Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when people could gauge your mood just by looking at your fingers. Our mood rings are tasteful, simple metal bands with mood-indicating stuff on the outside. We'll send you a trio from our bins of assorted sizes, and chances are they'll fit one or the other of your fingers or thumbs. (Or toes, which can get quite moody, too.)

Let’s say the only way in is through the window, and the glass is really thick, and once you’re inside you’re going to have to leave a note. Wouldn’t you know it, someone came up with a gadget for that very scenario. It’s a tactical pen, 5” long x 1/2" at it's widest in black metal with a pocket clip on the cap. Always at the ready is a glass breaker tip. But unscrew the o-ring sealed cap to reveal a hidden pen with a replaceable high-volume cartridge. This is a solid piece, nice enough for the aforementioned hyper-specific mission, but also solid enough to use in self-defense (no joke). We like it as a nice pen to keep around the house, and if we ever need to get out through a window—hey, bonus.

If you want something done right…. and yes, that includes laboratory slides. This 60-piece slide-making kit from Elenco makes a fantastic start to exploring the miniature world around you or great expansion to your microscope usage. Includes: a 4-chamber Micro Hatchery®, Vial of Shrimp Eggs, (2) Prepared Slides, (10) Glass Slides, (12) Cover Glasses, (12) Statical Slide Covers, (12) Labels, Vial of Eosins, Vial of Methylene Blue, Vial of Sodium Chloride, (2) Collecting Vials,  (2) 10mL Graduated Cylinders, Tweezers, Dropper, Stirring Rod, 3x/6x Magnifier, Safety Goggles and a great instruction Manual. Wow, that's not just a kit, it's a small lab!

If they’d have had trapper binders like this when we were in junior high, we probably would have made straight As. Yeah—that’s it—it was our binder that made us get those Bs and that one C. Mystery solved! This Mead® 12-3/4" x 12-7/8" x 3" (3)-ring binder with 2” dia rings and an expanding accordion file with tabbed dividers is covered in blue sewn, lightly padded nylon-like fabric. Also has an adjustable buckle strap that’s connected to a zippered see-through 9-1/2” x 4” mesh pocket on the front, for writing utensils and the like. Great for school or office. We have to say, this binder’s a beauty.

If your heart or soul is currently closed for repairs, get a foam rubber hard hat and squeeze your stress away. Call it the stress helmet. Great for the construction worker in your life. Comes in bright yellow, in the accurate, detailed shape of a construction-site hard hat. Measures approx 3" x 3" x 2" tall, and we think OSHA would approve since no worker ever got hurt squeezing a foam stress toy. Just keep the wolf whistles down, please. This is a constriction zone, not a construction zone.

You thought we were going to say “knife”! But no, this is their bag, baby—a Swiss Army M90 rubber rucksack, 100% polyamide, water-resistant and PVC-coated. Heavy-duty, olive drab and in very good condition. Measures 18” x 15” x 5”. Has a padded lower-back bar, a flap-closure top and (2) side pockets with quick-release buckle closures and cinch straps. This is a really sweet bag for collectors, but you can also use it for camping and hiking.

Sometimes you just need a nice plastic tube with caps on the ends. You know it and we know it, which is why we’re carrying this one. Measures 5-3/4" long with a 0.79" (or 2cm) exterior dia and is made of transparent black/gray-tinted acrylic. Has black plastic plugs on both ends, and we’ll never ask you what you did with it. As long as you don’t ask us what we did with ours.

Give the oil, acrylic, water and tempera paints a break and try this alcohol ink. Why? Because it gives you vibrant color. Comes with (1) 10” x 8” waterproof panel (aka your blank canvas), (3) alcohol inks (red, yellow, blue), (1) 91% Isopropyl alcohol blending solution, (17) assorted tools—including a #6 flat brush, an ink dauber handle and several dauber pads—and a guide with painting techniques and tips. Be the first artist on your block to start painting with alcohol. And obviously don’t paint near open flames. That’s probably good advice no matter what kind of paint you’re using.

A Gamecock is a bird, and a fine one at that, but we don’t have any of those. We do have (2) kinds of stopcocks, though. They’re valves used to control the flow of liquids or gasses, fluids—stuff like that. You’d know ’em to see ’em. Slightly different valves, both of which will accept 1/4" id tubing and have (1) input and (2) outputs. Originally for Veterinary usage, they are plastic, and you’ll get (5) no matter which kind you order.

Yes, fair punsters and math nerds—it’s a Domino Cube! Much like a Rubik’s Cube, this puzzle game spins and twists. It’s adorned with the designs of classic bones (or do you say “tiles”), and your job is to either (a) move all like colors to the same side, or (b) connect the tiles in a linear fashion, as in classic double-nines. Cube measures 3" x 3" x 3".

