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Get a microwave cooking tray (the hard melamine variety) with a clear cover. These generally have a flat bottom on the interior and are sometimes found at no extra charge in microwave frozen meals -- …

A heavy hammer (3-4 lb head) and a broad cold chisel are the only really sensible way to cut a stone that heavy, short of industrial tools, and I don't know that I'd call them specialized -- but you c …

Commercially, there are "safety knives" with the only cutting edge on the inside of a hook; they're made specifically for opening boxes in warehouses and retail stores, but that's not much of a life h …

There aren't many possible alternates to a correct hex key. Sometimes you can find a flat blade screwdriver that will fit corner to corner in the socket of the screw. Some sizes will fit a Torx or o …

You might find him some videos of blowing vortex rings (ring-shaped air bubbles!) underwater. I learned to do this when I was thirteen, and it's a hoot -- it requires (I think) a bit more practice th …

In the past, to make a replacement for "red pepper flakes" to go on pizza, I've tried a mortar and pestle (doesn't work very well), blender (doesn't work very well, but is much easier to clean than a …

For many years, I've used the awl point found on many multitools (vis. Leatherman) and multiblade pocket knives. I just use pressure on the belt's metal tongue to make a mark, then take off the belt …

A 50 lb bag of dog food inside a sleeping bag or large laundry bag may provide a satisfying impact without significant risk of hand injury. Failing that, a well-stuffed bag of laundry can also sub fo …

Properly, the fellow who lost the plastic piece should replace it at no cost to you or your landlord -- his mistake, his responsibility to correct. Failing that, however, you may be able to find a st …

A carbide scribe (for writing on steel) makes an admirable substitute glass cutter -- in fact, before wheel cutters were common, hardened steel scribes were used routinely. In fact, anything that wil …

Catching flies from the air is almost completely a matter of luck, in my experience. If they're lifting off a surface, it helps to know that a housefly has to jump backward in order to lift off -- so …

You're probably going to need to use a twist drill or "Yankee" drill to make the initial hole, though that can be held in a hand drill (eggbeater style) if the bit and chuck are compatible. Once you …

There isn't much substitute for the standby methods, burning or shredding. Most secure is to crosscut shred, then burn, and finally disrupt the ashes by grinding into fine powder or washing down a dr …

Some reflective coated polyester wrap ("mylar") has a metallic coating thin enough to faintly see light through. If you can just barely make out a bright light bulb through a single layer, it's as da …

Depending on the type of lock, a locksmith may be able to first pick the lock (open it without the key), and then make a new key to fit. This is likely to cost approximately as much as a new lock, ho …