That's what Cuban artist and researcher Ernesto Oroza calls these "inventions of neccessity." For eight years he has collected everyday objects crafted from discards, and re-purposed technology found in Cuba. Where purchased goods are in short supply, people fix their own. He's shown these re-invented objects in several exhibitions. For instance, here is a razor made with the blade and a pencil.

Or a fan blade repaired with a piece of vinyl record.

There are others. Check out this set of chairs constructed from broken plastic chairs given a new rebar skeleton. 

Many of Oroza's objects were photographed and collected into a booklet called No Waste, which was publshed by Pentagram and is now out of print (available in a handful of libraries).