cutlery2go
2019-2021
This concept was created in my design studies in Hildesheim, DE. The idea was simple: Transferring a tablelike dining experience into food culture on the go.
The result of two years of prototyping is a stainless steel cutlery set with a round salt & pepper grinder. The set was exhibited in the Klingenmuseum Solingen, as part of the 2021 POTT: Design Award.
It’s made from stainless steel, while the salt & pepper grinder is made from a lignin-based bioplastic, which can be injection-moulded.
In the prototype, I used 3D-printed PLA for the salt & pepper grinder.
process
In the silversmith workshop of my university, I built around 30 prototypes from scrap steel, wire or copper.
The idea for the final design didn’t come overnight, but was a result of the many sketches, prototypes & mock-ups.
How balanced is the weight? How does the spoon feel in my hand, how does it feel in my mouth? How can I avoid any unnecessary parts?
Screws, hinges or rivets complicate the manufacturing process and make the cutlery harder to clean.
small scale production
Putting manufacturability to the test: In 2021, I decided to create a series of 10 pieces for friends and family. Most of those cutlery sets still see daily use.
First, the 2-dimensional pieces are laser cut from 1,5 mm stainless steel. From then on, the process continues manually. The bends are made by hand, and the cutout as well as the surface finish happens partially with electrical tools and a needle files.
The serial nr. is punched in on the back without using a jig, highlighting the handmade aspect of the series.
application
cutlery2go transfers the weight, the haptics and other aesthetics of conventional dining cutlery into food on the go. It is settled in the urban context, but versatile enough that I end up using my own cutlery set mostly when hiking, traveling or backcountry skiing. It is certainly no weight weenie, but I enjoy the gravity of the steel and the volume of the knife handle.
cutlery2go is about making peace with the existence of the process.
Accepting and embracing the fact that an idea for a good design doesn’t come overnight, but results from a sometimes long, but intensive process.
