Process: Harry's

Early this year, just after we decided to do a collaboration with Harry's, the quirky startup taking on the shaving industry, the 9-month-old company did something rather stunning — they bought a 93-year-old razor factory in Germany for $100 million. Overnight, Harry's became the only company that can take in raw steel, and about a week later, deliver a finished razor to your doorstep. Gillette and Schick weren't laughing at the new kid on the block any longer.

Located in Eisfeld, on the old East-West Germany border, and about an hour north of Nuremberg, Harry's Feintechnik factory employs over 400 people. It operates 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, on a 3-shift schedule. So it's no surprise the factory produces over 1.2 billion blades every year. The day we visited, the entire factory had switched over to making the all-black Uncrate cartridges. The surprisingly secretive setup is a balanced mix of futuristic technology and old-world tools and know-how.

Whenever you start with grinding raw steel, your manufacturing process isn't going to be an easy one. It involves an endless list of steps, requires everyone from engineers to floor workers, and includes stations for everything from microscopes to packaging. The great thing about all of it is that Harry's is committed to delivering a high-quality shaving line at a great price. They're not looking for ways to add a lubricating, vibrating, spinning sprocket to their razors.

Above are select shots from our trip to Harry's Feintechnik factory, featuring our all-black blade cartridges. Our thanks to the team working on that hot day. They were friendly and helpful. Even with a looming USA vs. Germany World Cup match.

Alen 55 Yacht

Spend your summer in style aboard the Alen 55 Yacht. Boasting a full composite body with an Airex core, this luxury boat is powered by a pair of 800hp Volvo engines, enough power to give it a cruising speed of 30 knots and a top speed of 35. On board, you'll find a walk-around deck and deep bulwarks, an extending table that can seat up to 8, an open kitchen, a hidden, custom-made anchor mechanism, an aft sunbed, a hydraulic gangway, and an interior that can be customized to your requirements, including a large lounge area or a roomy master bedroom — but no matter what, you'll find details like teak flooring, leather wall panels, and lacquered surfaces that give it a warm feeling even if you're in cold waters.

Troubadour Weekender Bag

Go straight from the office to the slopes with the Troubadour Weekender Bag. This elegant luggage solution is handmade in Italy using high-quality materials like vegetable-tanned leather, cotton canvas lining, and rivets to reinforce the straps, and also offers two external front pockets for quick access to your most-used items and an internal zippered pocket for documents and such. And thanks to the company's commitment to quality, you'll even receive a one-year check-up call to make sure it's still in good condition — which is far more than we can say for the average nylon duffel bag.

Prometheus Dog Tag Tool

We hesitate to tell anyone to wear dog tags that they haven't earned, but respect for our military aside, the Prometheus Dog Tag Tool is useful enough for us to wear it regardless. Made in the Bay Area from titanium and stainless steel, this versatile tool offers a "universal" closed end wrench that works with both standard and metric bolts, a quarter-inch bit driver, a battery bay driver, and, of course, a bottle opener.

Soto Pocket Torch

Anyone who's ever played around with a cheap, translucent, disposable lighter knows that you can crank the thing up to deliver ridiculously large flames by simply removing the metal cap and going to town on the adjustment dial. The Soto Pocket Torch takes this idea to a whole new level, transforming the cheap fire sources into a full-on, wind-resistant mini-blowtorch capable of reaching temperatures of up to 2,300ºF. Just drop the lighter in, attach the top, and go.

Lishinu Dog Leash

Face it — retractable leashes suck — they're hard to use, with inconvenient buttons, and they're uncomfortable for dogs, letting them pull out the line until they choke themselves. But it doesn't have to be that way. The Lishinu Dog Leash is the evolution of the retractable leash: you wear it on your wrist, freeing up your hands, while its button-less design lets you use natural motion to automatically lock the lead. Available in a range of attractive colors, it's compact, durable, and great looking. And with a handle-like extension on the collar, you can get a handle on your dog in crowded spaces where it doesn't make sense to let them loose.

IcyBreeze Air Conditioner Cooler

When it's hot outside, coolers are a must-have to keep your drinks and fruit cold. But what about keeping yourself cooled off? The IcyBreeze Air Conditioner Cooler does both. Thanks to a built-in rechargeable battery and a powerful 3-speed fan, this ingenious invention takes cool air from inside the cooler and sends it in your direction using a stay-put hose and integrated vent. It also offers standard features like dual lift handles, a pull handle and large wheels for dragging it behind you, two cup holders built into the lid, and a drain. Whether you're at the pool, the beach, the lake, or the ballpark, it's an ideal summer companion.

Worx Aerocart

Whether or not you want to admit it, summer is winding down to a close -- and that means it's time to get finished all those projects you've been putting off until now. But serious work calls for serious tools, which is why you need the Worx Aerocart. Transforming into a wheelbarrow, a dolly, or a hand cart, this beast is no one-trick pony. With tires that won't go flat, and steel construction ready to handle up to a 300-pound load, it's the ideal tool when you need to move anything from bags of mulch to your new washer-dryer.

Lego Batman Tumbler

As with any release in their Ultimate Collector Series, the Lego Batman Tumbler has been eagerly anticipated — fueled by rumors and plenty of speculation — but now the wait is (almost) over. Set for a september release, this massive set is made up of nearly 2,000 pieces, making it far bigger than any Tumbler set we've seen to date, measuring in at a staggering 15 by nine inches. In addition to this beautifully-realistic model, the lucky few who get their hands on one of these sets will also get two minifigs, Batman and The Joker, both modeled after the characters from the Dark Knight franchise.

