Awesome Craft

Most saw blades are made by machine these days. But the Daedong Saw factory in Korea still makes them by hand. Mega Process takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility to see how skilled craftspeople cut, punch, and sharpen every tooth of every blade with care and precision.

Yokoyama Reimei has been making Japanese archery bows for more than a century. Their artisans use traditional woodworking techniques to craft 6.5-foot tall bows from burnt bamboo and a wax tree core. They shape each bow by hand (and foot) by bending the wood with rope and bamboo wedges. Process X provides a close-up look at their workshop.

Robinson Foundry shows how he took a digital 3D model of a human skull and used it to create a cast bronze sculpture. The Lost PLA method starts by making a 3D-print, coating it with a ceramic material, kiln-firing it to harden it and melt away the plastic, then filling it with molten metal and eventually chipping away the casting.

We’ve seen guitars made from unusual materials, but this is the first one we’ve seen that was made from leaves. Gitara Maker was inspired to create the guitar after seeing fallen leaves on a camping trip. He built the guitar’s body by stacking flattened layers of leaves with clear resin, shaping it with a scroll saw, and applying top coats for a shiny finish.

Road Agent Leather wanted a case to protect and carry his 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol. Being a skilled leatherworker, he decided to make his own from scratch. He started by flattening and dying leather sheets, cutting them into precise shapes, then gluing and stitching them together. He used a laser cutter to make the perfect circles for holding ammo.

We’ve seen how Japanese Kumiko lattice is made. Now, watch Yamanaka Kumiki Works create a different kind of wood pattern called Yosegi. The process involves applying thin wood veneers to boards, cutting them into small pieces, arranging and gluing them into a pattern, and slicing them back into a veneer. Here’s another unique Yosegi pattern being made.

The Life Art channel shows how to put the moon on your wall by sculpting a cement relief of the lunar surface. The artist starts by filling a circular area with a sand-cement mixture, building up an outer ring for depth, and then using a trowel to create a rough texture and add craters with its handle. The addition of LED lights makes the shadows pop.

T-Nu from the wonderfully-named Craftastrophe loves to build tiny things. In this video, you’ll see how he made a mini version of a 1958 Gibson Explorer electric guitar with every little detail. It even has real metal strings and teensy fretboards. They built the whole thing by hand and without any 3D-printed parts.

Modelmaking has always fascinated us. Cath from The Square to Spare shows us the steps to make a miniature fridge that looks just like those fancy French door models. Its cabinet can be 3D printed or cut from balsa wood, with acrylic or resin shelves, wrapped in stainless steel contact paper, and lit with LED fairy lights.

Hedron Rockworks handmakes dice from gemstones. In this video, he transformed a hunk of amethyst into a stunning purple D20. He started by scanning a 3D model of the stone to identify the best orientation, carefully cut and polished its facets, then sandblasted its numerals. Those frosted edges and star facets are gorgeous.

The shot of Homer Simpson backing into a bush is a classic meme. It’s appeared on t-shirts, mugs, prints, and even sneakers. Now it’s a handmade rug. In this video from RugTrade, you’ll see how the textile artist used a rug tufting machine to replicate the iconic moment with yarn. Shearing off the excess yarn looks mighty satisfying.

Masks have been part of Japanese culture for more than a thousand years. Process X takes us inside, Womokage, a small company that makes these detailed masks the traditional way. Skilled artisans use chisels to carve facial features from a solid block of wood, then hand-apply a coating and paint pigments to bring out details.

Metal is such a wondrous material because it can be melted down over and over to make new things. In this video from domicscpy7h, they show how they melted some gold charms into an ingot, cast it into a bar, then shaped and refined it into what is basically the world’s smallest functional kitchen knife.

Process X takes us inside the Ishii Sports shoe factory to see how artisans create boots by hand. Each shoe starts by cutting shapes out of leather, refining its edges, then gluing and stitching the pieces together, adding lace rivets, and nailing it around a wooden form before sewing on its insole and attaching the layers of its sole.

Reimagined Wood Shop has the perfect gift for the video game fan that has everything. This substantial 12″ x 5″ valet tray holds your coins, wallet, phone, keys, and more, all while looking like the classic Nintendo Entertainment System controller. Each one is CNC-carved from a block of solid lumber and comes in a variety of woods.

Modern umbrellas are mass-produced from synthetic fabric and a metal frame. On the other hand, Wagasa umbrellas are painstakingly handmade from bamboo, string, tapioca glue, washi paper, and linseed oil. Business Insider visited artist Kotaro Nishibori to see how he carries this beautiful Japanese tradition.

Not content with their customized Xbox Series X, PS5, and gaming PC, Nerdforge wanted to add a Nintendo Switch to their video-game-systems-as-buildings collection. So Martina got to work crafting a Zelda-themed Switch dock that looks like Hyrule Castle and an original painting of the world beyond its gates.

Despite its outrageous product placement, Pepsiman was a shockingly fun PlayStation game. Its protagonist was a metal superhero who had to run through towns gathering up cans of its sponsor’s soft drink to save the day. Minimaus Crafts created his own model of Pepsiman using skinny Pepsi cans as his medium.

Making things from wood takes time. But if you’re a stop-motion animator like Omozoc, everything goes much, much faster. In the latest video from their Stop Motion Woodworking series, they created a small tray using nothing a thumb and an index finger as tools.

A tea kettle is one of those simple objects that’s easy to take for granted. This video from HanOul-Workshop shows how he makes a copper tea kettle by hammering and bending sheet metal and copper tubing. It’s a long and laborious process that will give you an appreciation for individual craftsmanship.

We’re always fascinated by sculpture videos because they show how simple materials can become beautiful works of art in the right hands. Vladimir of Old School Carving took a stack of oak wood, glued it into a rough shape, carved it with an angle grinder, then refined it into a majestic wooden lion with hand tools.

Patrick Adair makes some really beautiful jewelry, specializing in unique rings and pendants. In this video, he walks us through the process of creating a golden ring wrapped in TruStone malachite, a composite stone stabilized with a polymer resin with stunning green marbling.

Hold on to your camera with a secure and stylish strap made from strong and versatile 550 paracord. Zander Creatives handmakes these straps in a variety of colors to suit your individual style. They’re fitted with heavy duty rings and lobster clips, and come in 38″ and 47″ lengths.