Awesome Living

Staple guns are typically made from steel. This unique stapler from DeWalt is made from a carbon fiber composite. Not only is it the coolest-looking stapler on the job site, but it also weighs about 50% less, which can reduce fatigue – especially when stapling overhead. It’s as sturdy as metal staplers and accepts heavy-duty staples and 18-gauge brads.

Pastry artist Amaury Guichon never ceases to amaze us with his edible artworks. His latest creation is a larger-than-life box of matches made from yummy things like vanilla sable, chocolate caramel ganache, milk chocolate, and caramelized marshmallow. You need matches to light a campfire, so it only goes to reason these taste like S’mores.

This compact flashlight runs on either a single AA or 14500 lithium battery, kicking out up to 760 lumens with the latter. It fits easily in your pocket or on a lanyard and features a sturdy aluminum body and an ultra-wide 145º flood beam. It’s also rated IPX8 waterproof. 14500 battery and charger sold separately.

The slimline Uni Jetstream Edge has the finest point we’ve ever seen on a ballpoint pen. Its 0.28mm tip is ideal for precise line drawings, crosshatching, and other detail work. It uses smooth-flowing oil-based ink and is refillable. The pen has a wire clip, a textured grip, and a hexagonal contour to prevent rolling. It’s available with a white, black, or blue body.

This crossbody sling bag from maker Jacob Skidan features an asymmetrical design for quick access to the gear inside. Its main compartment holds tools, knives, or a firearm and has a Velcro panel for optional gear holders. Outside, it has a small zippered pocket and cutouts for pens or carabiners. Made from X-PAC VX 21, Cordura, and nylon with a YKK zipper.

This premium pocket screwdriver from The James Brand is small enough to fit in the coin pocket of your pants. It features a sleek, anodized aluminum shell and a built-in magnetized tray that holds four included Wiha screwdriver bits. Its 1/4″ driver socket is also magnetized to securely hold bits. Available in Desert Campout/blue or black/black.

Gear Tags are Matador’s weatherproof version of luggage tags. Their straps are made from Hypalon rubber, making them waterproof, dustproof, tear-resistant, and impact-resistant. Their writing surface works with most pens, though Matador recommends using a permanent fine-tip marker like a Sharpie. Each pack comes with two Gear Tags.

SOG’s keychain-sized knife is perfect for everyday needs, like cutting twine, opening boxes, or slicing packing tape. It measures just 3.5″ long when closed and has a built-in bottle opener and a keyring latch for easy addition and removal of keys. Made from long-lasting 5CR13MOV stainless steel.

This compact utility knife makes quick work of boxes, ropes, and other everyday cutting tasks. Rather than a complicated folding mechanism, its replaceable blade mounts securely into a sturdy metal frame and is protected by a slide-off cover. It has a large lanyard/carabiner hole for carrying, and comes in sandblasted titanium or anodized aluminum.

Show ’em you know how to handle your meat with this impressive cleaver from Dalstrong. The Gladiator Series Meat Chopper has a razor-sharp 8-inch full-tang blade made from high-carbon 7CR17MOV steel and G10 handle scales. It weighs a hefty 2.3 pounds and includes a handsome acacia wood display stand. It’s also available in a 5-inch model.

Like to spend time outdoors? Alpaka’s Zip Pouch offers a convenient way to carry cards, cash, and other items while keeping them dry and out of the elements. Its made from weatherproof X-Pac VX21 fabric, lined with orange ripstop nylon. Its YKK waterproof zippers won’t let you down, and it protects cards from RFID scanning.

This stainless steel, bell-shaped jigger is a great addition to any home bar. Its dual cups provide precise measurements of .25, .5, .75, 1, 1.5, and 2 oz. to help fix perfectly proportioned cocktails every time. The jigger is made from stainless steel in a mirrored or brushed finish.

These stemless 8-oz. martini glasses from Snowfox are made from double-walled stainless steel to keep your drink cold and your hand comfortable. They’re lightweight, shatterproof, and available in a variety of colors. They’re sold in sets of two and also come in a set of four with a matching cocktail shaker. Great for frozen drinks and desserts too!

Don’t just leave your good headphones lying on your desk. Put them in a place of honor with this handcrafted headphone stand from Oakywood. It features a faceted geometric wood base and a sturdy painted steel holder. Plus, its base has a built-in wireless phone charger with 15-watt fast charging. Choose from oak, walnut, or black-stained oak.

This slimline pocket tool from OKNIFE combines a pry bar, a bottle opener, and a 4mm hex wrench. It’s made from titanium and features an eyecatching pattern across its body, anodized in shades of blue and purple. The tool weighs just 0.63 oz. and comes with a detachable pocket clip.

With all that high-pressure water around, we imagine that a firefighter’s steel tools can rust pretty easily. Awesome Restorations found a beat-up old axe and painstakingly disassembled, cleaned, and refinished it to its original state, then engraved a cool design into its sides. Sandblasting rust off of metal always looks so satisfying.

The Mowrator S1 lawnmower can be operated remotely while you sit in your lounge chair. It mows perfectly straight lines with its cruise control feature and dumps clippings hands-free. It’s also got a vacuum for sucking up leaves, and the AWD model can drive on steep inclines. Its rechargeable battery pack can mow up to 1.125 acres per charge.

Spring has sprung for Field Notes’ colorful Spring 2024 Quarterly Edition. Three original abstract designs by Chicago artist Emmy Star Brown grace the covers of this limited-edition 3-pack. Printed on high-quality cover stock, the artwork pops with contrasting glossy and dull varnishes. Inside are three page styles: ruled, dot graph, and plain.

With booze co-starring in the hit Apple TV+ show Palm Royale along with the wonderful Kristen Wiig, Cocktail Courier’s Tanqueray Martini Kit is a perfect viewing party in a box. Includes everything you’d need to mix up 8-16 Martini Royales and Damn Dirty Martinis, and even comes with a 2-month Apple TV+ subscription.

This tiny keychain tool opens bottle caps in a jiffy. It’s made from durable, lightweight titanium, so it won’t ever break; plus, its keychain hole doubles as a 1/4″ hex bit driver for turning screws in a pinch. It makes a great companion to KeyUnity’s keychain flashlight.

This blacksmithing video from Knives Project starts with the satisfying process of ripping apart a molten-hot ball bearing to steal its outer ring. Then, he proceeds to forge and hammer the piece into a flat bar and grind it into a very large blade. The finished piece is somewhere between the size of a bowie knife and a machete.

To indulge in whiskey tastings without the need for a designated driver, Blind Barrels delivers these fun blind-tasting boxes to your door. Each box includes four 50 ml samples of hidden American whiskey gems and new craft distillery releases labeled A, B, C, and D so you can taste blindly to discover new favorites.

If you love showy smoke-infused cocktails but hate craft bar prices, do it yourself with a Cocktail Smoker Kit from Bark & Barware. The handsome wood gift box contains six wood chip flavors (like cherry, hickory, and maple), a torch (sans butane), four whiskey stones, a metal brush, and tongs.