Snow Peak Key Ring Carry Titanium EVEN TINES Spork Customized by Ti Rod Tactical

Description

May "My
SP
ork
™
"
Be With You!
(And Carried On A Key Ring Your
Custom
S
now
P
eak
SP
ork
™
Always WILL Be!)
Can Be Held In
Several
Ways While Eating BUT....
....The Thumb, Index, & Middle Finger "Tripod" Grip Is Amazing!
(See 2nd & 3rd Photos)
Compact Key Ring Carry So It Goes Where You Do!
(Can Also Be Neck Carried With A Piece Of 3/32" Paracord Or Similar As Shown)
Customized Design Is Done In America!
(Yep, It Costs More Than A Stock One, But Feel Comforted You're Paying A Guy Minimum Wage To Do It! :-)
Hand Formed EDC SP
ork
™ For A More Intimate Eating Experience
(Become "One" With Your Food! :-)
A Fined Tuned "Pie Hole" Filling Everyday Eating Machine!
(And The "Most Refined Version Of My Conversion" SO Far!)
Durable & Lightweight 1/2 Ounce Titanium Construction!
(So Even Makes A GREAT Backup SPork
™
That You Can't Forget To Take!)
Will Entertain Children So Picky Eaters Will Want To Eat More
(....And Us Older "Kids" Like Um TOO!)
Can Be Used In An Emergency To Repel An Attack!
(The Instant Karma Realization Of: "Stick a SP
ork
™
In Me, ...I'm Done!")
One Year Money Back Guarantee If Not Delighted!
(Ebay lets sellers show 60 day returns max, but with me it's a Year!)
This is a NEW Ti Rod Tactical offering as of July 6th, 2018,... and carries the same "ONE Year Money Back Guarantee If Not Delighted" return policy as my Titanium Yawara and Kubowara sticks!
New product for sure, ....but as I recall hearing not long ago,...
"What the hell have you got to lose!"
If you find it's not for you, then well,....I'll "eat it"! :-)
This offering includes an additional feature, "Even Level Fork Tines",...so I suppose you could say it's an "even better picker upper!" :-)  However, it takes an additional 15-20 minutes to add this in, .....so is justifiably priced .00 dollars higher that my other offering using the original Snow Peak Spork head.
(Note: I added a lower cost 3rd version in a separate listing where the oval hole in the handle is
not
removed, and I keep the original variable tines in place. The 40 minutes in labor savings brings the cost down to just 19.95 if you're on a budget :-)
All versions come with 2 sizes of key rings as shown in a few photos, that have the originally sharp ends hand finished for better smoothness)
Forks have been around for thousands of years, and there's a reason the same level tine arrangement is the most often seen,....they simply work better for poking into, holding onto, and picking up food!  (especially on thinner food items such as sliced
lunch meat pieces, cheese, etc.
)
Snow Peak has even come out with an Even Tined Spork that is noticeably higher priced than the original,...BUT the new design gave away a LOT of the bowl width. This was a BIG mistake in my mind!  I bought a few to test, and yep, .....as a FORK it works great, .....but try to consume a mostly liquid SOUP and you'll still be hungry 10 minutes later. :-)
I will say the one sample of their more Fork-ee Spork I converted to Key Ring Carry similar to this offering will reside on one of the two key rings I carry daily,...as with the longer Fork-like times it digs deeper IF you ever need to repel an attacker. (Brings to mind "Stick a Fork in thee, they're DONE!",....or something like that.)
In the end, a "Spork" has always been a bit of a compromise, as the bowl is needed to allow scooping up such things as soups and other heavy liquid containing dishes, but doesn't add to the fork part's functioning. These additional changes on this offering simply help the Spork to become more "Fork-like", without compromising the Spoon part's ability to efficiently scoop up liquids, ....since the solid bowl area actually holding the liquids has not been reduced.
I will make these up from my supply of of the standard Snow Peak head shape Key Ring Conversions as orders come in, since I can't put the material back.
Either version will get the job done, since the original
S
now
P
eak Spork, (or
SP
ork
™ perhaps),...
shape has proven to be reasonably efficient at both Spoon and Fork functions,...but this one edges it out enough to justify the few extra dollars in time expended.
