Who Am I?

I’m Karl J. P. Smith—engineer, storyteller, and founder of Truest North Compass. With a Ph.D. in Biophysics and stints at Amazon and Google, I build precision devices the old-fashioned way: by hand, in small batches, in my Pittsburgh workshop. Each piece blends calibrated electronics with crafted materials to become something you’ll pass down, not toss out. Before this, I toured a stage show full of inventions and stories and my storytelling was profiled by USA Today and Scientific American. That same spirit now guides every compass and ProxBox I make.

The First Compass

I first created the Truest North Compass as part of a mystery and treasure hunt I wrote for my niece and nephew to solve in a state park near Pittsburgh. I gave them the compass, and following it, we crossed a lake in a canoe, climbed a hill covered in briar bushes, and discovered an abandoned water tower. The compass pointed to a jar filled with glass gems at the base of the tower. It was the best adventure of the summer.

Kickstarter - Summer 2024

The Kickstarter was a smashing success - over 600 people backed the campaign, and they had lots of good things to say about their compasses.

See the Kickstarter Comments

All Compasses are Assembled in Pittsburgh

I assemble the compasses by hand in my workshop in Pittsburgh, PA. I have a lot of help from my family, my dad in particular has given me so many hours of time helping to build the compasses.

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