Awesome Metal

Factory Monster takes us inside a steel foundry in Korea that receives over a million tons of scrap metal each year, melts it down in massive industrial cauldrons, then extrudes the metal into H-beams for use in construction. There’s something so satisfying about the warm glow of molten steel.

This elegant writing instrument works with interchangeable magnetic pencil tips. The metal tip can write indefinitely with its soft lines, while its graphite tip is ideal for art and sketching. It comes in aluminum, magnesium, titanium, or brass bodies with a wood veneer accent.

Making drones out of lightweight materials is a must if you want them to fly. But Motores Patelo went the opposite direction, and created a flightless drone out of metal. Sadly, he couldn’t record the whole build due to the lockdown, but the finished piece is still amazing… and could easily take off a finger.

The scorpions we encounter here in the U.S. are relatively small, but this oversize metal creature measures 8.25″ long. This awesomely creepy creation is made by Thailand artists Kreatworks using recycled automotive and machine parts. Also, it turns out that there are real scorpions that are almost the same size in South Africa.

One reason metals are so wonderful is because they can be melted down over and over again to form new objects. In this video from Rob Bonifacio, he shows us how he took some Canadian copper pennies and dimes, layered them with high-carbon steel and forged them into a Damascus blade for a knife. Part two here.

We recently saw some unusual axes, but they didn’t include one made by inflating metal. Maker Connor Holland is back with another very cool project – a lightweight axe he created by welding pieces of sheet metal, then expanding them with air into a pillow-like axe and handle. He attached bent steel blades to give it a sharp edge.

When it comes to cups, disposable styrofoam ones are some of the most wasteful. Robinson Foundry has a solution to the problem – instead of making them out of difficult-to-recycle polystyrene, cast them out of molten metal. We love those aluminum packing peanuts too.

Apple’s AirTags help keep track of your possessions. Give this useful gadget a proper home on your keychain or bag with one of Saegusa’s metal carabiner clips. They’re made in Japan from a single piece of stainless steel, brass, or Duralumin aluminum alloy – the latter coming in a black, green, or navy anodized finish.

The Backyard Scientist conducts another ill-advised and dangerous experiment by loading himself and a bucket of molten aluminum into a cherry picker, then ascending to 50 feet before pouring the metal into an aquarium on the ground. We’d like to say this was for science, but it’s clearly just for the spectacle.

These precision-machined stainless steel puzzles from Japan have pieces that connect so tightly that their connections are nearly imperceptible. Despite having just 16 pieces each, they’re quite challenging since you can’t tell their fronts from their backs.

Artist Yuuki Nishihara creates beautifully handcrafted metalwork from his shop in Itoshima, Japan. In this video, you’ll see how he works strips of tin into the shape of a cup, then hammers it to produce a faceted texture. You can find his work for sale at Itoshima Gokoro. We enjoyed listening to each tap of the hammer.

Karas Pen Co.’s machined metal pen features a pushbutton bolt-action mechanism, fine-tuned for smooth operation. It comes in a number of colorful anodized aluminum finishes, along with brass, bronze, and copper options. Pilot G2 and Schmidt Easyflow 9000 refill compatibility provide versatility.

The YouTube channel for Mr Custom Crafts is loaded with unique works of art created from metal. In this video, they show how they turned a metal rod and nails into the immensely creepy and crawly scolopendra gigantea, aka the largest centipede in the world. If you enjoyed watching that, check out the scorpion they made.

This unique beard comb from Ukraine shop Wikked Knot helps modern-day Vikings keep their grooming in check. The handmade bronze comb looks like a miniature Viking ship, decorated with sigils of the tiny Norsemen we imagine rowing this thing through your thick facial hair. It’s a bit small, measuring just 2-3/4″ long.

After casting a metal bolt with double threads, Robinson Foundry is back to show off another unusual bolt design. This oversize bolt has a maze thread pattern, which requires a complex sequence of moves to remove its nut. Like many of his other builds, he created ceramic molds over 3D prints, which he melted away.

Clamps are readily available at your local hardware store, but if you’re industrious, you could always make your own. Pask Makes shows off a square clamp he made from steel, and walks through the process of building one with handheld tools, then ramping up production with professional workbench tools.

Promote yourself or your company with these custom bookmarks from My Metal Business Card. Each is made from stainless steel with a cut-through design and surface etching of your logo, graphic, or text. They come in seven finishes and can be screen-printed with colors. The minimum order size is 50 pieces.

This machined metal pen from Big Idea Designs features a telescoping case design that allows it to accommodate more than 80 types of refills without modifications. It features a modern and minimal design and comes in brass, copper, or titanium, each with a titanium pocket clip.

This steampunk chameleon won’t blend into its surroundings, but it does look amazing. The 745-piece stainless steel, iron, and copper model has numerous articulated joints for posing, and its metal parts have a rainbow heat-treated finish. The finished lizard model measures about 10″ long.

Random Hands dug into their toolbox in search of the right screwdriver – not for loosening screws, but for remaking into a flashy gold-plated bolt-action pen. Rather than melting down the driver’s shaft, they drilled out its solid center, making way for the pen’s refill and mechanism, then followed that with texturing and plating.

Industrial laser cutters can slice through steel, but they leave behind bits of metal called slag on their work surfaces. While placing materials on support slats helps, there’s still a mess to clean up. This slat cleaner from TRUMPF offers a satisfying way to remove that debris. We want something like this for our BBQ grill.

We’ve seen lots of organizers for tools, but they’re mostly pretty boring to look at. Garage Junky Store sells storage units handcrafted from diamond plate aluminum for a shiny and substantial look. They make cordless drill holders, shop towel holders, trash cans, broom holders, document holders, and more.

Is your finger flick underpowered? Worry no longer! Thanks to The Q, there’s now a solution for weak finger flickers. The maker designed and fabricated a metal cover that gives his middle finger an extra boost of power thanks to a spring-loaded mechanism. This must be killer for paper football games.