NOTE, ....the LAST photo shows my other offering making use of the standard Snow Peak head and tine shape, but is NOT part of this offering. I wanted to show the difference between the two versions.
I've been carrying a Prototype of this design for a few months now, and it has proven to be an exceptional Every Day Carry (EDC) eating utensil.
Consider it a fine tuned "pie hole" filling eating machine! :-)
I went so far as using it
exclusivel
y during a 30 day period to eat ALL my meals using nothing else. Yep, at home TOO, ...'cause eating this way is FUN and, well,... a more "intimate" eating experience! :-)
The strangest part in holding a modified
S
now
P
eak Spork (or
SP
ork
™)
made this way is that it doesn't hurt your eating efficiency off most plates and bowls of reasonable depth, because the head extension beyond your grip is about the same as a full length standard Spork!  Even a little deeper soup bowl simply needs to be tipped a little to get to the lower levels,... no big deal.
Much of the standard full length handle merely transverses the width of your palm, so unless you have to grip a standard spork with your fingertips near the end in order to reach DEEP inside a "Meal Ready to Eat" (MRE) packet you've lost nothing!
Quite honestly, "If" I ever needed to eat a MRE and this was the only eating utensil I had available, I could do it in one of two ways. Either roll back the top opening to get the food closer to the top, .....OR carefully cut back the two sides and fold them down to accomplish the same thing.  A third way comes to mind also as I write,...simply lay the MRE bag mostly on it's side and let your grub roll to you (or "push" it forward on thicker dishes) to scoop out. One thing's for sure, when I'm hungry I'll "get-er-done", and so will you! :-)
My last MRE was over 30 years ago, so it's not a priority consideration for me in choosing which general spork to use. What IS a major consideration is will I have it on me when I need it?
Attached to my Key Ring it's great for backpacking,.... even if only as a backup should you forget to take your full length spork, ...and especially anytime you're eating
On-The-Go in the City
!  It's
really simple: No Keys,...NO GO,...so NO Problem as I can't forget to take it with me!  It could be for you too...
By the way, this makes a GREAT "backup" to
always
have with you, even if you usually bring a longer spork for pot or pan cooking and stirring. Some folks just plain forget to bring their long handled spork when camping, but you HAVE to have your keys on you when traveling so your backup key ring
SP
ork
™
will always be available for actually "eating" with!
I can always use a suitable 1/2" or so thick sharpened branch to turn my steaks or stir the pot with.
I bet I could even tie my key ring carried
SP
ork
™
onto an appropriate sized branch to MAKE a longer cooking and stirring utensil,...and I bet YOU could also. Just don't forget the 3/32" Paracord,...TOO! :-)
The spork bowl edges are even suitable to cut through most softer foods and meats, so I rarely missed having use of an actual knife. Eating a tough steak once being the exception, SO I just
SP
orked
™
it and gnawed it all the way down! HA! (
I got my
SP
ork
™
freak on that day, and have EVERY day since! HA!  :-)
Lots of folks use the Snow Peak SCT-004
Sporks while Camping, but rarely carry it for every day travel needs as the length is not conducive for easy pocket carry in the original form.
Once I had an opportunity to try a self modified version, I realized it opened up and greatly expanded the market reach and potential base of everyday users for this item. Virtually everyone would find this a handy, useful, and enjoyable utensil to use while eating.
Kids will love using them as well, as it gives them a quality eating utensil
that makes "Fast Food" ....
Fun Food
,
so "picky eaters" no more!
The smaller overall size leads them to think it was made just for them,..... a reasonable stance I think.
I loaned a backup version I always carry with me recently to a 5 year old fussing at a Burger King,... not wanting to eat his Chicken Nuggets. His smile in using the
SP
ork
™
LIT UP the room!
Fun can = Yum with a fussy youngster. Consider it an older child's "
Pacifier
"!
I gave out my Business card to the parents when he was done and they almost had to pry it from his fingers, so we'll see if they contact me for a followup purchase once the child wears them down enough! Oh,...he WILL! :-)
Your children will LOVE using a
SP
ork
™
seemingly made just for them,...so "picky eaters" no more!  I loaned my backup I always carry with me recently to a 5 year old fussing at a Burger King,... not wanting to eat his Chicken Nuggets. His smile in using the SPork
™
LIT UP the room!
