The Style by Leatherman is pretty compact and unobtrusive for keychain or even coin-pocket carry. I’m a big fan of the non-obtrusive toolkit, no one wants a pound of metal crowding their pocket. Pink may not be for everyone, so it comes in different colors too. And their tool manual is pretty cool looking too:

Looking like something pulled off a satellite, the WORX Leaf Mulcher is pretty badass looking. Basically an inverted weedwacker with a funnel on top, it reduces yard waste volume by 11:1. I remember having to haul garbage cans full of leaves back into the woods when I was a kid. If I had known these were around back then, I would have tried mulching all sorts of stuff in addition to leaves – bananas, GI Joe’s, water balloons, etc.

Stanley makes these premium woodworking planes. I think the No. 4 Smoothing Bench Plane is the nicest one. They are not cheap, but should last a lifetime.

Mick Lacy makes a line of duck calls that are simply beautiful. I have no experience in hunting anything, so I couldn’t tell you if they work or not. Their forms are simple and echo their function while their colors and transparency satisfy the eye, without having to follow the tradition of wood grain and brass. If I didn’t know what they were, I might think they are perfume bottles because they are so stylish.

The Science Museum in London has some pretty interesting things on display. Above are two examples of their collection of various medical artifacts for teaching and practice. At left are two 17th century anatomical figures and at right is a 19th century combined alembric and cucurbit. What the second one does, I have no idea.

Take a look around the Science and Art of Medicine Collection for the most interesting pieces. Then be thankful that medical techniques and tools have far surpassed the tech of the eras shown.

CRKT’s mini survival knife Ritter RSK Mk5 is a super-lightweight, versatile and durable blade for mini survival kits for hiking, car, travel, etc. It weighs less than an ounce and fits (with sheath) in an altoids tin.

The MSR E-Wing Ultralight Shelter is a more sophisticated version of an improvised poncho shelter. Small, lightweight and able to be configured in multiple ways and locations, the E-Wing could save your life some day. Because the E-Wing doubles as a poncho, it could be used for a lot more than just a shelter. See the US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76 for more poncho uses and shelter types.

And I recommend any worst-case minds out there to get a copy of the survival manual – better to know it and not need it than to need it and not know it. As it is the Army’s manual, it is all terrestrial information. If you end up lost at sea, you are out of luck.

I am unfortunately, or fortunately(?) not one of those people who can drink beer and skate at the same time. However, for those of you who can, the Brue Killers decks from Creature are for you. They have a little bottle opener routed into the plys just below the front truck. That way you never have to improvise with a skate tool (which no one ever seems to have). Plus they are available in a couple of fun shapes.

demo photo via flickr.

As an American, I have never really given much thought to carpet beaters. I think you need a balcony, a busy street of motorinos, and an old nonna to warrant a carpet beater. But I would buy the Spank from Alessi if I had any of those things. But hanging a carpet off a fire escape just doesn’t have the same air to it.

I thought that these table saw blades from Freud Tools were interesting when looked at together. Each blade caters to a different need based on cut and material type. And if you’ve ever pushed a large piece of wood through a table saw, having the right blade can make a big difference.