknowledged, and the expected ship date still says November.
I believe in this project, but the lack of transparency on the delivery time is frustrating. Especially when I see videos of the lightsaber project that show progress while people who have trusted you with money are left hanging.
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