FORK
[Food Service Tools and Equipment]

Accession Number: 2009.19.1.1

Physical Description: Stainless steel Knork (combination fork and knife). Heavy steel fork with rounded sides on the two exterior tines. Handle is broad and rounded at the end and narrows as it approaches the forked head. Four tines total. Maker's maker on back of handle.

History of Object: The donor and inventor, Michael D. Miller, conceived of the Knork when he was at a pizza restaurant in Newton, Kansas. He was in the 8th grade at the time. Miller observed the restaurant staff cutting pizza with a rocking-motion cutter, and thought that it worked much better than his plastic fork that simply mashed the pizza. He believed a fork with a curved edge could serve as a better cutting utensil. While in college, Miller began developing prototypes, and the first Knorks were sold at the Kansas State Fair in 2003. Since then, Miller has established Phantom Enterprises, Inc., a company that manufactures Knorks, as well as other ergonomic products.

Date: Between 2008 and 2009

Dimensions (in cm): 19.40 (H) 2.70 (W) 0.70 (D)

Marks/Inscriptions: [maker's mark] KNORK® //

Index Terms

Associations and Subjects

Origin, Place of: Sedgwick County (Kan.)
Theme/topic: Inventions
Individual: Miller, Michael D.
Origin, Place of: Wichita (Kan.)

Creators and Contributors

Phantom Enterprises, Inc.

Status: Cataloged

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