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Splayd is a multi-tool cutlery that combines a fork, knife, and spoon. It was developed in Australia in 1943 and has become a common name through brand dilution. Splayds are functional for a wide variety of foods and are useful for picnics and casual events. They are not suitable for formal dining.
A splayd is a piece of cutlery that combines a fork, knife and spoon. Some people may refer to splayds as “sporks,” although this usage is technically incorrect, as a spork combines just a spoon and fork, with no cuts. Splayds can also be seen as ‘splades’, especially outside of their native country of Australia. The name is actually a reference to a specific brand of splayd, which has become a common name through brand dilution, as well as people using terms like “Kleenex” or “Xerox”.
The splayd was developed by William McArthur in Australia in 1943. Allegedly, McArthur saw a photo of women balancing plates of food and cutlery on their laps at a casual buffet, and realized that a multi-tool could be very useful. . He developed a splayd prototype, which his wife started selling in her shop, and the tool really took off in the 1960s. Many Australians have a few snacks in their silverware drawer from the heyday of this utensil.
A splayd design includes a bowl hollowed out like a spoon, topped with four small forks. The sides of the splayd are flattened so it can cut through a variety of soft to medium-hard foods, essentially like butter knives. The splays aren’t sharp due to concerns about cutting your lips, cheeks, or gums when trying to eat with a splayd, but the edges are still sharp enough to be highly functional.
As with storks, it is stated that a splayd can be used for a wide variety of things, from eating soup to pasta. Splayd makers make plastic, wood and metal splays for a variety of markets and some very fine examples of formal metal splays can be seen in the collections of some Australian museums. Some kitchen supply stores also sell splayds, and they can be ordered from Australian importers who specialize in such cultural events; many people find blades to be preferable to sporks, as they have a sharp cutting edge.
For picnics and casual events, a set of splades can be quite handy. The single combo utensil allows diners to keep one hand free for things like balancing a plate of food, a very useful feature at parties where people might sit on sofas, chairs or the floor to eat. In general, splays are not suitable for formal dining, where several changes of specialized silverware are used.
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