Tools

Add to this to your playlist of satisfying videos. YouTuber Dustin Penner brings out his fancy tools to make a humble cart based on the work of artist Tom Sachs. It probably takes him half a day, two clamps and three CNC machines to sharpen his pencils.

An upcoming note-taking app for iOS and OS X devices that’s lightweight yet versatile. Use it to make quick notes, to-do lists, essays, programs and more. It has essential word processing tools such as word count and saves files as plain text but can export in various formats.

A limited edition 70-page reporter’s notebook. The Byline is thinner than its competitors to make it easier to hold with one hand, has a cover for its wire binding so it won’t get caught on fabric or small items, and has a pocket on its back cover for small pieces of paper.

YouTuber Jimmy DiResta bought four neglected tools at a flea market for $1 each, then reminds us that sometimes old objects simply need a little cleaning and polishing. He spent an inordinate amount of time with the chisel handles, but we can’t argue with the results.

The latest version of KeySmart’s handy key organizer can now hold up to 14 keys between its aluminum plates. Save 40% in The Awesomer Shop, then hit KeySmart’s website for add-ons like a bottle opener, a golf divot tool, or USB drive.

Our friends at Everyday Carry share with us the latest drops, showing off the coolest gear they have to offer. Here’s this week’s awesome load out, courtesy of EDC reader Kevin Ewald, whose loadout includes a spiffy leather Colborne Bota in lieu of a conventional flask.

This handy bike tool offers a variety of wrenches, and doubles as a bottle opener so you can pop open a cold one to celebrate the end of a long ride. It holds onto steel frames or other metal surfaces using magnets. Also available in white.

John Heisz previously showed us how to take an old saw blade and turn it into a folding knife. Now he applies his craftsmanship to transforming a rusty circular saw blade into an elegant, traditional woodworking tool.

This pocket-sized flashlight only measures 4″ long, but it can crank out 1,080 lumens and a beam up to 500 feet long. Made from aerospace-grade aluminum, and is IPX-6 waterproof and impact resistant. Offers three brightness modes and recharges via USB.

Off The Grid Shop’s custom made tools look like angry prehistoric reptiles. They work as a bottle opener, screwdriver, box cutter, hex wrench and pry tool, and look cool doing it. Prices vary based on materials and finishes.

Our friends at Everyday Carry share with us the latest drops, showing off the coolest gear they have to offer. Here’s this week’s awesome load out, courtesy of EDC reader Max, showing off a nifty batch of gear for his daily photographic pursuits. That Canon G5 X is ridiculously tiny.

Survival expert Tim Ralston’s latest creation is perhaps the world’s most versatile axe. The chromoly steel Timahawk is a crow bar, tomahawk, adze hammer, and all-around zombie killer, and comes with a sling pack for carrying. Also available in a deluxe Bug-Out kit.

When fully equipped, this Superesse’s paracord bracelet conceals a huge variety of survival tools, including a kevlar saw, twine, tape, firesteel, matches, a whistle, compass, and more. Depending on your size, you’ll get 125 to 250 feet of paracord.

Richard Sink’s Ultimate Toolbox is built around a used and reinforced oil drum. It has a discreet sliding door, three concave shelves mounted on a spinning rack and four casters. The final version will be customizable.

This durable everyday carry is small enough to take anywhere, but packs a ton of functionality. It offers 18 total tools including screwdrivers, blades, a saw, bottle and can openers, file, wire cutter, optional hex bits, and more.

This rugged, fixed blade knife has a serrated edge full-tang 4.8″ blade with black ceramic coating, and a super-grippy rubberized handle with a diamond texture. Includes a sheath that offers horizontal or vertical belt mounting, as well as MOLLE compatibility.

This custom machined bronze keychain from FutureRelic sports a cool design that serves a purpose – as an on-the-fly wrench. It has openings for 12 sizes SAE and metric nuts and bolts. A knurled edge helps improve your grip. We also dig their minimal bottle openers.

Super sticky patches that let you repair small tears in jackets, tents and other items. They’re water- and weatherproof and are cut in a variety of decorative silhouettes, so you can also use them to personalize your gear.

We’re always on the lookout for cool new websites, and you’ll definitely want to bookmark this one. The Gear Hound sniffs out handmade products and tells the stories behind their makers. There’s an emphasis on practicality, longevity, and craftsmanship.

Made from an aerospace-grade polymer composite, the lightweight Tactica One bottle opener tool won’t ever get rusty or stained. It looks slick, and will pop open bottles in perpetuity. Save 20% in The Awesomer Shop.

While you could go spend over $1000 on an electric skateboard, you could also do what Inspire to Make did, and build one using a power drill, an extension bit holder, and a couple of other off-the-shelf items. Total cost: less than $500. Perfect for a literal cheapskate.

CountyComm’s pen-sized screwdriver is the perfect addition to your EDC pack. The compact aluminum tool has two interchangeable bits which provide two sizes of phillips and flat-head drivers. The cap has a neodymium magnet built in to lift items up to 8oz.

Prometheus Lights’ quick-release keychain flashlight is shockingly bright, and crafted from durable real metals. Its LED light source is designed for optimal rendering of colors it illuminates. Available in anodized black, nickel plate, solid brass, and solid copper.

A collaboration between 5.11 and Viking Tactics founder Kyle Lamb. The Operator Axe is made of stainless steel and has a bearded axe blade, a hammer point, a pry bar, inch and cm rulers, hex wrenches, 0.5″ and 0.25″ bit drivers and a sheet metal cutter.

Always be prepared with CountyComm’s handy survival kit. Packed inside the included waterproof poly tube is a tiny lighter, a mechanic’s key chain, a pry bar, flat and philips screwdrivers, tweezers and a compass. Save 13% in The Awesomer Shop.