Fun can = Yum with a fussy youngster. Consider it an older child's "
Pacifier
"!
I gave out my Business card to the parents when he was done and they almost had to pry it from his fingers, so we'll see if they contact me for a followup purchase once the child wears them down enough! Oh,...he WILL! :-)
Also, I think a LOT of folks who don't even camp would also find this much more compact design exceptionally convenient and useful to EDC.  You'll always have it with you too, attached to your key ring, since you're not going anywhere without your keys in most cases.
SO, ...snap this baby spork onto your key ring and
Fuhgettaboutit
since...
...No Keys,...No Go,...No Brainer!
Easy to carry and have with you every day,....O
h Yeah!
Reduce the bulk and make it a joy to EDC,..... and the "Smile Factor" goes WAY UP too!
Like most folks, I've always hated using those cheap throw away spoons and forks so common at the usual fast food places, and the impact on the environment is substantial. Titanium is much more environmentally friendly (or "Green" as they say),.....is tasteless, easy to clean, and will last for a very long time. Truthfully, most folks would have to outright "lose it" to ever need to replace it!
It's so easy to clean, that most times I simply give my
SP
ork
™ a quick dip and shake around in the remnants of my watered down Diet Coke when I've finished my meal, .....followed by a wipe down with a napkin or two to clean it up and put back on my key ring. You can follow that with an occasional washing at home if you wish, but I've never found the need.
So, a brand new Titanium
S
now
P
eak
SP
ork
™
is customized into a much more compact Key Ring Carry version, what's not to love?
However, expect to have to buy several once your family members try yours!
So, a brand new Snow Peak SCT-004 Titanium Spork is customized into a much more compact Key Ring Carry version, what's not to love?
It takes about an 1-1/4 HOURS to make EACH one of these, so the pricing is where it needs to be. To save some dough you could always buy a stock fork for .00 to .00, and do the work yourself.
But I doubt you can do it any quicker, as 35 years experience as a bench jeweler and diamond setter tells me this. Besides, working well up close is built into my DNA by now!
I'll "net" just about .00 for all my efforts after all selling fees are factored in, which is below what many make at fast food joints!
Hopefully you make much more than .00 per hour, so you're better off having me do it for you!  It'll be cheaper for you, and no chance you'll mess it all up in the end.
So y
ou may be wondering
what do I get out of all this for so little gain considering the time involved?  This is simply the way I chose to advertise my hand made products, as I've found that once a customer gets a chance to handle
anything
I make, they very often come back again and again for additional items!  The VERY best advertising is a satisfied customer with positive word of mouth review, and is a very cost effective way to advertise!
I'll make them up in small groups of 6 to 8 pieces at a time when I can fit them into my work schedule.
The Titanium is
really
tough to bend and hammer into the desired shape, as it behaves and bends very much like a spring. But this is also the reason it makes a great springy loop to attach and detach from a Key Ring or Neck Cord.
During all bending I have to use a layer of leather between my modified jewelry ring bending pliers and the spork handle to protect it from serious marks and digs. Hand bending
around a steel ring mandrel gets it started,
and hammering with a leather mallet against a leather covered steel block all help to get-er-done,.... with a little touch up with fine Scotch-Brite pad final finishes any light rubs.
Some other details,.... I chose to remove the section of the handle that has the original oval hole, because when bent and shaped that hole is now located below the bowl and would be a bit harder to clean out after using. (a food trap if you will).
With that hole removed a napkin can be used to easily wipe out the small opening between the bowl and the handle end, as well as the remainder of my Mighty Mini Snow Peak
SP
ork
™
! (as noted previously preceded by a quick dunk & swish around in the remaining ice of my soft drink beverage and wipe down, as I pack up to leave)
Snap it back onto your Key Ring, .....and "May the
SP
ork
Be With You!"
™
for your next eating adventure!
The original hole is unneeded for attachment anyway, since the loop formed for gripping also makes a fine hanging loop for Key Ring or Neck Carry. The edge remaining from cutting off the hole is rounded at the corners,  and the underside slightly beveled as well, ....to aid in attaching the spork to a Key Ring or Neck Carry Cord.
