K'Nex

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
The first K'Nex Box was launched in the U.S. market in 1993. Original models with moving parts had a <a href="/facts/Handcrank/1a3bCxyE">handcrank</a> to make things move, but soon, <a href="/facts/Gears/9KVHRfUR">gears</a> and <a href="/facts/Electric_motor/ArD7BGDa">motors</a> allowed models to move on their own.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2">2</a>

 
The company's products were sold at <a href="/facts/Toys_%2522R%2522_Us/lHYA7rjT">Toys "R" Us</a>, starting in early October 1992. By 2011, K'Nex was distributed in over 25 countries, including the United States.
In 2018, all of K'Nex's assets were purchased by Basic Fun!, a Florida-based toy company.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a> The acquisition was valued at around $21 million.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a>
In 2024, Basic Fun filed for <a href="/facts/Chapter_11_bankruptcy/PjdCBWfn">Chapter 11 bankruptcy</a> protection. The company will use bankruptcy proceedings to repay its creditors while remaining in operation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a> Basic Fun emerged from bankruptcy on November 1, 2024.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a>

<h2 id="pieces">Pieces</h2>
The basic K'Nex pieces used to make models include rods, connectors, and bricks. Basic K'Nex pieces are made out of <a href="/facts/Polyoxymethylene/TFrYKSx7">polyoxymethylene</a> plastic.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a>

<h2 id="display-models-and-exhibits">Display models and exhibits</h2>
<a href="/facts/Concordia_University_(Quebec)/RHHQNxam">Concordia University</a>'s Engineering and Computer Science Association (ECA)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a> has erected models of a <a href="/facts/Space_Shuttle/7BoyetEv">Space Shuttle</a>, the <a href="/facts/Sears_Tower/0oukJxzA">Sears Tower</a>, the <a href="/facts/Eiffel_Tower/IptQeofK">Eiffel Tower</a>, <a href="/facts/Habitat_67/C3VJSAxR">Habitat 67</a>, and mazes out of K'Nex.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a> The U.S. Space and Rocket Center held a Guinness Book of World Records Award for the "World's Largest K'Nex Sculpture" and also has a huge space shuttle and rocket in their gift shop in <a href="/facts/Huntsville%2c_Alabama/Rdu00gpd">Huntsville, Alabama</a>. The Guinness World Record for "World's Largest K'Nex Sculpture" was broken in 2014 by a team in the UK with a 13.38-meter-long K'Nex replica of the Bloodhound 1600 km/h Supersonic Car. K'Nex also has a traveling exhibit, K'Nex: Build Thrill Rides, that visits schools and museums across the country.

<h2 id="computer-games">Computer games</h2>
K'NEX The Lost Mines: Adventure Begins, was released in 1998 by <a href="/facts/Engineering_Animation/X1KKavb2">EAI Interactive</a> for <a href="/facts/Windows_95/1E1L93qC">Windows 95</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a> and Virtual K'Nex was also released in 1998 by <a href="/facts/Fox_Interactive/hfISlwBv">Fox Interactive</a> for Windows 3.x.

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/K*bot_World_Championships/QMEpI69j">K*bot World Championships</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Fischertechnik/56zU6YSd">Fischertechnik</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Meccano/w6MqGG3j">Meccano</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

Wikimedia Commons has media related to K'Nex.

<ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080913191832/http://www.knex.com/">Official K'Nex website</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.basicfun.com/knex/">Basic Fun! K’Nex website</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">"K'Nex Brands sold to Florida-based toy company". Plastics News. February 12, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2023. <a href="https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20180212/NEWS/180219984/k-nex-brands-sold-to-florida-based-toy-company" target="_blank">https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20180212/NEWS/180219984/k-nex-brands-sold-to-florida-based-toy-company</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">"History of K'Nex". Knex.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2012. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120223085049/http://www.knex.com/info/history.php" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120223085049/http://www.knex.com/info/history.php</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">Whyte, Alexandra (February 11, 2018). "Basic Fun! buys K'NEX". Kidscreen. Retrieved February 6, 2019. <a href="http://kidscreen.com/2018/02/13/basic-fun-buys-knex/" target="_blank">http://kidscreen.com/2018/02/13/basic-fun-buys-knex/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Basic Fun! Acquires K'NEX". Basic Fun!. February 12, 2018. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191115200610/http://www.basicfun.com/news/archived/2018/knex-acquired.html#:~:text=Basic%20Fun!%2C%20the%20Boca%20Raton,%E2%80%9Cthe%20new%E2%80%9D%20Basic%20Fun!" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20191115200610/http://www.basicfun.com/news/archived/2018/knex-acquired.html#:~:text=Basic%20Fun!%2C%20the%20Boca%20Raton,%E2%80%9Cthe%20new%E2%80%9D%20Basic%20Fun!</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">"Basic Fun! buys K'Nex". Toyworldmag.co.uk. February 12, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2022. <a href="https://toyworldmag.co.uk/basic-fun-buys-knex/" target="_blank">https://toyworldmag.co.uk/basic-fun-buys-knex/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Savana, Freda (February 10, 2018). "Hatfield toymaker K'NEX sold". The Intell.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200102005752/https://www.theintell.com/news/20180210/hatfield-toymaker-knex-sold" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20200102005752/https://www.theintell.com/news/20180210/hatfield-toymaker-knex-sold</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"Basic Fun Keeps K'Nex Licenses". Licensing International. April 19, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2020. <a href="https://licensinginternational.org/news/basic-fun-keeps-knex-licenses/" target="_blank">https://licensinginternational.org/news/basic-fun-keeps-knex-licenses/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"Basic Fun Buys K'NEX". Consumergoods.com. February 18, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2022. <a href="https://consumergoods.com/basic-fun-buys-knex" target="_blank">https://consumergoods.com/basic-fun-buys-knex</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">"Toy Maker Behind Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys Files for Bankruptcy". Bloomberg. June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-28/toy-maker-behind-lincoln-logs-tinker-toys-files-for-bankruptcy?ref=biztoc.com" target="_blank">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-28/toy-maker-behind-lincoln-logs-tinker-toys-files-for-bankruptcy?ref=biztoc.com</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"Basic Fun Completes Its Restructuring with a Significantly Strengthened Financial Position and Continues on its Growth Trajectory". PR Newswire. November 1, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2025. <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/basic-fun-completes-its-restructuring-with-a-significantly-strengthened-financial-position-and-continues-on-its-growth-trajectory-302294197.html" target="_blank">https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/basic-fun-completes-its-restructuring-with-a-significantly-strengthened-financial-position-and-continues-on-its-growth-trajectory-302294197.html</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">"Ticona Polymer and Processing Expertise Helps Rodon Deliver Successes, Including K'Nex® Toys". celanese.com. Celanese Corporation. Retrieved March 19, 2016. <a href="http://www.celanese.com/engineered-materials/News-and-Media/2013/July/Ticona%20Polymer%20and%20Processing%20Expertise.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.celanese.com/engineered-materials/News-and-Media/2013/July/Ticona%20Polymer%20and%20Processing%20Expertise.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">"Concordia Engineering and Computer Science Association". ECA. June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014. <a href="http://ecaconcordia.ca" target="_blank">http://ecaconcordia.ca</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"Concordia's Women in Engineering chapter construct massive K'Nex shuttle". The Concordian. March 8, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2012. <a href="http://theconcordian.com/2011/03/08/concordias-women-in-engineering-chapter-construct-massive-knex-shuttle/" target="_blank">http://theconcordian.com/2011/03/08/concordias-women-in-engineering-chapter-construct-massive-knex-shuttle/</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">"K'NEX The Lost Mines: Adventure Begins". legendsworld.net. Retrieved March 16, 2019. <a href="http://legendsworld.net/adventure/game/3981" target="_blank">http://legendsworld.net/adventure/game/3981</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

K'Nex open-in-new

K'Nex