The idea from Björn from Weinstadt:
Ideally on several levels, whereby the upper levels can be moved.
The story of the Customizable Cutlery Tray with Knife Block:
Negotiation phase
Kindly allow me to ask you a few questions about the cutlery tray.
1. What material would you like used to make them? The locally available options are Pine and Cypress which are softwoods and Mahogany and Mvule which are hardwoods.
2. What finish would you like used on them? the available options are varnish, paint and oil.
3. Could you elaborate on the knife block with a sketch as I'm yet to understand that part?
Hi Paul, I'm fine, thanks for asking. How are you doing?
The material should be cheap, it just has to fulfill its purpose.
The surface must be smooth and, for the sake of the environment, not be sprayed with any varnishes or paints, mainly it should be protected from any moisture.
And there's another photo for the knife block.
What would you like the height of the dividers to be? 25cm like the height of the borders or shorter to accommodate the knife block?
The knife block is integrated for 5 knives next to each other a' 2.5 cm wide, 6 cm high and the knife sheath 20 cm, above then another 3 knives slightly offset a' 2.5 cm wide, 4 cm high and the knife sheath 20 cm long and on the 3rd level 6 knives a' 2 cm wide and 14 cm long of the knife sheath and approx. 3 cm high. Total height approx. 15 cm.
The 2 upper levels should be movable.
Hi Paul, sorry I forgot to send it yesterday.
I just drew it freehand, hope you can do something with it.
As I said, the two upper levels should be movable in a rail or groove?
Have a pleasant day.
Kind regards
?
Hello Paul, in the description it says that there should be several levels and that the upper levels should be movable.
Later I wrote to you again about this on rails or movable in a groove.
As I don't know how high the floor of each level is, but probably 0.5 cm,
I have roughly planned the individual boxes according to my cutlery and cooking utensils.
We also need to get the finished cutlery tray into the drawer, as it doesn't extend quite that far, but I don't have any ideas yet.
Kind regards
Björn
The bottom tray is the main tray and holds the other two trays on top.
The middle partitions of the bottom tray will be about 1cm shorter than the outer borders while the bottom of the middle tray will be have a 1cm notch all around it that will allow it to sit slightly inside but on top of the bottom tray. This will act as a sliding feature that will allow it to move from side to side as shown by the arrow.
The top tray/knife block will move when the middle tray is moved from side to side.
Would you be able to sketch the knife block so that I can see how you'd like it to look?
I have revised something again.
Please also note my description of the knife block above.
And please take a look at the photo of a knife block
The dimensions are a bit blurry and I can't see them clearly
13x44xH?
See also in the text above please
Hello Paul, so far so good.
Can I please get another final sketch.
Is it really that expensive to ship from Kenya to Germany?
I read something about 60 EUR via DHL.
Why do I have to pay for advertising?
Urban Change Lab can also comment on this.
Kind regards Björn
Production phase
This is Vicky, the Local Operations Manager at Urban Change Lab. We reviewed the dhl.de page and yes you were right that the shipping cost for your parcel is 61,99€. However, these rates are for Germany to Kenya and not the other way round. Shipping rates from Kenya to Germany is not even published on the website, If you explore further and request a detailed quote directly from DHL for shipping from Kenya to Europe, you’ll notice that their rates tend to be significantly higher. I’ve shared screenshots for you to check.
To offer better rates, we partnered with ANKA, who negotiates bulk prices with DHL. This has helped us provide more affordable shipping compared to DHL’s direct rates. We have even reached out to GIZ and the Ministry of Development Cooperation in the past, but unfortunately, logistics hasn’t been their focus. If you have any political contacts affiliated with DHL, we’d greatly appreciate your support in exploring further options.
Regarding the advertising fee, I’d like to clarify that this is applied to all products purchased. The key difference is that we provide a transparent breakdown of these costs so you know exactly what you’re paying for. The fee helps cover the cost of professional photos used to promote the artisans' work, allowing them to showcase their craftsmanship to a wider audience and grow their customer base.
Thanks again for your understanding, and feel free to reach out with any questions.
Best regards,
Vicky Achieng.
Hello Vicky,
I thought the shipping has become cheaper?
Furthermore, the craftsman's final sketch is still missing.
Please change the depth to 45cm.
Thank you very much
Greetings Björn
Hello Paul,
here is another drawing, slightly improved by me.
I hope you can do something with it.
The upper drawer should be movable over the whole 50cm.
Hello Paul,
I hope this time it is better to recognize.
So the bottom 2 inserts have a height of 7 cm and the top one has a height of 9 cm.
The bottom insert has a maximum width of 50 cm. The middle level is 15 cm and the top level is 13 cm.
The middle shelf can be moved to a width of 37 cm and the top shelf to a width of 50 cm.
