# Sharpening forks



## XooMG (Mar 26, 2021)

A short while ago, I decided to buy a metal fruit fork to replace the plastic disposable one I'd been using for too long. Went to the store and found a nice cheap POS:





And chopped off a couple cm from the handle because it was too long.

I also thought maybe the tines could be a little pointier.





Then I discovered that the fork was not in fact a fruit fork, but probably a cake fork. I was devastated to learn that all my effort had been in vain.

So I went to a supermarket to find a genuine fruit fork so I could shank little tomatoes, grapes, and my tongue with minimal shame.





But what's this? These are almost duller than my fingers. I might as well skewer my fruit with a chopstick.





Ahh well, I have some stones, so I went ahead and tried to thin the tips a bit.





Energized by my newfound hobby of sharpening tiny forks, I went and bought some Japanese fruit forks. Sharpened one and took a quick snap in the rain (again) to juxtapose the stock and modified tines:





Then I went back to my cake fork. I did some more refinement of the points and now I think I'm not too ashamed of using it to stab fruit.


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## RDalman (Mar 26, 2021)

But is it not counterproductive and the sharp tips actually make food slide off easier? Like with nails for wood, the best ones are supposedly the ones with blunt tips that tear a hole as they go in and won't be pushed out... I heard


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## ian (Mar 26, 2021)

RDalman said:


> But is it not counterproductive and the sharp tips actually make food slide off easier? Like with nails for wood, the best ones are supposedly the ones with blunt tips that tear a hole as they go in and won't be pushed out... I heard



Ssh. Sharper is always better.


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## ethompson (Mar 26, 2021)

The internet is responsible for lots of social ills, but I do love that it allows people who appreciate this type of beautiful nonsense to come together. 

Awesome work, makes me want my own extra stabby fork... and to learn how to take better photographs.


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## McMan (Mar 26, 2021)

Don't forget the spoons:


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## XooMG (Mar 26, 2021)

RDalman said:


> But is it not counterproductive and the sharp tips actually make food slide off easier? Like with nails for wood, the best ones are supposedly the ones with blunt tips that tear a hole as they go in and won't be pushed out... I heard


Yeah that is definitely something to consider with firm-flesh fruit like apples and guava; but for grapes, cherry tomatoes, etc. I wanted something that goes through the skin more easily.


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## stringer (Mar 26, 2021)

XooMG said:


> Yeah that is definitely something to consider with firm-flesh fruit like apples and guava; but for grapes, cherry tomatoes, etc. I wanted something that goes through the skin more easily.



I have never considered eating a grape with a fork. But if I were to eat a grape with a fork I would definitely want it to be a photogenic little stabby one.


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## DavidPF (Mar 26, 2021)

Doesn't everybody keep their grapes in a tall skinny jar? I ... don't either. 

But since nobody here blinks if they hear "I have 50 expensive and extremely sharp knives in my kitchen, because I like knives", you'd think hearing "I like to eat grapes with a fork" would deserve some respect. 

The only problem is, now that this secret is out, the people who prepare a simple meal with six different knives are going to realize they can't _eat_ that meal properly unless they have several specialized forks and spoons, straight chopsticks, plus helical, parabolic, and catenary-arch chopsticks.


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## ian (Mar 26, 2021)

I line my grapes up on a special 250mm x 20mm serving dish and eat them one by one with a sharpened fork while listening to Ligeti and maintaining perfect posture and unbroken eye contact with my dinner guest.


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## XooMG (Mar 26, 2021)

DavidPF said:


> Doesn't everybody keep their grapes in a tall skinny jar? I ... don't either.
> 
> But since nobody here blinks if they hear "I have 50 expensive and extremely sharp knives in my kitchen, because I like knives", you'd think hearing "I like to eat grapes with a fork" would deserve some respect.


I sometimes deliver snack bowls to my dwarf between classes and she doesn't always get a chance to wash her hands well. We also have a bowl around the house for snacking while doing other things, so we either use forks or chopsticks.


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## DavidPF (Mar 26, 2021)

ian said:


> while listening to Ligeti


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## Bart.s (Mar 27, 2021)

Why stop there? Ryusen sells some nice damascus forks.


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