Funky Kinda Fork Prong

Factual Questions
1

There was a time when I thought ONLY Cecil could answer my questions.

So I would post my note here on the board, and expect scratches on the head fro all of you and then Cecil would swoop in, and take my question with him and answer it as only he could.

But the TM’s answered almost all of them. See the sig at the bottom for the one you all failed on.

But I think I have one. I think THIS time it will require the hige brain that is Unca Cecil.

My wife and I have noticed a growing trend in forks while dining out. It seems that eiter the LEFT ONLY or the LEFT AND RIGHT prongs on the fork are somehow notched or indented. I simply wanna know why.

On the forks with both, they seem to just look like regular forks, but the right and left prong are both notched on the inside.

On forks with only the LEFT SIDE notched, the left prong is also THICKER than the other prongs.

Very strange indeed.

To help, I have decided (even though my wife is now just simply shaking her head NO) to give you all an ARTIST RENDERING of the fork in question.

Now, I’m not an artist. I warn you in advnace.

Now, the rendering will clearly show the LEFT SIDE ONLY, though I failed to capture the THICKNESS of it (or, more exactly, the fact the left prong is thicker than the right).

But you can figure it out.

Okay… here’s the link:

http://www.microserve.com/~frumpy/pics/fork.jpg

Please help me unavel this mystery… IF YOU CAN!

2

I do believe that notch is there to help you use your fork like a pick.

You know, like in those cold cut buffet situations where there are platters of lunch meats and cheeses; you poke a slice near the edge and peel up. A pick-like fork tine (sp?) makes the job easier.

I’m sure there are “fancier” dining situations that might require the same tool .(I dunno, like maybe prying snails out of their shells? Or eating crabs, lobster and other shellfish?)

Anyhow, that’s what I always thought.

3

Did it have three tines or four tines? If it had four, then it’s a fish fork. You use the little notch to pick out the bones. There should be a matching fish knife as well. If there are three tines, then it’s a cake fork. I’m not really sure why it’s notched. If all of them were notched, then it’s a salad fork. The notches give the effect of a additional tines, the better to spear your salad. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a fork with only the left and right tines notched.

Here’s an illustrated guide to the silverware you may encounter:

http://www.ywh.com/Tips/Table/silverware/silverware-illustsrated.html

4

Looks like the fork with notches on the left and right tines is a fish fork as well:

5

Wow.

You guys are the best. I’m still confused about the left prong only one, though. Guess it’s just cheaper. We WERE at Red Lobster with this one, so I guess it makes sense.

But why is that prong LARGER(Read Thicker) than the others?

In the links above, you can see that with the fish fork, both the left and right are notched and LARGER.

How does a larger prong help in removal of bones???

6

Look at the first link provided by Terminus Est here.

If you scroll down, there is a “pastry fork” which has only the left tine notched… doesn’t say why, though… as a WAG, I’d say it’s maybe to allow you to spear little bits of pastry that might be shattered by a larger pointed tine…

BTW: good researching Terminus Est! Whoo Hooo!

7

Oh, and why larger, Frumpy? Again a WAG, but maybe ease of manufacture? Or some other reason that I’m not thinking of now… Anyone??:confused:

8

This is not exactly definative, but I always thought that some forks had a wider side prong so that they’re easier to use as a knife. A wider tine is less likely to bend when you use it to hack through a piece of meat. Were this true, then a right-handed person would only need the left-hand tine thickened.

Also, I’ve used the thicker tines to crack open crab legs. Dunno if that’s really what it’s for, though.

9

zut is correct, the wider tine makes it easier to cut things. Witness this left-handed cake fork, which has a wider right tine.

10

Wow Terminus Est!

Welcome to the boards!

11

Yeah, but I bet he can’t say “Funky kinda fork prong” five times fast.

12

Funkykindaforkprongfunkykindaforkpongfunkykindaforpongfinkykindaforpongfinkykinaforpong…

You’re right, I can’t do it.