The upper level is just a box without partitions.
At the front right is a box 13 cm wide and so high that the middle level can be moved next to it and the upper level moves over it. At the back right is the knife block, for 5 knives at the bottom, 4 knives above and 6 knives at the top. I hope that the dimensions are easier to read this time.
If this doesn't work on the right-hand side, I would be happy to move the knife block to the front and the box to the back.
Kind regards
Björn
Hello Paul, you can sketch the whole thing better than I can. Would you please be so kind and send it to me again from you.
I would also like to know the dimensions of the outer walls, the partition walls and the thickness of the floors.
Thank you very much in advance.
Have a nice evening.
Greetings Björn
Hello Paul,
can't you sleep at night?
I have sketched the individual levels again only from above, as I now know how thick the outer walls and partitions will be.
I realized that the compartments on the middle level would be too narrow or the level would be too wide for me. Hence a small change.
I hope you haven't already started.
But if you agree with my current sketch then you are welcome to start.
I would then need another list of the calculation.
Best wishes and have a nice weekend.
Hello Paul,
I'm fine, and yourself?
You are welcome to start then.
Best regards
Hi Paul, I'm fine, thanks for asking. You are welcome to start a little later, just don't stress.
It took us long enough, also because of me, until we came to a final initial result, because I couldn't express myself clearly enough from the beginning.
@ Vicky, will there be another revision of the costs?
Kind regards
Björn
You're welcome.
Thank you for your patience as we finalize the details of the project. I’ve reviewed the shipping costs again, and while the shipping rates themselves haven’t changed, we’ve made some adjustments to the packaging. By arranging the top compartment to sit with the middle one, we were able to reduce the overall size of the package by a few centimeters, which brings the new shipping cost to 87€. Adding the 7€ customs fee, the total comes to 94€.
We’ve done our best to find the most efficient shipping solution, and this is the best option available in terms of both size and cost. Please let me know if you have any further questions, and I’m looking forward to moving ahead with the project!
Hi Vicky and Paul, I'm glad you came up with the idea of saving packaging. It's also better for the environment.
My partner and I are already looking forward to the individual steps and the end result.
Will I be able to reattach the top compartment properly?
Kind regards
Björn Feddeler
Hey Paul, I thought completely movable, over the entire plane
Hello Paul,
But I thought that it is connected over the whole surface in a sliding system.
I can no longer open and see my last two files, can you?
I'll send it again as an image to be on the safe side.
How are the individual layers connected to each other?
Do you already have a sketch of this?
Greetings Björn
The bottom tray is the main tray and holds the other two trays on top.
The middle partitions of the bottom tray will be about 1cm shorter than the outer borders while the bottom of the middle tray will be have a 1cm notch all around it that will allow it to sit slightly inside but on top of the bottom tray. This will act as a sliding feature that will allow it to move from side to side.
Picture the tracks of a train where the wheels of the train sit on top of and also inside the space between the rails and allow it to move back and forth but instead of wheels it's the bottom of the tray that has a notch cut out all around it that allows it to fit on top of the other tray and move sideways.
Good morning Paul,
so the compartments are just on top of each other, I thought they were connected inside each other, mmmh.
I thought I could make it a challenge and not just put 3 compartments on top of each other.
What if you raised the walls of the first level and let the other two levels move back and forth in that wall.
With an indentation of approx. 5 mm, the upper shelves would, I think, each be 1 cm shorter, in the middle level the 2 compartments of 7 would only be 31 cm long and in the upper compartment it would then be 13x42 cm.
I'll try again to create a drawing with the dimensions. Is it conceivable to implement this?
Greetings Björn
PS: a personal question, when do you go to bed at night or do you sleep during the day and work at night?
I work from morning throughout the day into the night and sleep right about midnight and work on the projects during the weekend...Hence I would like to start on the project this Saturday as soon as you approve.
Hi Paul, I hope you are well.
My partner and I have caught a cold, so it took a while to reply.
I have made 2 new drawings and revised another one.
Can you manage that?
Good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing the beginnings and progress.
Best regards Björn
Of the first two drawings you have made of the cutlery tray with almost similar dimensions which one would you like me to make?
Hello Paul, thank you.
The new one of course, the other one no longer fits in terms of dimensions.
Greetings Björn
You sent these 2 sketches and I have labelled them 1 and 2 since they are similar. Which one of the two would you like me to make? Since they have different dimensions for the middle and top trays I am not sure which one you settled on.
Kindly indicate using the number I have used to label them and also would it be possible to make payment so that I can begin the project? Since Saturday is already halfway through I may not find any open stores to purchase materials on Sunday.
Hello Paul,,, yes it is slowly getting better.