A bunch of seagulls is a flock, but a bunch of crows is a murder. Hey, we don’t come up with this stuff—blame the ornithologists. If you’re into black crows, and want a murder of them, these rubbery plastic figurines are nicely detailed, and approx 2” x 1” each, in different poses. You’ll get (4) in a handsome 3-1/2” x 2-1/2” x 1-1/2” box with a nest in it. Black crows only—no flocks of seagulls, eagles or yardbirds.

You can’t always fit a square peg into a round hole, but you’ll have no problems screwing the round top of this little jar onto its square base. Made of thick, clear plastic, the base measures 2” x 2” with a circular cavity in the middle that has inner dimensions of 1-1/2” dia x 1/2” deep. The twist-on lid has a silver edge and a see-through top. Looks like some kind of cosmetics jar, but it doesn’t care what it holds, as long as it fits. You’ll get (8) of them.

From the ever-reliable Alpha Outpost, this 30-oz, 1000ml water bottle is tinted and transparent BPA-free plastic, with graduation markings every (2) oz and (100) ml. Has a 2” dia mouth and a yellow twist-off lid connected with a plastic strap. It’s a big bottle for big hydration, whether you’re hiking or just trying to drink your (8) cups a day at the office. Stands about 8-1/2” tall x 3-1/2” dia.

Then get these actual horseshoes. These are not those Clydesdale-sized behemoths your grandfather used to toss at iron stakes. These are more like the delicate steel shoes you'd tack onto a filly's feet before the Breeders' Cup. Measure 4-3/4” long x 4-1/2" across x approx 1/4” thick. If your horse gets scratched from the race, just hang one of her shoes above a door for good luck. (Remember to put the tips up and the curved side down. Otherwise, all the luck will fall out and you'll be…out of luck.)

Don’t be alarmed—this Inox® alarm clock won’t walk around your room while you’re sleeping. It’s a Robot Clock because it has a stylish robot look to it, round with (4) asymmetrical outcroppings, and it switches modes when you change its orientation. Measures approx 3-1/2” x 3-1/2” and acts like a clock with 2" backlit-like LCD display when it’s upright, a timer when turned to the right, a calendar to the left, and an alarm when upside down. Beeps intensely, which is good in an alarm. Has 12/24-hour modes, plus daily and single alarm modes. You supply (3) “AAA” batteries. Be gentle when you rotate it. Robots have feelings, too.

No matter what (or who) you’re spooning, you want to be precise and not bogged down by a bunch of tools. This handy gadget does the work of a quintet of measuring spoons via an ingenious sliding door that cycles through (5) measurement levels with ease: 1 tsp, 1-1/2 tsp, 2 tsp, 2-1/2 tsp and 1 Tbs. scoop your stuff in one simple swoop and then remove the slider for cleaning by moving it to the "REMOVE” setting and pushing out from the bottom. Couldn’t be easier or handier. The spoon is sort of in the shape of an Irish hurling stick, if that means anything to you. Measures approx 5-3/4” long x 2” at the widest, with a hole for hanging.

You might not have a door to hang this from when you’re out hunting or fishing, but a back of a tree works great! It’s a Hunter’s Handy Pack, a 54" x 22" multi-pocket storage unit that is ginormous but rolls up into a duffle-shaped bag when it’s time to move. Think of it like a shoe organizer that hangs there (maybe from the aformentioned tree) with everything you need in (15) see-through 7” x 8” pockets with hook’n’loop closures. No more digging to the bottom of a bag for gloves, binoculars or lures, cold beverages, clothing etc. Folds up to approx 22” long x 10” dia, with straps for carrying and hanging. Weighs less than 3 lbs empty. Also great for the tool shop—or even as an actual shoe organizer if you like a little camo in your closet.

This piratical treasure trove is printed on genuine pretend parchment (from a process that involves skinning ersatz sheep). The 15-3/4" x 13-3/4" Treasure Map shows (56) actual lost treasure sites from Newfoundland to Bermuda. Call us when you finish looking. The 11" x 14" Pirates Creed of Ethics (the apostrophe was sunk along with the treasures), is a faux vellum document with a putatively real pirates' code from 1640 with (14) principles, many of which involve getting one's head split for infractions. Both profusely illustrated.

We don’t have gas—at least not for your car—but we do have the Airblaster™ 500 foot-operated air pump from Bell, which means you’ll never have to limp your car, bike or ball to the station again. Has a 0-100 pressure gauge and bonus adaptors for sports balls and inflatable toys. Pumps a max of 100 psi into standard Schrader valves or those skinny Presta valves. Foot pedal is a comfy 3-3/4” square, and the whole thing is only 13” long x 3-1/2” tall when folded and locked for storage.

