Cherished by writers, designers, illustrators, and other creative professionals for its soft dark lead and unique flat eraser, the Blackwing 602 is worth trying at least once—but be forewarned: you may never go back to plain old #2 pencils again. Originally manufactured by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company from 1934 – 1988, the Blackwing brand was acquired by California Cedar Products Company in 2008 and reintroduced to a new generation of creatives in 2012. And now, you can score your own 12-pack of the legendary pencil for just 23 bucks. Palomino Blackwing 602 Pencils 12-Pack — $22.95 Features: One pack of 12 Palomino Blackwing pencils Pencils feature a soft and…

As someone who exercises daily, I know the hardest part of any workout is actually deciding to work out. People make a lot of reasons not to exercise, but one of the biggest excuses is they simply don’t have time to go to a gym. The xChain isn’t a portable gym (though that sounds like a neat idea for a product). It is a flexible and portable 10-pound weight which can be adjusted to dozens of different workouts—giving you no excuse not to work those muscles wherever you find yourself with ten minutes of downtime. Now let’s be real – carrying 10 pounds isn’t going to make you a GQ…

When it comes to work wear, it’s not always easy to find something that’s both functional and could be pulled off in the office. Thankfully, the expert craftsmen over at LC King Manufacturing and Design have got this sorted. The company’s Indigo Denim Chore Coat—made of lightweight 100% cotton RAW denim—includes four top-loading patch pockets for your pens or smartphone and polished nickel buttons on the cuffs, a snap pocket, and down the front. Sold in its unwashed, unprocessed RAW form, the coat is built entirely by Cone Denim Mills at their White Oak facility in Greensboro, NC. So whether you’re strapping up for a day in the shop, or…

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. Revolve Innovates Wheel Design To Collapse and Convert Your Vehicle Not much has changed with the wheel since it got us moving millennia ago. It’s design in the simplest form: a rotating…

Unlike science fiction movies, where “A.I.” is commonly associated with usurping humanoid robots, real-life artificial intelligence looks far less creepy and is a lot more specialized. They still do our bidding, but without the constant worry that one day they will wake up wondering why they’re doing manual labor without pay. Getting the jump on an inevitable robot uprising, A.I. specialist Dr. Andrew Ng (founding lead of Google Brain and former Chief Scientist at Chinese multinational technology company Baidu) has launched a Silicon Valley-based startup which focuses on providing A.I. brains to manufacturing companies. Called Landing.AI, the company aims to provide in-house A.I. solutions not just by creating artificial minds,…