Awesome Handmade

A morningstar is a medieval, spiked club made from iron. Red Forest Leather shows how they made a leather version of this pointy weapon. The process involved cutting and hand-stitching a ball-shaped structure, making leather cones to create its points, then attaching its handle. They also made an awesome leather backpack of Futurama’s Bender.

Inspired by the lamp that imprisoned the genie in Aladdin, maker Soroush jwl set about the task of creating a miniature version of the iconic lamp. He started by making a wax form for a sand casting. After filling the mold with molten metal, he cleaned its insides and soldered its body together before crafting its base, lid, and handle with hand-finished details.

Most modern roof shingles are made from asphalt and fiberglass, but some roof coverings are still made from wood. In this short video, you’ll see how workers make unique pieces with a decorative edge, starting by chopping up a tree trunk, then slicing wood into thin panels and hand-carving their fluted edges before laying them on a roof.

This modern lamp from SJHCreateCo adds a bright task light to your desk or workbench. Made from acrylic, metal, and felt, it features a precision-built frame, an adjustable light for focused illumination, and an integrated tray to hold pens or other small items. Each lamp is individually made using 3D printing, laser cutting, and hand-finishing techniques.

Want to upgrade to a standing desk, but already have a regular desk? The Jumbo DeskStand offers a double-decker design that lets you place your keyboard and mouse on one level, and your display (or displays) on another. Shelf heights are easily adjusted on its 10-slot ladder. Made from durable baltic birch plywood.

This handcrafted hammer from Ecary is a functional work of art. Featuring a Damascus steel head, an ashwood handle, and a top-grain leather grip, the 5.5 lb. hammer is a thing of beauty. Its hefty hammerhead is mounted using a round steel wedge to keep it securely attached. The hammer also includes a wooden wedge stand for display when not in use.

Tokyo’s Jusan-ya has been handcrafting Tsuge combs since the 18th century. This video from The Great Process shows how a craftsman takes boxwood that has dried for five years, treats it with smoke, then planes it, and painstakingly cuts and refines its teeth. Each finished comb is a work of everyday functional art. (Turn captions on.)

Japanese bag maker Murase Kabanko and leather expert Noriki Okada created this jaw-dropping backpack by layering leather and brass rivet embellishments to emulate the look of tosei-gusoku samurai armor. Stitched oni demons on its sides send a further message not to mess with its wearer. Each bag is handmade, and there’s a 6-month wait for delivery.

Seki, Japan, is one of the world’s top cutlery hubs, renowned for its fine craftsmanship. The video from The Process reveals how something as simple as a pair of tweezers is meticulously handmade by skilled artisans at Tenken Kogyo Co.. No detail is overlooked, ensuring precision and quality that reflects centuries of tradition.

Love the industrial look? Houston, Texas-based ModIndustrial makes awesomely substantial home furnishings, handcrafted from heavy-duty materials like hot-rolled steel and solid hardwoods. Their Etsy shop offers a wide selection that includes cabinets, desks, beds, media consoles, wardrobes, and more.

Woodworker Jack Mack shows off the build process for a colorful vessel he made from layers of wenge and rainbow plywood. After stacking and gluing the wood, he cut it into strips and wedges which he arranged like pieces of pie, then carved away the circular block on a lathe. The finished piece is a truly special work of art.

Dayton, Ohio’s Gerstner has made handcrafted hardwood chests and cases since 1906. The Style 2007 chest is built for longevity and utility. Based on a classic chest dating back to the 1920s, this version has upgraded hardware and taller drawers, and is ideal for hand tools, knives, and parts. It’s available with an optional riser unit for extra storage.

Creep out your party guests with this drinking vessel from Kachaktano Mugs. The H.P. Lovecraft-inspired mug features the likeness of Cthulhu as the monster slurps up a skull, bringing its tentacled madness to a new victim. The hand-painted porcelain mug holds up to 18.5 oz of your favorite elixir – be it mixed with rum, vodka, or the tears of lost sailors.

Cam from Blacktail Studio crafts unique and experimental furniture with unusual materials, textures, and patterns. For his latest build, he layered black denim and aluminum foil atop wood shapes, bathed them in epoxy resin, then sanded the layers flat to create a pattern that looks like damascus steel. But the project was not without its challenges.

Upgrade your desktop with this miniature video arcade from The Tree Rat Symposium. The mini-games include an illuminated upright cabinet that holds business cards and a cocktail-style cabinet for storing pens and pencils. Each is handmade from wood, painted, and detailed with vinyl decals. They also make mini arcade machine squirrel and bird feeders.

Turning objects on a lathe can produce some amazing works of art. In this video from Jack Mack, he shows how he took layers of multi-color plywood and transformed them into a unique patterned bowl. He started by slicing the wood into strips and gluing them into sheets, then cut them into various size rings before stacking and working them on the lathe.