We’re only slightly exaggerating when we say that black leather motorcycle jackets have been a top-10 gift wish-list staple forever. Buck Mason finesses theirs by hand-cutting tanned lambskin, then dying it twice: first by dying the premium leather crust, then by applying a top dye for a natural patina.

We love how metal can be used over and over again. After one object has served out its life, it can often be melted down and turned into something new. In this clip by metalsmith Random Hands, he shows us how he took a rusty link from an old piece of ship’s chain and hand-forged it into a beautiful new samurai sword.

This upgraded version of Tacray’s titanium mini knife adds a bottle opener and pry tool to its tail end. Its scalpel-style utility blade is extra sharp and replaceable with the turn of a thumbscrew. Choose from grey or blue finishes.

Contrary to popular belief, one horse is said to produce about 15 horsepower. But that number is disputed because there’s some question about the accuracy of the original measurements. With the help of Motivo, the guys from Donut came up with a new test: connecting a horse to a dynamometer to measure its true pulling power.

Since 1865, Don Q has consistently delivered great rums. Don Q Reserva 7 is a robust Puerto Rican blend of rums aged in American white oak barrels for seven years. Rich in flavor, it’s just the ticket for seasonal hot drinks like Hot Buttered Rum and many other tasty cocktails.

Inspired by the two-legged droids being tested at Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction, engineer James Bruton wanted to see if he could build a similar walking robot without Disney’s millions of dollars. His 3D-printed robot is powered by four servo motors and has no hip joints, so it teeters around impatiently from side to side.

Matador’s weather-resistant, 28-liter backpack holds all your everyday gear and then some. It has four zippered compartments which can be accessed externally or left empty to increase interior space. Features include a padded laptop pocket, a gear pocket on top, a side water bottle pocket, and multiple grab handles for carrying flexibility.

Many modern microwave ovens have a popcorn button, but microwave popcorn bags have a notice saying not to use that button to cook their product. Technology Connections offers an entertaining explanation of the issue, the rationale behind the warnings, and how to know if the forbidden button is okay to use on your particular microwave.

The minute you take a case of beer out of the store fridge, it starts changing temperature. But if you’ve got an insulated Kase Made cooler bag from Kanga, your beer will stay cold for up to seven hours without ice. Simply slide the case into the bag’s side, zip it up, and carry. Available in 12-pack, 24-pack, and 30-pack sizes.

With the holidays upon us, the fragrance of pine is in the air. After buying some pine cones from the market, Boxlapse plucked and planted one of their seeds to see if it would grow into a tree. This captivating time-lapse footage condenses 300 days of growth to about two minutes. Perhaps it’ll be big enough to use as a Christmas tree in a few years.

The portable NOMAD is a grill and smoker you can carry like a briefcase. It burns charcoal for fast heating and offers 425 square inches of grilling space with its optional second grate. It smokes, sears, bakes, and barbecues and has features like a heat-dissipating shell, lightweight stainless steel grates, adjustable air vents, and a built-in thermometer.

Do you believe in fortune and luck? Baronfig’s Oracle Squire Pen offers its predictions when you roll it across your desk. Its six-sided shape works kind of like those Magic 8 Ball toys, displaying fortunes like “chances are slim” and “without question” when it comes to a stop. The pen made from aluminum and is refillable with ballpoint cartridges.

Both the Loch Ness Monster and some of the world’s best whiskeys hail from Scotland. This stainless steel Nessie swims in your rocks glass and keeps scotch or other spirits cool without watering them down. The little dude rides atop a food-safe silicone suction cup to keep him upright and peeking out of his boozy lake.

We’ve seen some pretty clever use of space in tiny houses, but never anything like this. Inventor Handy Geng challenged himself to build a fully functional steel safe house with just 30 sq. ft. (2.8 sq. meters) of space. It has a living room, computer desk, bed, kitchen, and even a bathroom, all way too close for comfort.

In 1972, a small plane crashed into the Andes mountains carrying 45 passengers and crew. The story of the life-and-death drama was told before in the film Alive, but Society of the Snow is said to be more accurate in its portrayal. Director J. A. Bayona insisted on realism, shooting the film in the actual locations and featuring an entirely Uruguayan-Argentinian cast.

When The Slow Mo Guys and How Ridiculous got together, they didn’t just crush some heads. After all, if you’ve got a cannon that fires bowling balls at 500 MPH, you want to destroy all the things. With the help of the cannon’s maker, BealsScience, they tested the strength of bulletproof glass and polycarbonate along with a fiberglass-lined safety door.

Reef makes some awesome golf flip-flops with spikes for 18-hole play, but Reef’s Mulligan II thongs are made for laughs and post-game beers at the 19th hole. The footbed’s lined with faux turf, the heel sports a cushy “golf ball” pad, and the sole hides a built-in bottle opener.

It’s common knowledge that octopi are intelligent creatures. After he purchased an octopus from a pet store, engineer Mark Rober wanted to release the animal back into the ocean. Before he could do that, he built a challenging maze to confirm that Sashimi would be able to hunt for food after being hand-fed for most of her life.

BrüMate’s hard-shell bottle sleeve keeps your beer cold and your hand warm and dry. Its triple-insulated stainless steel body keeps beer chilled for longer than ordinary neoprene koozies, and its base is designed to resist slipping and spills. It holds most U.S. standard 12 oz. beer bottles and comes in a number of colors and patterns.

Finnish skiing channel Real Skifi created this clever short film as a tribute to the filmmaking tool known as the transition. Using a mix of edits, fades, and split screens, skiers are transported seamlessly between locations and times of day and swap places in the middle of rail grinds and other tricks.

Those of us who feel the need to fidget are always looking for different ways to keep our hands and minds occupied. ZenMech’s TK01 is a unique fidget toy that moves like a tiny tank tread. Roll it along your desk or flip it around in your hand for a cool tactile sensation. Available with plastic or stainless steel tracks.

Here’s one from the “don’t try this at home” file. TikTok user ex9g6oxt has posted a series of videos in which he uses firecrackers to launch metal bowls and rice cookers into the air. He starts with the smallest firecracker and gradually ups the size to see how high the explosion can launch each object.

Tired of tools lying all over? This aluminum tool rack is great for organizing screwdrivers and other small tools. It has 50 cutouts and holds tools at a 45º angle for easy access. Its two-layer construction keeps tools straight, and its bottom shelf can be used to hold hardware – though we suggest adding a magnetic strip.