I'm No Expert

Also called stress tests, torture tests have provided EDC enthusiasts (and makers) thousands of hours of fun (and just as many tears) dropping, smashing, and submerging all in the name of science. And cred. And YouTube views. In this episode Jason and Ben explore the many ways a person can torture test a product, and Jason recounts some of the creative ways he has stress tested Prometheus products...

Process. Journey. Failure. Open pit cooking? Stay with us on this one. In this highly-anticipated follow up to the Art vs Craft episode, Jason and Ben go rabbit-holing on Craft, which is "art that is meant to be used." Or is it? Grab those knitting needles and settle in. Maker Minute:  Ryan Nagata

It's coming. Will you survive? Jason and Ben confront the sobering reality that is the impending Apocalypse and the unlikelihood of survival due to a myriad of factors, not least of which being Ben's myopia and Jason's urban setting. Cities will fall first... Join them and evaluate your own level of preparedness. Maker Minute: Patriots by James Wesley Rawles  

The Lumen Wars drag on, with 20K lumen flashlights eligible for 3-day shipping on Amazon Prime and the maker of a 90K lumen flashlight admitting "This device isn't very practical for most uses because it just blinds you if you're shining it at anything closer than about 100 feet." Charge your batteries and walk with us through across the battlefield, where falsely-advertised run times are the norm...

Much has been made of the impact new tariffs are having on big industry and our country's economy. In some respect it's a "wait and see" scenario – we don't know how things may shake out over the next few years. But for a small business like Prometheus Lights the tariffs have had an immediate impact. Jason weighs in, and doesn't hold back. We did NOT highlight a Maker in our Maker Minute this epis...

Embrace your imperfect self! Jason and Ben break down Wabi Sabi, the traditional Japanese aesthetic based on the acceptance of imperfection and transience. Guarantee you start to see it everywhere... Maker Minute: Serge Panchenko

There are Things You Need to Know. And many folks out there don't. Part of it comes down to survival. Part of it comes down to pride. You still don't know how to change a tire? Come on, man. Get it together. In this entirely non-aggressive and not-ranty episode of I'm No Expert, Jason and Ben bemoan the loss of basic knowledge and learning in our society but find hope within the pages of a book fo...

Jason dropped bombs on this episode. One was the first official tease of the NEW Prometheus Lights Delta Flashlight, which is currently up on the darksucks.com site. Alpha, Beta, Delta – get it? THEN he hit us with a ridiculously effective stain removal product that he and his stumbled upon and we have to share.  No, this is not a sponsored episode. It's just two guys sharing some tips on making l...

When we asked our audience to suggest some topics, @bertocaster requested "Working with Titanium, from raw material to fit and finish." We didn't stick solely with Titanium because Jason has a lot to say about a few different materials, but Ti is definitely the star of this episode. Maker Minute: La Costena   That famous burrito we mention. (Yes, that's a burrito).  

How would you rate this podcast? Just kidding, we know it's a five out of five. Just kidding again, we don't have a review option. If we did, would you leave one? Are you the kind of person who leaves reviews? Do you read others' reviews? We (non)expertly dive into the topic of reviews in this episode of I'm No Expert and explore the trustworthiness of any review left of the internet, the power of...

Everyone has a super power, some just don't know it. Jason and Ben reveal theirs, and also tackle these life-changing questions: 1) Who's your favorite super hero? 2) What super power do you wish you had? 3) Would you rather have the ability to fly or turn invisible? Remember: With great podcasts comes great responsibility. (Super) Maker Minute: Ridley Pearson Extra: Superman (Bollywood Style)

World Cup fever has hit INE. Jason and Ben reflect on youth league upbringings, hard-ass coaches, helicopter parents, and late night pick-up games in college. Plus a hard look at this year's tournament in Russia including the new VAR system and what it means to take away subjectivity from the world's most popular sport. Maker Minute: Ronaldinho Guacho

Tell us your deepest, darkest fears. We tell you ours in this episode of I'm No Expert. Failure, public speaking, skydiving, hornets – come in, lay down on the couch. Let's get started, shall we? Maker Minute: Michael Muller and " Into the Now ."

Jason's back from his FIRST Blade Show and he can't wait to tell you all about it. Wolverine Claws, Alpha auctions, kitchen knife Kickstarters. It all happened, and Jason tells all. Maker Minute: Lucas Burnley Nita Chef Knife

What's going on with Foursevens? When are the new lights coming? Jason hears your questions, and he answers them all in turn. Getting prototypes to market is no easy (or fast) business, but when you hear all the updates, upgrades, and plans for the near and far future, the wait will be worth it. Shop Foursevens

Inspired by a video on a Japanese minimalist, Jason and Ben dive in (lightly, so as to not disturb the peace) to this topic with (reserved and delicate) gusto, exploring the magic of soft close drawers, the vanishing night sky, and fascinations with the ninja. Maker Minute: " Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less "

Jason's first Kickstarter campaign of 2018! It's also his first in over a year, so Ben flew all they way from Vermont to California to record the podcast in person and get a first-hand look at the Alpha Bamboo Fountain Pen. Why a fountain pen? Why the bamboo design? Why write by hand when we have computers?  Enter the mind of a maker in this tell-all-meets-launch-announcement episode of Elon Musk'...

It's easy to criticize customer service, but how often do we hold up the mirror? What if it's not them, it's *GASP* us? Jason and Ben dive into the customer-company relationship and outline THREE ways YOU can be a better customer. You do want a positive outcome, right?  Also hear tales of bad customers past and learn the "Three P's" of good customer behavior.  Maker Minute: The Four Agreements

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Jason and Ben answer this question, but also shed some light on techniques for YOU to use when exploring your purpose in life. Jason also reveals why taking on Foursevens was both a terrible business decision and exactly the right move, while Ben shares strategic renewal strategies he learned from Benjamin Franklin.  Maker Minute: Elon Musk

In which Jason and Ben discuss what is behind the somewhat recent exploding flashlight incidences, which in at least one case resulted in a fatality.  What is likely causing it and how to prevent it.  Incident One (fatality) Incident Two Incident Three  

Two friends who met in college ask "was it worth it?" Is college worth it today? Maybe you should just go to a technical school. Or watch a bunch of YouTube videos. Everything is on YouTube, you know. Maker Minute: Mike Rowe Works Foundation

In what may be their most controversial episode yet, Jason and Ben don their stars and stripes underwear, wrap themselves in Old Glory, and talk "Made in the USA."  Maker Minute: Jens Anso

Meta alert! After 23 episodes of claiming not to be experts, Jason and Ben question the premise of their show. Jason shares the definition of expert he learned from his father and reveals some of the wizardry at work in his recent experiments with pulse width modulation, while Ben talks sushi, soccer, and what he learned from Good Will Hunting. Maker Minute: Jiro Ono Pulse Width Modulation spell c...

We're still not experts, but Jason HAS run 5 successful* Kickstarter Campaigns for Prometheus products, including the Beta QR AAA Flashlight, the Kappa Keychain Quick Release, and the Lambda Top. He shares his experiences both as a campaign creator AND a backer of projects that failed for one reason or another. Covered in the podcast: - The 3 Things Kickstarter is Good For (from an inventor/small...

Jason and Ben are joined by David Chow of Foursevens to talk the recent acquisition, SHOTShow 2018, the state of the flashlight industry, and helicopter assembly. Read the Official Acquisition Announcement .