Support NeoGAF

[massoluk]

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3049608/the-spork-redesigned?partner=rss#3

Whether you call it a spork, a splayed, or a sporf, Map—the London-based design consultancy (previously)—thinks they may have finally perfected it. They teamed up with Fortnum & Mason, the 300-year-old U.K. department store, to create a tritensil that combines the best parts of a fork, knife, and spoon, substantially less clumsily than previous attempts.

"It's inherently a compromise to combine three different utensils into one design," says Scott Barwick, a designer and associate at Map. "If you have a spoon with tines, you can't eat soup with it; likewise, a round, concave fork isn't as good at spearing food as a regular one." Going in, then, Map knew there would be compromises in designing a new three-in-one utensil for Fortnum & Mason. The only question was how well those compromises could be balanced.

For the tritensil, Map has favored an ergonomic, asymmetric design that combines a fork's tines, a spoon's curve, and a knife's serrated edge in such a way that each feature's effectiveness is maximized. Holding the tritensil in your hand, the tines of the fork slant downwards, allowing you to pierce food with the edge. The serrated knife edge, meanwhile, faces in the opposite direction, and is part of the soup's bowl, unlike splayds where one of the tines is essentially a large knife. "People don't really like shoving a knife in their mouth, so we wanted to minimize how much people needed to do that," says Barwick. The serrations on the tritensil are also softer than a normal knife, making it nearly impossible to cut yourself on that edge.

Exciting time to be alive.

 

[otapnam]

they should just combine the fork and spoon and put a short ceramic knife that fits into the spork handle. you cant really cut that easily with just one utensil

 

[RedShift]

 

[It's Reyn Time!]

The neck's too weak, it'll bend as soon as you try to use that knife edge to actually cut through anything.

How am I going to saw through my microwave sausages with that? Oh well, back to mashing food with my fists like a fucking savage.

 

[see5harp]

I don't even need a damn utensil to eat strawberries and I certainly don't need a knife.

"making it nearly impossible to cut yourself with that edge" makes it seem like the only thing it could cut is jello or a marshmellow.

 

[DECK'ARD]

Fugly.

 

[Exterminieren]

If the knife's edge is too soft to be troublesome to your mouth, then it's not a knife worth having.

Combining knives with other utensils is just a non-starter.

 

[Flo_Evans]

these already exist. Knife is useless.

 

[turtle553]

If the knife's edge is too soft to be troublesome to your mouth, then it's not a knife worth having.

Combining knives with other utensils is just a non-starter.

Looks like the knife edge is on the bottom of the utensil. Maybe the curve provides enough protection, but limits the cutting depth.

 

[PSYGN]

I'm going to fork my own version and add an open slat to where two pairs of this crossing through each other can also create a tong.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Even the perfect spork is the most imperfect of utensils.

 

[Any Questions]

You win

 

[DJ_Lae]

Gross. Adding a knife to a spork only dilutes what is already kind of a weak utensil, particularly as you need the knife to not cut your mouth.

Though the metal spork that came with my Zojirushi isn't bad. I guess.

 

[DOBERMAN INC]

Isn't a perfect spork an oxymoron?

 

[The Technomancer]

Gross. Adding a knife to a spork only dilutes what is already kind of a weak utensil, particularly as you need the knife to not cut your mouth.

Though the metal spork that came with my Zojirushi isn't bad. I guess.

I was actually working on a similar project last year that we shelved for various reasons, but yeah we came to the realization that if the knife edge was going to be any good it also couldn't really go on the edge of the spoon

 

[Raistlin]

They better have lefty and righty variations!

these already exist. Knife is useless.

I actually have two of these. Well different brand, but same design.

 

[sirap]

What about leverage? You would still need two of these things to properly cut a steak.

 

[Dazzler]

these already exist. Knife is useless.

I prefer this version

 

[LyleLanley]

What about leverage? You would still need two of these things to properly cut a steak.

I can't imagine trying to cut a steak with a knife like that.

 

[Summer Haze]

The neck's too weak, it'll bend as soon as you try to use that knife edge to actually cut through anything.

How am I going to saw through my microwave sausages with that? Oh well, back to mashing food with my fists like a fucking savage.

You're already a savage if you're eating microwaved sausages.

 

[The Technomancer]

What about leverage? You would still need two of these things to properly cut a steak.

That's why I like this one I saw last week
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jpgrogan/knife-fork-and-spoon?ref=category

 

[It's Reyn Time!]

You're already a savage if you're eating microwaved sausages.

I tried imagining what kind of food somebody would eat with such an instrument. Microwaved sausage seemed about right.

 

[The Technomancer]

I tried imagining what kind of food somebody would eat with such an instrument. Microwaved sausage seemed about right.

Everyone keeps trying to make them out of plastic for some reason, when the whole reason current sporks are plastic is because they're meant to be disposable. My design was going to be out of titanium, which would have actually made it possible to cut meat. It was more of a multitool thing for outdoor activity.

Damn I miss it now :/

 

[CTLance]

That's it, chopsticks for everyone.

 

[Stet]

these already exist. Knife is useless.

Knife is useless except for cutting your mouth where your lips attach together.

 

[IronRinn]

"We are sick of your cost cutting. We want our creams back. AND our forks, knives, and spoons. No more sporks and spknives and knifoons, it's like a Dr Seuss kitchen down there!"

 

[God Dayumm]

That's it, chopsticks for everyone.

What about chopsporks?

 

[TAJ]

these already exist. Knife is useless.

They should have put a spork on one end and made the handle a knife.

 

[Buddha Beam]

You'll cut your mouth on the fucking serrated edges. That's terrible.

 

[Jeevesmeister]

When did this

become more attractive than this?

 

[TAJ]

When did this


become more attractive than this?

Try eating soup with that.

 

[Engell]

Try eating soup with that.

what are you having your soup in?.. how about drinking it from that

 

[Fury451]

these already exist. Knife is useless.

Mystery solved.

 

[John_B]

It has a big toe. Not the most exciting body part to associate with food.

 

[Brannon]

Try eating soup with that.

It's a trap; you pick up the bowl and drink it down like a manly Rambo, nice try sir!

 

[Psychotext]

These things make me laugh. I do a fair bit of ultralight camping and I'm yet to find a time when I wouldn't be able to carry a knife, fork and spoon. Hell, you could get a full titanium set for around 50g.

That said, more often than not I'd be happy enough with a spoon, my fingers and my teeth.

 

[Charles Foster Kane]

these already exist. Knife is useless.

That looks like a baby's version.