Benedict

Author: Chad Sobodash, ABO-AC
Version: 0.21
Last Updated: 2/10/2026
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Boxing Data (mm):

Creative Brief

Named for Saint Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism, whose early life was defined by a dramatic rejection of worldly comfort. Most famously, when tormented by temptation, Benedict threw himself into a thicket of briars and nettles to overcome it through sheer force of will. That tension between pleasure and discipline makes him the ideal patron saint for a frame rooted in rock and roll. Benedict takes its shape from the FAOSA Zafiro, the Mexican-made frame from 1957 that became inseparable from Buddy Holly’s image and, through him, the visual identity of early rock and roll itself. Rather than reproduce the Zafiro’s sharp, angular geometry, Benedict softens and opens the shape into something more wearable and forgiving, keeping the spirit of the original while making it accessible for everyday use.

Design Brief

A softened rectangular lens shape with rounded corners, wider than it is tall, giving the frame an approachable presence without losing the assertive horizontal proportion of its Zafiro ancestor. The 53mm eye size and 19mm bridge produce a frame that reads confidently on medium to larger faces, or an acceptable medium-fit for sunglass applications. The relatively shallow B measurement of 39mm preserves the low-slung, wide-set character of the mid-century original while the 56mm effective diameter accommodates the full lens profile. Endpieces are designed to accept the Zoye TSH-23 hinge and its accompanying skull temple (found in the archive), and the frame is intended for use with a standard 6mm acetate blank as defined in the archive.

Downloads

Usage Notes

The G-Code and Manufacturing Setup within the .F3Z / .F3D file is set up for manufacturing on most desktop CNC mills running GRBL firmware. It requires a 3.175mm endmill with a zero point set centered underneath a 6mm acetate slab laminated with a 4mm nosepad block.

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