Have you also looked at the 'front and side view'?
Only sketch 2 fits this.
It would certainly be possible to make a payment, but only via urbanchangelab.
Kind regards
Björn
Yes the payment is done to Urban change lab which then sends it to me to proceed with the project.
Then I need contact with Vicky, I think, but you can certainly start anyway, right?
How should I pay, I don't have any payment details
That makes me happy.
Ok
Yes, the 16 cm are measured from the floor.
The 15 cm starts above the base plate for the height of the side wall. The base plates also have a thickness of 1 cm, don't they?
Good morning Paul, how are you?
How far are you already?
Do you have any new photos or videos of your progress?
Greetings Björn
I didn't know you were doing this on the side, when will you be finished?
Greetings Björn
I had mentioned earlier that I work on the projects during the weekend when you asked about my work hours.
Hi Paul, I'm fine, thanks for asking. How are you doing?
The top two look good.
There is a small change to the lower one.
As the side walls are 1 cm thick, the knife block is too short, so I would like to make the box in front of it a little narrower.
I have added a new file and deleted the other one.
Greetings Björn
Then get well soon.
Did you notice my change?
Greetings Björn
Ok
Hello Paul, I'm sorry, I was relying entirely on your experience.
Do you think I will have the mission in Germany by Christmas?
I'm glad to hear that.
Then good luck, I'm looking forward to the next photos
Hi Paul,
the photos are all from last weekend, not this one.
Greetings Björn
Also note that the sliding trays will be locked inside the main tray once I add the last outer wall.
Hi Paul, I'm fine.
Yes, the knives have a blade of about 20 cm.
I have added 2 more photos of the knives in question. There are now only 12 knives in total, not 14.
Do you have the same spacing everywhere?
I noticed that the compartment in front of the knife block is still missing and that one wall inside next to the knife block is not high enough.
Please take another look at the front view.
The levels of the knife block are upside down in the photo, aren't they? Will you glue them together?
Greetings Björn
But then I don't know if I can get my large knives in from the angle if the gap only comes to the front. Because I don't think that will work.
How do you get to 25 cm, you have 20 cm in your drawing. The upper level 3x14 cm, the middle level 4x17 cm and the lower level 6x20 cm
With a blade of approx. 20 cm and a handle of approx. 15 cm, I need the space of 35 cm, so we still have 2 cm of leeway. On the middle level, the knife blades can protrude a little.
Do you have any wood left? Can you glue in a handle shelf for the lower large knives? The blades are deeper than the handle.
Here's the tray with the knife block as you had requested. The top level is 14cm, and the middle and bottom are 20cm long according to the measurements you had given.
Hello Paul, if you look at the records, then you know that the middle level of the knife block should only be 17 cm long. This is how it was communicated on 21.12.24 and also as written in your drawing.
Please correct this.
Kind regards
Björn
Hello Paul, a healthy new year. I hope you have a pleasant new year.
That would be nice.
Greetings Björn
Are there any other adjustments you would like done to the knife block?
Hello Paul, I'm fine.
Did you start the new year well?
I don't know of anything else right now, but maybe you can show me some new photos.
Best regards Björn
Here's the knife block adjusted.
Hello Paul,
I also had a good start to the year.
That looks good.
Is everything finished now?
Is the knife block fixed or removable?
I'm already looking forward to it.
Has Vicky had a look at it yet?
Greetings Björn
This is Vicky. I’ve finally received your tray from Paul, and I’m happy to report that everything is now complete. The tray looks fantastic, and I hope it meets your expectations!
Here are the details:
Knife Block:
It is removable and fits into a slot measuring 36cm x 13cm, providing ample space for longer knives.
The top part of the knife block measures 13.7cm (length), with blade slots that are 2.8cm deep and 0.4cm wide.
The middle part is 17cm long, 3.3cm deep, and 0.5cm wide.
The bottom part measures 20 cm in length, 4.5cm deep, and 0.7cm wide.
The partitions separating the three sections are 1cm thick.
Other Tray Components:
The removable slot at the top measures 42.3cm x 13.7cm x 8.8cm.
The second movable tray measures 43cm x 16.8cm x 7cm.
The overall tray dimensions, with the top part stacked in, are 49.7cm x 45cm x 23.3cm.
While the dimensions vary slightly from your initial specifications, does it look like this could still work with your drawer and knife sizes?
I’ve also shared close-up photos showing the tray, its various profiles, and the dimensions. Kindly take a look and let me know your thoughts! Do not hesitate to reach out if you need any further details.
Warmest regards,
Vicky Achieng
Hello Vicky,
Your photos are much better than Paul's,
Where should I start, I don't like the knife block at all. The measurements I gave regarding the depth for the blades don't fit, 6cm at the bottom, 4cm in the middle and 3cm at the top, then I wanted 5 knives at the bottom, not just 4.
