Splayd

Last updated
Splayds (or spknorks) are a combination of fork, knife and spoon in one utensil. Splayds.jpg
Splayds (or spknorks) are a combination of fork, knife and spoon in one utensil.
A splayd beside a tart Splayd with a pie.jpg
A splayd beside a tart

A splayd is an eating utensil which combines the functions of a spoon, knife and fork. It was invented by William McArthur in the 1940s in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. [1] His wife, Suzanne McArthur was the initial public face and marketer of the splayd. [2] [3] There are several manufacturers.

Contents

In addition to an overall spoon shape with four fork tines, it has two hard, flat edges on either side, suitable for cutting through soft food. They often have a geometric rather than rounded bowl, with two longitudinal folds in the metal.

The UK licensee for the manufacturing and distribution of splayds during the 1970s was Viners of Sheffield. At that time they were one of the biggest cutlery manufacturers in Great Britain. [4]

The splayd has medical uses, having been recommended as a solution for feeding difficulties following or during treatment of the arm [5] and being part of the (discontinued) Selectagrip system of utensils with customisable handles for people who have trouble using regular utensils. [6] [7] It was also reportedly a popular wedding gift in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s. [8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mackenzie, Michael (2013-04-20). "Splayds - our national shame". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  2. ↑ "Named restaurant after her ideal". Sydney Morning Herrald. 1966-08-25. p. 30. Retrieved 2025-06-28.
  3. ↑ Dubose, Martha (1971-07-18). "Saleswoman with a touch of romance". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 118. Retrieved 2025-06-28.
  4. ↑ Tweedale, G. (1996). The Sheffield Knife Book. Sheffield Hallamshire Press. ISBN   9781874718116.
  5. ↑ Penrose, Dina (1993). Occupational Therapy for Orthopaedic Conditions. Therapy in Practice. doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-3085-9. ISBN   978-0-412-39370-9. S2CID   37256600.
  6. ↑ Taylor-Cookson, Judith; Mitchell, Justine (November 2001). "Cutlery for children with special needs" . British Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation . 8 (11): 426–430. doi:10.12968/bjtr.2001.8.11.13814. ISSN   1354-8581.
  7. ↑ "Selectagrip Cutlery And Handles". AbleData. Archived from the original on 2020-07-27. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  8. ↑ Iomaire, Máirtín Mac Con (2014-07-03). "Material Culture: A Review of the 2013 Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery" . Journal of Culinary Science & Technology . 12 (3): 191–195. doi:10.1080/15428052.2014.904835. ISSN   1542-8052. S2CID   216140555.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.