Here's a brand new selection of sealed lead-acid rechargeable batteries, for when you're pushing something a little bigger than a penlight. All batteries are all direct from the manufacturer with current date codes. All of them have (2) 3/16" wide quick-disconnect terminals on top. Click on battery description for a photo.

You could use this jumbo clip to close your bag of chips, and you could write your name on it, or slip your business card into the slot on the front, so your family and co-workers will know to keep their grubby little fingers off your snacks. It's a giant 6" wide x 5" plastic clip with a large magnet on the back and it'll clamp down and hold on your fridge as many as (25) sheets of paper all at once, if you're not into salty snacks. Stick it to the fridge or file cabinet and use it to hold shopping lists, overdue expense receipts, love notes or gentle threats to family, co-workers or both. We'll pick one in red or blue, neither of which will match your fridge or file cabinet, probably.

This 30W lightweight soldering pencil measures 10-1/4” long and heats up to 550 F in a hurry. Has a 1” long tip and a 5-foot cord, plus a clip to rest it on without setting fire to the dining room table. Nicely balanced for easy handling by jewelry makers and other precision hobbyists.

Were you the one who needed an industrial relay? Oh, great, because here’s one from Midtex, and it’s rated for 30A and 1HP at 120VAC; 30A and 1.5HP at 240VAC; and 15A at 600VAC. Has SPST normally-closed load contacts, and coil will draw 25mA at 12VDC. Measures 2" x 1-3/4" x 2-3/8", including a plastic bracket on the face. Has 1/4" quick-disconnect terminals on the bottom.

It’s why you come here, isn’t it? Our each is (10) plastic canisters, each with a teaspoon of green cave-snot slime powder inside. When mixed with two teaspoons of water you’ll get approx a 1/2-ounce of nauseating gooey green gloop like the stuff that drips from cave ceilings and turns into stalactites someday. Scientific fact: the contents are actually guar gum and potato starch, because genuine cave snot is really hard to collect, and probably against cave rules. Great for a kid’s birthday party--obviously.

Time to get these large plastic tweezers, at 7-1/4” long with 3/4” serrated jaws and round tips. Sometimes metal tweezers just won’t cut it, like when they might scratch what you’re tweezing, or when you’re working in electrical situations. Our each is dozen, sometimes all blue and sometimes (3) each in red, yellow, green and blue, because that's how surplus works. Dandy for arts & crafts and indispensable for mosaic work.

Silent movie star—came to a bad end. Also this 38-piece stubby handled driver and bit set in an easy-to-tote case. Forward, reverse and lock settings. Includes 3mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm slotted; #0, #1(2), #2(2), #3(2) Phillips; #0, #1(2), #2(2), #3(2) Pozi; T8, T10, T15, T20, T25, T30, T35, T40 torx; 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm hex; and #0, #1, #2, #3 square. Whole shebang in a 3.5" x 6.5"x 1.25" case. Get ratcheting.

As beautiful as the world is, it can be a pretty gross place. Bacteria and viruses are everywhere. If you have about a cubic foot of space to spare, your days of handling germ-smeared gear are over. This Sweety Fox UV Light Sanitizer Box is like a dishwasher for gadgets, a laundromat for accessories, and it measures a space-saving 11” x 11” x 11”. Open the top lid and place your phone, keys, eyeglasses, baby pacifiers or bottles, wallets, credit cards, facemasks, jewelry, makeup containers, hand sanitizer dispensers, toothbrushes or anything else like that inside. Choose a cycle—sterilizer, dryer or antibacterial—and let the UV light wipe your things clean. Kills 99.9% of the germs of viruses and bacteria. Do something productive and come back when the timed cycle ends. Our price makes it a no-brainer, but you could have guessed that. It's 4-different modes include, Auto mode, sterilizer mode that has 3 timed options of 11,16 and 21 minutes, a dryer function that has 2 timed options of 41 and 51 minutes and a storage mode. 6' cord and is ETL listed.  

From the workshop of the omnidexterous Carver Dan, these literal letter boxes are handmade from recycled, exotic hardwoods. Pull the secret pin and they open to reveal a velveteen-lined compartment for secret stuff. On top, each one has a carved letter--an initial if you will (and why wouldn't you?). Each box measures roughly 6" x 3-1/2" x 2-1/4" depending on the consonant. No paints, no stains, and no vowels. You pick: B, H, P, or T. Feel free to snag more than one; these don't come around too often.

These wraparound Chinese military goggles have a camo pattern and come with one-piece, long, swappable clear and gray lenses. Also comes with both an elastic headband and standard temples that can be, yes, swapped out. Includes a cleaning cloth and an olive drab quarter-moon-shaped solid plastic case with a pair of clips that are probably meant to attach the case to a pistol belt. Includes instructions in Chinese because the guy who wrote them had no idea the goggles would end up in a warehouse in suburban Chicago.

