Mortuary Bar FAQ’s

Our Story

Fanprobe.com

Where It All Started - A Problem In Plain Sight Without Realizing It.

Innovation doesn’t always begin in a lab. For Fanprobe, it started in the prep room of a busy Maryland funeral home averaging nearly 30 funerals each week. When staffing was limited and every detail mattered, preparation and casketing slowed down—costing time, energy, and workflow during the most delicate part of care. There wasn’t a tool to support positioning or casketing. So the work relied entirely on improvising with what was available. That’s where the idea began.

A large piece of meat wrapped in plastic on a stainless steel hospital gurney in a sterile environment

The First Solution Wasn’t Pretty - It Just Had To Work

Using everyday materials, our founder Kristopher Mickens created the earliest version of what would become the Mortuary Balancing Bar™. Wrapped, weighted, unstable, and constantly revised, it was tested quietly in a real funeral home—not in theory, but in daily use under pressure.

This rough tool proved one thing clearly: funeral professionals needed support, not another challenge.

Engineered By Real-World Practice

For more than 2.5 years, the bar was re-shaped, re-weighted, and field tested directly by embalmers, directors, removals staff, and student trainees—over 3,000 real cases. Each change was informed by real feedback, real techniques, and real problems. The goal wasn’t to replace skill—it was to enhance it. This is practical innovation: designed by experience, sharpened by repetition, proven by daily use.

A black fitness or strength training resistance bar on a stainless steel table in a clinical or gym setting.

The Mortuary Balancing Bar™ — Built For The Work

Today, the Mortuary Balancing Bar™ stands as a durable, flame-treated tool engineered to stabilize positioning, support casketing, and act as an “extra set of hands” in the prep room. What started as a wrapped block of makeshift support has become an indispensable piece of equipment trusted by professionals who care for the deceased with skill and dignity.

Simple. Reliable. Built for the human side of funeral work.

  • The Mortuary Balancing Bar is a lifesaver. It keeps the body stable during dressing and prep—no more slipping or awkward repositioning.

    — T. Harris, Prep Room Technician

  • This tool cuts our prep time in half. It’s sturdy, easy to clean, and adds a level of control we didn’t have before.

    — D. McBride, Embalmer

  • We were skeptical at first, but after one use, we ordered three more. The MBB makes positioning and chemical application much easier.

    — L. Jennings, Mortuary Supervisor

  • It’s one of those things you didn’t realize you needed until you use it. The Mortuary Balancing Bar should be standard in every prep room.

    — S. Collins, Funeral Director

Where Practical Design - Meets Real Needs

At Fanprobe, we believe the best innovations aren’t flashy. They solve problems people feel every day. We begin with funeral tools that make challenging work safer and more efficient, and we continue to expand into funeral technology, logistics, mobility, and practical equipment built for essential, hands-on professionals.

We design with intention. We build alongside real users. We innovate where the work matters most.