on cutlery...

When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother why we had forks and knives when mostly we just used the side of our fork to cut soft things...I mean, why get a knife dirty if you're eating something like meatloaf? And so I thought I came up with a great invention when I thought up the combined fork-knife (I called it a fife). Logistics ruined the whole thing for me, though, when I realized that people would probably cut the sides of their mouth open due to the Fife's sharp cutting edges. I scrapped the idea.

Fastforward to now: I've stumbled upon a website on Australian nostalgia, and the Fife has already been invented! It goes by the name Splayd, and was invented by William McArthur in the forties. In the sixties, the general public caught on to their innovative and oh-so-convenient design, and over five million sold worldwide. Which begs the question--what happened to them? I'd like my own Splayd collection! Maybe people got tired of having all that extra cutlery--forks, knives, tablespoons, teaspoons, and Splayds...I mean, I guess you don't really need a Splayd when you've got your fork and your knife, and the fork/knife combo is imperative for things like steak. Still, an interesting piece of very neat design.

[image source: http://www.legendfeelco.com.au/whatever.htm]