Go ahead—have soup, or stew, or anything gooey, without worrying about a spillage tragedy. This red plastic soup system measures 5” dia x 4-1/2” tall tapering to 3-1/2” at the bottom. Looks like a giant coffee cup, but with a gasketed screw cap that has a stubby fork and spoon cleverly hidden inside. Freezer- and microwave-safe, and BPA-free. Safe up to 200 degrees, but hand-wash only. Has a small tray and a divider inside, both of which you can ignore if you don't have a 2- or 3-part lunch. Try the beef barley, it’s excellent.

Newtonian demonstrator for science teachers. Mindless play for the rest of us. These are shiny, nicely balanced, high-performance examples of the classic Newton's Cradle - a ball on one end of a row of (5) suspended, barely touching balls swings into the others, and the ball at the opposite end reacts to the collision. The 11/16" dia balls in the all-metal frame 6-1/2" high x 4" x 4-1/4" will collide about 30 times. Awesome. Even more awesome that we paid someone to count the bounces just for you! (Unpacking note: Less awesome if you just yank it out by the suspension lines and pull a couple of balls loose. Be gentle.)

Or in the air again? Or do you just like to be prepared, like any good Surpie does, for when regular travel returns? This soft-sided, black vinyl bag is a compact 21" x 13" x 6", well within carry-on rules, and easy to toss in the trunk or back seat. Zippered around the outside, it has a 7" long pocket, a zippered side pocket at 15" x 7", and another 13" x 9" pocket. Includes a shoulder strap and carrying handle. Not a roller, but an easy tote at under 3 lbs tare weight. (That means "empty"--we learned it from the side of a truck.)

Please note: When ordering this item, due to its size, your entire order will ship Standard Ground and isn't eligible for expedited shipping.

Turn you pictures into greeting cards with these Share Your Memories kits. Each package has (3) 8-3/8” x 4-1/2” photo sleeves for 4” x 6” pix with a self-adhesive backing behind a laminate with a clear window. Also includes (6) 3/4” square self-adhesive magnets and (3) envelopes. You pick the generic greeting card or the birthday theme version. You’ll get (2) packages of the same, for a grand total of (6) sleeves, (12) magnets and (6) envelopes.

If Werner Von Braun had used these, Londonwould have just gotten wet. Have somegood clean fun with this Hydrotech"Aquazone" rocket set. You get (2) 5-3/4" tall water rockets and (1) 8-3/4" rocket, plus (2) filling funnelsand a piston pump for power. Includes a 6-page pamphlet on rocketry. For ages 8+, for good clean outside fun.

Small enough to fit into the included black canvas carrying case, but they open up to be plenty big for most binocular needs. These 8X21 binocs have ruby red anti-reflective lenses, roof prism precision eyepieces, adjustable focus, rubber coated armor, and a 392ft field of view at 1,000 yards.

It’s a tabletop game like Operation, but it’s called Don't Get Buzzed. Pass the circular wand around the bent wire frame, and you win if you don't slip and touch the wire and make it, well, buzz. Could be a drinking game, or a stop-drinking game if you're too buzzed to avoid the buzz. Measures approx 9” tall x 4”. Also a good test for kids who are considering a neurosurgery major.

Tactical sweet corn? Stop it—this anodized aluminum, dual-use red flashlight shines with a COB LED front light and a COB side light. Measures 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" dia. Can be used with the 250 lumen flashlight on, 200 lumen sidelight on, both on, or in emergency flashing/strobe mode. Bottom has a good magnet for hands-free work. You add a trio of “AAA” batteries.

Whenever we drop in on our tailor for a fitting, he's got a tape measure hanging around his neck. So much more attractive than wearing a metal on his belt, we think. More useful too, when measuring humans. Now you can be a tailor too, with our tailor's tape measure in a soft fabric-like PVC material. Measures 60" (152cm) x 3/4", marked in 1/8" increments on one side and 1mm increments on the other, with metal tabs on each end. You'll get (3) in some combination of white, light blue and yellow.

The mother of all flashlights! At a foot long, this extra-sturdy rechargeable LED COB flashlight shines an ultra-bright 5000 lumens and has the ability to charge your phone and other devices with its USB output. Has (3) beam settings (max/low/strobe) with an adjustable slide focus and a range of 150 meters. The 6000mAh powerbank has a USB port, and comes with a charging cable. Lasts 90 minutes on high, or three hours on low. Weatherproof, and the power cord stores in the handle.

It's a 10-tool Swissesque military survival knife, but without those red plastic handles to break and fall off. Includes stainless steel 2-1/2" knife blade, flathead driver/bottle opener, saw blade, scissors, can opener, fish scaler/nail set, corkscrew, Phillips driver, awl, nail file and the needle-like thing for making buckskin clothes in case you're lost for years. Has a split ring to hang your keys from.