Gizmodo: fork

The Captivating History Of The Spork

Sean Fallon — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:00:00 EDT

Whether you call it a "spork" or a "foon," we must all ask ourselves where we would be without the genius that brought fork and spoon together as one.

Actually, we owe a debt to several industrious culinary proto-spork pioneers: Samuel W. Francis filed a patent in 1874 for a combination fork, and knife and spoon. Harry L. McCoy invented a cutting spoon in 1908 followed by Frank Emmenegger's tined edge spoon in 1912. However, the first person to actually file a trademark for the term "Spork" appears to be a man named Hyde W. Ballard (although there is no official record of this). The term eventually passed down to The Van Brode Milling Company in 1970, but they stupidly gave it up to the UK's, Plastico Limited in 1975.

There are many imitators, like Lifeventure's laughable "Forkspoon"—but in the end there can be only one true Spork design. And, after over 100 years, we finally experienced its ultimate evolution:

Our lives will never be the same. [Wikipedia T-Shirt via NerdyShirts]

Star Trek Spock...I Mean Spork

Sean Fallon — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EDT

Finally, a Star Trek-themed utensil that will allow me to eat both ice cream and pasta at the same time. Thank you ThinkGeek for bringing this wonderful product into the world.

If you want one for yourself, time is of the essence. The titanium Star Trek spork is a limited edition of 1701 (fittingly). Available now for $23. [ThinkGeek via CraziestGadgets]

The Chopsticks Aid Turns Chopsticks Into Forks for Lousy White People

matt buchanan — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:20:00 EDT

I hate the way most white people eat Asian food: Drowning white rice in soy sauce, shoveling cream cheese-stuffed "sushi" into their mouths, pretty much the entire sorry spectacle. The Chopsticks Aid is for them.

It's a fork face that attaches to chopsticks, turning them into a fork. In case Midwestern Whitey McWhiterson is visiting his daughter in the big city and she drags him to an actually decent Japanese restaurant that's not a sorry hibachi joint populated by other middle-aged white folks applauding poorly paid knife-flipping cooks. You know, one that only has chopsticks. This will save him. Not his dignity, but at least he'll still be able to eat. Not that he deserves to. [Daily What via Serious Eats]

Flameboy 7-in-1 BBQ Tool Doesn't Seem Quite Safe

Elaine Chow — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:30:00 EST

The Flameboy, a $14 7-in-1 BBQ utensil contains a spatula, fork, bottle opener, corkscrew, tongs, serrated cutting edge and disposable lighter slot. Sounds to me like a product liability lawsuit waiting to happen. [NerdApproved]

IC3 Intelligent Cutlery System Silently Judges You During Meals

Jack Loftus — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Diets are tough, what with the eating and drinking of beer, and that being really, really, enjoyable and all. The IC3 Intelligent Cutlery System wants to help. How? Well, designer Alex Schulz says that as you chomp away at dinner, the IC3 does the traditional job as a fork, knife or spoon, and then goes the extra mile by silently judging and recording every bite you take.

Even more interesting is that each attachment does something different. The fork, for example, measures fat, protein and sugar content. The spoon? That weighs the food, while the knife takes your food's temperature and ensures it's safe for eating.

Then, after your meal, the IC3 synchs up with a PC or other information gathering device and produces a nutrition report, which you'll probably follow religiously for a few weeks before falling off the wagon. [Yanko Design via DVICE]

Calamente Fork Good For Twirling Spaghetti, Unspeakable Torture

John Herrman — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:01:52 EDT

In the pursuit of a great idea, inventors can sometimes lose sight of the big picture. I don't doubt that the Calamente Noodle fork is fantastic at spinning up a nice, big fork full of pasta, but I also don't doubt that before the end of a meal with this medieval war museum display piece I would have at least three gruesome lip piercings that I hadn't really planned for. I'll stick with a fork and spoon for now. Or my hands. Or, honestly, anything but this. [Trends in Japan via BBG]

BBG Perfect Gadget List Shows That Tech Can't Improve Everything

Benny Goldman — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT

BBG has done an impressive thing: It came up with a list of 10 perfect gadgets, unchanged by time or tech. No need to build the better mousetrap, because the tried and true mousetrap made the list. So did the wristwatch, the toilet and scissors. I don't agree with the inclusion of the toaster (I prefer a toaster oven), and I can't figure out how they left off the fork (unchanged since the Bible), but it's a good read. Hit the link and let us know of any gadgets that are MORE perfect. [BBG]

S(tool) Turns Garden Fork into Garden Chair

Benny Goldman — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:10:00 EST

It's been a long summer day tending the garden and you need to sit down, but there is no chair in sight. If only you were using the S(tool), then you wouldn't have to worry about finding one. Designed by Langton Stead, the S(tool) is a bent wood handle with two garden forks on either side. All you have to do is shove them into your lawn, and BAM!, instant chair. The perfect gift for the laziest green thumb you know, it's available directly from the designer, though no word on price. [Langton Stead via productdose]

Popcorn Fork Keeps Fingers Bland

Mark Wilson — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 10:28:23 EST

My father-in-law, super great guy, eats his popcorn with a spoon. While some find it crazy, I know it's just a technique he employs to slowly, subtly drive my mother-in-law crazy. Regardless, he may be interested in the $13.95 (12 pack) of popcorn forks. Technically these forks more closely resemble chopsticks or tongs, and they have salt built right in to the handle, ensuring your blood pressure gets every bit as high as your wife's. [product via shinyshiny]

Side-On Cutlery Makes It Almost Safe to Eat at Your Aunt's Grimy House

Matt Buchanan — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:51:12 EDT

The germaphobe in us always freaks out a little bit when we see silverware lying on a bare table, either at someone else's house or a restaurant. (Our own table is a chemical-cleaner-scorched wasteland.) So we hope that eventually all silverware will be like Jens-Martin Skibsted's designs for Side-On Cutlery, which have built-in stands that keep the parts that touch your food and your mouth gloriously contact-free from dirty, microbe-infested surfaces. Well, your germy-ass mouth aside. [Mater Design via Boing Boing]

Auto-Turning Pasta Fork for the Stupid and Lazy

Charlie White — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 14:15:00 EST

Tired of twisting that fork to wrap the pasta around it? The Pasta Fork solves that problem for you. You just put your fingers at the top, push down and its corkscrew design makes the pasta twirl around its tines automagically.

If you have sticky fingers, it might not work too well, so you might want to have a tube of K-Y Jelly nearby, just in case. Could get messy, and who says twirling pasta around a fork is so difficult, anyway? See for yourself if these screwy forks enhance your quality of life—they're $19.50 for two. – Charlie White

Product Page [Presents for Men, via Coolest Gadgets]