Process: Oakley

For as futuristic as their products are — in both design and material — it might surprise you to discover that much of what goes on inside the walls of Oakley's massive, steampunk-ish Foothill Ranch headquarters is grounded in analog techniques. From the initial design all the way through engineering, there's nary a computer involved. And as with everything else at the headquarters, that's by design.

Oakley's shades, bags, watches, and other goods begin life as conceptual designs, based around innovation and consumer needs. These designs are created by small teams, who work together to make drawings of the product as they vision it, often times coming eerily close to the finished version. Engineers are brought in to add their thoughts to the designs, and make sure they're functional — an important step for any product, but especially one that's going on your body.

Once everyone's happy with the initial design, it's turned into a real-life object using old-school tools like Exacto knives, scrapers, and chisels. It is then redesigned and approved by the engineers. From there, they go to CAD files, and are often cranked out on 3D printers — Oakley has been using them for over two decades, making them one of the first companies to use the technology — before being prototyped.

And while the company keeps a vast portion of its talent under the same roof — including R&D, advertising, marketing, and publicity — the design section of the building is off-limits to all but a select few. You have to be escorted in if you don't have access, and even then, some areas — like Oakley veteran Peter Yee's secret war room, where out of the box ideas and futuristic visions are the norm and where many of the company's most iconic designs were born — are limited even further.

So the next time you strap on an Oakley product that looks like it's from the future, remember that it was created with tools firmly rooted in the past.

Presented by Oakley. Watch Oakley's story of disruptive design, narrated by Kevin Spacey, here.

Oliver Flask Cage

Stanley's standard flask is great for transporting drinks in a coat pocket, but not so great for fitting into bicycle water bottle cages. Unless, of course, it's the Oliver Flask Cage. Made in Durango, Colorado from high-quality materials, It bolts on to your bike using the same holes as a normal cage, but provides a snug fit for your flask so your clandestine booze holder doesn't go bouncing down the street.

Strand Craft V8 Wet Rod

All personal water craft are not created equally. But you don't have to take our word for it, just have a look at the Strand Craft V8 Wet Rod. Featuring a customizable construction made from carbon fiber and epoxy, you can optionally add wood and carbon inlays, custom paint and wrapping, and more. But that's hardly what makes this jet ski special — no, that's the 5.7-liter V8 tucked inside this 16-foot boat. With a 300-horsepower output, it'll do up to 65 miles per hour, which is probably plenty fast to get you to your recently-purchased mega yacht, or at least put a smile on your face.

Nike Vapor 360 Baseball Glove

One of the subtle joys pains of buying a new baseball glove has always been trying to break it in, but with the Nike Vapor 360 Baseball Glove, there's no need for any of that. Thanks to an engineered perforated pattern on the leather palm, the glove is ready to use out of the box. Other features include a Flywire lacing system with tunable inserts for a customized fit, TrueAdapt heel construction that eliminates unnecessary layers, and soft Poron foam to enhance breathability and comfort. Oh, and it does look too shabby, either.

Mega Hammock

Hammocks are great — no one's arguing against that — but when you try to pile a bunch of people into one, you start to run into some limitations: weight restrictions, friends flopping on top of each other. But the Mega Hammock is made for sharing with friends, capable of comfortably holding as many as three people. It's made by an FAA-certified parachute rigger, and constructed from coated ripstop nylon, nylon thread, and durable webbing, so you know it's made to hold plenty of weight. Each handmade hammock comes made-to-order, and can be customized in a range of sizes and colors. Summer lounging may never be the same.

Nitecore Sens Mini Flashlight

Ever wonder how much power your flashlight might be wasting throwing its full beam at objects that are only a few feet away? The Nitecore Sens Mini Flashlight does not suffer from this problem. Sporting a Cree LED capable of putting out 170 lumens, this tiny light measures less than two and a half inches long, and uses an accelerometer to figure out the angle you're holding it at, and thus how bright to make the light — less power when it's aimed down and you're trying to find your keys, more power when it's aimed horizontally and you're trying to figure out what's making all that noise in the bushes. It also features a waterproof, military-grade hard anodized aluminum alloy body, three brightness levels, a runtime of 14 hours (thanks to its intelligent dimming), and the ability to be used with only one hand or attached to a keychain, so that you'll never be without a light.

Priority Bike

It sounds too good to be true — a quality, stylish, maintenance-free bike for a reasonable price. But that's exactly what the Priority Bike is meant to be. It starts with an oversized aluminum frame that refuses to rust, continues with a belt-driven system that requires virtually no maintenance, and concludes with a smooth three-geared system. Or maybe not, since the bike also comes with a tire pump, water bottle cage, a comfy seat, and puncture-resistant tires. With only five minutes required to put the thing together, you'll be on the road in no time.

Tusa Evo Sea Scooter

Those looking to explore the far reaches of the sea need something more than just flippers to get them around — they need something like the Tusa Evo Sea Scooter. This powerful underwater chariot boasts a maximum speed of 2.6 mph and a maximum depth of 230 feet, while offering precise changes in speed thanks to rotational speed adjustment. Other features include a 3-speed propeller with pitch and angle adjustment, an LED battery life indicator, and saddle wings that let you pull up to three divers with a single scooter.

Aesop Animal Wash

Let's face it, with everything your pet gets into — whether it's a run through the dog park, a dip in the river, or a roll in something nasty in your backyard — from time-to-time, he's bound to get a little stinky. So when the funk starts to get unbearable, it's time to give him a rinse with Aesop Animal Wash. Made to be gentle on even the most sensitive dogs and cats, this skin and fur wash gets your pet clean while eliminating undesirable odor. Made from plenty of natural oils and extracts, it leaves your animal with a fresh aroma of mint and citrus — which is probably a lot better than what he used to smell like.