Posts Written by Paul Strauss

Electric pencil sharpeners are plenty fast. But say you have 100 pencils to sharpen. Shaving a second or two off of each pencil can add up. Current Concept wanted to see how quickly a pencil could be sharpened by rigging up an off-the-shelf sharpener to various power tools. That exposed sharpener mechanism looks terrifying once it gets up to speed.

The V10 is a compact, 10″ long axe that’s perfect for carrying in or on your backpack. It weighs just 1.27 pounds, and its high-carbon steel blade is good for chopping branches, small logs, and kindling. Its handle is made from reinforced fiberglass with an ergonomic TPR grip. Includes two kinds of blade protectors.

In this animated short film by Job, Joris & Marieke, a narcissistic social media influencer suddenly becomes invisible and loses the one thing he values more than anything – the ability to garner attention based on his appearance. It’s a funny but sad look of the shallow nature of social media. In Dutch with English subtitles.

This smaller version of Olight’s powerful Marauder 2 flashlight can still crank out some serious brightness. With a turbo output of 7,000 lumens, its flood beam is visible from up to 1,017 feet, and its 900-lumen spot beam projects light up to 1,968 feet. It’s also got lower-intensity red, green, and blue light modes, and comes in four aluminum body colors.

A good knife can be a useful self-defense tool. But if you really want to ward off enemies, adding fire to the equation couldn’t hurt. Actually, getting stabbed by a flaming knife would hurt a lot. Integza shows how he made a knife that shoots flames from tiny holes in a porous metal blade. He theorizes that the tech could be used to improve jet engine efficiency.

After seeing the airplane-like shape of Japan’s high-speed bullet trains, aerospace engineer Peter Sripol thought it would be fun to build a model airplane based on the design. It took a lot of experimentation with wing placement, but he eventually got his prototype to fly. Will the scaled-up model stay airborne or will it derail mid-flight?

This retro wallet from Fydelity features an exterior made from the shell of a cassette tape. Its body is made from synthetic leather with a zippered main compartment for cards, cash, coins, and more. Available in a variety of colors – our fave is the shiny rainbow-chrome finish.

Long before seatbelts, airbags, and anti-lock brakes, there were plenty of well-intentioned but ill-conceived automotive safety devices. With big trucks and SUVs causing greater concerns about pedestrian safety, I Did a Thing dusted off one such invention – the Pedestrian Catcher – and tested it to see how effective it could be.

This cutting board is made from an unconventional material. Instead of wood or plastic, the SIKI is made from a 1 mm thick sheet of titanium. The strong, lightweight material won’t absorb food, mold, or bacteria, nor will it rust or retain odors. A bent corner makes it easy to pick up. It measures approximately 10.8″ square and is handcrafted by Japan’s Asahi Tekko.

A faction of the computer graphic Demoscene prides itself on creating visuals with the least code possible. Programmer Alcatraz turned up at the Revision 2024 demo party with this surreal scene – a post-apocalyptic black-and-white city created with just 256 bytes of Gopher code running on DOS. Revision posted some competing 256-byte demos here.

This rechargeable electric lighter is sure to work even in wind or damp conditions. It uses a pair of plasma arcs to ignite tinder or anything else flammable. It provides about 300 zaps per charge and comes wrapped in a waterproof silicone rubber casing with a flip-top cover.

We’ve seen artists make chains out of wood, chalk, and even a carrot. In this video from Michigan Rocks, he shows how he took a rock and made a short length of chain from it. He cut the stone into a cross-shaped block, refined it into three main sections, and then drilled and cut away the pieces using rotary tools. It looked like a lot of work – especially the polishing.

This specialty gadget makes it easy to carry bottles or cans. The reusable carrier can hold up to six bottles on its bottom and six cans on top, and it has built-in openers for each bottle holder. Cans click securely into place by their tops, while bottles are held using spring-loaded clips. It comes with a sturdy, woven paracord handle.

Seven years after Ryan Gosling’s character struggled to comprehend the use of the Papyrus font in Avatar, the troubled graphic designer thought he had finally moved on. Then, in an instant, he was forced to confront his demons again after seeing the logo for the sequel. At least they didn’t use Comic Sans.

Joel Edgerton stars in this series about a physicist and professor who finds himself out of place in his own life. He soon discovers that he has been abducted by a variant of himself, living a different version of his life. And his quest to return to his real family won’t be easy. Based on the best-selling novel by Blake Crouch. Premieres 5.8.2024 on Apple TV+.

These glow-in-the-dark tags were designed to help mark gear for nighttime visibility. Each tag is made from phosphorescent, heat-resistant silicone rubber and has a reinforced cutout with a black-coated brass grommet. They can be written on with a permanent marker and are great for tagging keychains, backpacks, luggage, and anything else with a loop.

This compact tool pouch is made from high-quality X-Pac sailcloth and has three slots for tools, a phone pocket, and elastic straps on its front. A zipper pocket on the back holds credit cards, spare change, or small accessories. Two paracord loops can be used to attach a keychain, lanyard, or wrist strap. It also comes in a less expensive 500D polyester version.

Whether you’re a snail or a gazelle, you must move around to survive in this world. In the latest comparison video from RED SIDE, they animated the vast differences in the movements of all kinds of animals, from ants to elephants and everything in between. Watch it in 4K if you’ve got the bandwidth, and find out if a human can outrun a hippo.

Movies and TV shows about space travel usually have a big budget for visual effects. Not so with this short film by Caroline Klidonas, who shot an entire short film about a doomed space mission without leaving her apartment. It’s the low-budget, low-gravity effects and Caroline’s commitment to the performance that really sell it. (Thanks, Rob!)

While promoting Conan O’Brien Must Go, the talk show host and writer stopped by the First We Feast studio to partake of some spicy wings. After a pre-tasting checkup with his doctor, he sailed effortlessly through every heat level while chatting about his new travel series, his experiences as a late-night host, and the behind-the-scenes antics in the studio.

We’ve used the Leatherman Signal before, and it’s a great all-around multitool. We dig this new colorway with vibrant aqua handles. The tool has 19 functions, including a 1/4″ hex driver, pliers, a combo knife, saw, hammer, a firestarter rod, bottle and can openers, a whistle, and more. Available with silver or black tool blades.

Don’t have the balance to use a stand-up paddleboard? Decathlon teamed up with Outercraft to design the Hydrobike – a unique watercraft that combines a paddleboard, pedal boat, and catamaran. It has inflatable floats, a single-seat, and modular storage for outdoor gear. It’s a proof-of-concept at this point, but we hope to see it go into production.

After seeing an illustration of a mime wielding an invisible sword, maker Mike Shake was inspired to build one in real life. While his see-through katana isn’t completely invisible, it’s still an incredibly cool and effective weapon. Mike’s opponents will never see what hit them. After considering using a glass blade, he went with a clear and strong polycarbonate.