As if making a kitchen knife out of aluminium foil wasn’t scary enough, YouTube user kiwami japan has outdone himself by making one of the sharpest kitchen utensils out of measly cardboard (you know, the stuff you usually cut with knives). Creating a cutting tool out of a harmless material isn’t as easy as sharpening the material, as kiwami has to “cook” a couple of cardboard pieces first by soaking them in water and heating them in a cooking pan. Once finished, he takes the “broth” of the heated cardboard and uses it to soak a more substantial piece which will become the finished cardboard knife. He flattens this large…

Get that stretch out of your system with this week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist. It’s fashioned up, ready to make you pull your shoulder blades back and knock out another week of meaningful work while you bob your head to the beat. Whether you’re in the shop milling aluminum, sketching the latest product prototypes or modeling up a 3D storm, consider these tracks as a tool for your process. This week on SolidSmack Radio we’ll get the groove going with the all-new “One Percent” from Gorillaz before diving into irresistible tracks from Jim James, Moby, Fever Ray, and others before wrapping up with “Love Dub” from Morcheeba. Ready? Let’s Rock!…

Zippable is a novel approach to make most any stuffable, huggable 3D fabric-based shape you can think of. As the name suggests, a zipper is used as the closure system. But what’s really cool about Zippables is the super long spiraling zippers. The spiraling motion as the zipper is closed, magically transforms a twisty, curvy 2D flat pattern into a functional 3D shape! Because these shapes are fabric and the zippers can be easily reopened, you can make anything from a storage bag to a huggable stuffed pillow. If you’ve fancied owning a kitty shaped duffle bag or a starfish backpack, then Zippable is the answer!

Mondays might not be your favorite day of the week, but the good news is that we’re all in this together ladies and gentlemen. As purveyors of prime Grade A web content, the SolidSmack crew has done some of the heavy-lifting to make sure you get your Mondays started on the right track. Welcome to The Monday List. Every Monday, we link you up with some of the most insightful, informative, and socially-relevant stories to keep tabbed, bookmarked, reading listed, pocketed, or what have you to get your week started on the right foot. Be sure to check in each week for a new crop of freshly sprouted words curated straight…

Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader. The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off while reading the top stories on SolidSmack this past week. Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too. This Insane Espresso Machine is Made From a Motorcycle Piston and Cylinder If the smell of coffee can’t wake you up in the morning, there is one more thing you can try:…

From Hollywood movies to a plethora of apps, the appeal of STEM skills in the mainstream has never been greater. And when it comes to mainstream, few toys could ever top the semi-controversial Barbie doll—first introduced in 1959. While some argue that the blonde, plastic doll conveyed an unrealistic body image to girls, the latest model from toymaker Mattel eschews a pink convertible in favor of a laptop and a robotics lab. https://youtu.be/PC-lGlExl34 Introduced this week through a collaboration with Tynker, a coding platform for kids, the Barbie® Robotics Engineer Doll presents a fundamental shift in how toymakers are speaking to 21st-century kids. Instead of the typical high heels, purses,…