Does the knife block look like a knife block to you?
I also asked for a shelf for the handles of the knives, this was not done at all.
Then the box for the knife block is 1cm shorter than requested, the drawing says 37cm not 36cm, but it should still fit.
Then a partition is missing between the box for the knife block and the rest.
The middle box also seems to be flatter than required or is it the bottom box? The height should have been flush with the right front box.
Furthermore, I didn't make one side shorter on any of the drawings to be able to remove the top box.
I expected more for the money.
But let's leave it alone. We've been working on this project for 4 months now and I thought I'd have it under the tree by Christmas.
Send it to me and maybe it will be with us by Valentine's Day.
I will probably have to buy a knife block for plastic cutlery boxes.
Best regards Björn
I want to sincerely apologize that the tray did not fully meet your expectations. Thank you for sharing your feedback so candidly; it helps us improve and ensures we address your concerns thoroughly. I truly regret that the knife block and other elements did not align with the specifications, and I appreciate your patience throughout this process.
I’ve carefully reviewed your concerns and had a detailed discussion with Paul to understand what went wrong and what we can do to resolve the issues. Here’s a breakdown of what we found and the steps we propose:
1. Knife Block
The knife block is indeed not as you envisioned, particularly with the heights of the slots and the missing shelf for the knife handles. Paul explained that he made the knife block shorter to avoid obstructing the top-most compartment from sliding the full length of the tray. Unfortunately, this adjustment wasn’t communicated to you during production, and I agree that a discussion here would have led to a better solution.
Paul and I discussed redoing the knife block to fit your specifications, but there is one limitation: even with the specified dimensions and adjustments (e.g., reducing base partition thickness from 1cm to 0.5cm), the total height might still interfere with the top compartment’s groove as at the moment the height from the floor of the whole tray to the bottom of the top box is 13.9cm. This means that if an adjustment is made, the total height of the knife-block 14.5cm (3+0.5+4+0.5+6+0.5cm). We’d like to propose revisiting the design with you to find a solution that accommodates both the knife block and the sliding function.
Paul will be available to start reworking this in 1.5 weeks. If you’d like, we can arrange a detailed discussion before proceeding to ensure the final product meets your expectations.
2. Partition for the Knife Block
Regarding the partition, the current knife block width (20cm x 12.8cm) fits snugly in the slot (36cm x 13cm). However, if you meant a different partition between the knife block slot and the rest of the tray, we’d appreciate further clarification. We’re happy to make the necessary adjustments once we better understand your preference.
3. Middle Sliding Partition Not Flushing with the Right Front Box
You are correct here. While the partition dimensions match your specifications, Paul could have raised the bottom groove so that the middle tray sits flush with the right front box. This was an oversight, and we sincerely apologize for this. We can make the necessary adjustments if you’d like this corrected.
4. One Side Shorter to Allow Removal of the Top Box
This modification was made to facilitate easier packaging and reduce shipping costs by €37. However, I completely agree that this change should have been communicated to you for approval beforehand. I apologize for this lapse in communication. If you’d prefer the top part to remain non-removable, we can certainly revise this aspect as well.
Next Steps
We are committed to ensuring that you’re satisfied with the tray. To move forward, here are the options we can discuss:
Redoing the Knife Block: We can redesign and fabricate a new knife block with dimensions and features agreed upon after further discussion.
Adjusting the Middle Sliding Partition: We can raise the lower groove to align the middle tray flush with the right front box.
Revising the Removable Top Box: We can make the top box fixed instead of removable, as per your original design intent.
I deeply regret that this process has taken longer than expected, and I understand your frustration about missing the original timeline. We are dedicated to resolving these issues to your satisfaction and ensuring the final product is exactly what you envisioned.
Please let me know how you’d like to proceed. I’m happy to set up a call or exchange detailed emails to finalize the adjustments.
Thank you again for your patience, and I truly hope we can deliver a final product that you’ll enjoy using for years to come.
Warm regards,
Vicky Achieng
I had already informed you that it should be sent, how many times?
The final Customizable Cutlery Tray with Knife Block:
Reference: ON014651E-69299
Costs to realize this Customizable Cutlery Tray with Knife Block
Price | |
---|---|
Cost of material |
36.76
|
Cost of labour |
73.53
|
Cost of packaging |
3.68
|
Cost of delivery to local operations manager |
14.71
|
Subtotal – payout to craftsman |
128.68
|
Customer aquisition costs (advertising etc.) |
12.87
|
Handling fee Urban Change Lab |
12.87
|
Shipping costs from Kenya to Germany* |
100
|
VAT (Germany)* |
29.34
|
Total |
302.76
|