Additionally, before I bend the handle I sand off the entire length of the handle edges to remove the die stamping process that leaves a bit of corner sharpness. This isn't too noticeable when your hand is griping the full length handle, but once bent is noticed a bit since a finger is placed within the formed hoop. I do a bit of sanding on the tine edges as well, to remove the stamping sharpness there.
The final steps on this version is to remove material on the outside fork tines, and shaping the bowl a bit at the base of those outer tines and blending. Removing material in these areas does not impair the spoon function, but does make spearing into foods more secure since all four tines can grab and hold onto the food more securely.
Snow peak has added a more fork like version, but it has nowhere near the bowl capacity so I think this makes a better overall "Spork".  Who knows, someday they might just change the head shape to something resembling this? :-)
One thing to keep in mind in this throw away society we've adjusted to, it took a short while for me to remember NOT to toss it into the trash bin at my local Burger King!  I love to use this compact spork to scoop out one side of an Avocado I always bring, and add it to my Whopper with cheese. I then scoop addition mouthfuls with each Whopper bite
! (bring extra napkins to your table, you're gonna need them!)
Ummm ummmm GOOD,.....and I'm having it MY Way TOO! (since  Burger King doesn't offer Avocado!)
This customized spork can also be held in a variety of ways, some of which are shown in the photos and adults have no problem using it effectively!  The thumb , middle finger, and middle finger "Tripod" Grip is my favorite for most eating. (shown in the 2nd & 3rd photos)
If I want or need a little more length extension for soup or messy pasta dishes, placing the thumb through the loop and pinching the loop with your index finger works great.
One more thing if you have nothing else with you, I found that when attached to a key ring it can be gripped rather effectively and securely if ever called upon to repel an attack!  Who knew....?
A few details and thoughts.......
I am pleased with how my prototypes turned out, and am now offering these customized hand formed Titanium Sporks directly for awhile,.... in hopes that Snow Peak will see the added value and additional market reach of such a utilitarian and compact product design.
In fairness to Snow Peak, I never actually showed them photos of this or even described my idea in any great detail, simply couldn't as I was trying to get a very small ({{detail_product_description}}.25 ea.) compensation agreement in place first.
But if Snow Peak Co. eventually takes up my ideas offered publicly herein, I trust they will do the right thing by me. :-)
But then you can't say "yes" if you blow off any serious inquiry now can you?  One response to three messages is not exactly what I would have expected either, but perhaps they will reconsider at some point.
If Snow Peak Co eventually takes up my ideas offered publicly herein, I trust they will do the right thing by me, since the Japanese have a very long history of honor. :-)
If they do, making these at the Factory level will bring the pricing down significantly for the masses, because for me it's not fun working for about minimum wage to do this work by hand, to "prime the pump" as it were!
Believe me, I was perfectly willing to have them make them in a more efficient factory setting using machine muscle, and I would be compensated just $.25 USD (25 Cents) per unit sold on a wholesale basis. At to retail, I believe they would FLY off the shelves and dealers would have trouble keeping them in stock!
Help me to show there is a market for these, and we can get the pricing DOWN together!  Seriously, at age 62 I'm not planning on making thousands of them. :-)  But I have put my money UP front, and so far I've purchased 160 pieces to convert.
Do the math, as that represents a serious chunk of money for a little guy (and is over 4 Months of Mortgage Payments for me!),....but that's how much I believe in this "value added" project for Snow Peak to consider making!
I know what I like,...and I love using mine daily
....and SO will you!
The fact is, my "One Year Money Back Guarantee If Not Delighted" policy doesn't worry me in the least,.....because a good product
stays
put!
This is a fact I've discovered in over 3 years of selling my Titanium Kubotan and Yawara Sticks with the same Guarantee, and to date about 1,300 have SOLD into 20 Countries and not a single one has come back under my generous guarantee!
This Guarantee is so unusually long in this day and age,...that Ebay doesn't even have a way for me to plug that long a return figure into the listing page,...where 60 Days return is the maximum!
So, that oddly familiar phrase is worth repeating:
"What the hell have you got to lose?"
:-)
Get Your Customized
S
now
P
eak
SP
ork
™
On Today!
Joe T
Ti Rod Tactical