Knork
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The knork (IPA: /nɤɹk/) is a utensil which, like the spork, combines two of the three most common Western eating utensils into a single unit. The knork is a fork with wide rounded beveled outer tines which can be used to safely cut food like a knife, without a sharp edge to cut the mouth of the user. Unlike a knife, the knork cuts through food with a rocking motion which is facilitated by a finger platform on both sides of the handle. Knorks are symmetric and can be used by both left-handers and right-handers.
The utensil was invented by Mike Miller, now-owner of Phantom Enterprises in Newton, Kansas, a company set up to produce and market their invention. Its name is a portmanteau of knife and fork.
In a sense, a pastry fork is a precursor of the knork, since it is also a fork designed to be used as a knife for cutting food.
An advantage of the knork is that it can be used easily by people who have only one arm; Roald Dahl reports in Boy how his father invented a knork precursor as a result of losing his arm.
Unlike the spork, which gained fame as a cheap, disposable alternative to separate utensils, the knork has been marketed as a high-end utensil, costing almost five dollars for a single unit. However, recently, plastic knorks have become available, and are significantly less expensive.
