The Thork hand holding fork with food in it 3D print model

We all like to snack, whether we're actually supposed to be or not (and yes, I'm guilty there), but whether you're out at fast-food restaurants or just grazing while getting through the latest Netflix boxset it's always enjoyable. What's not so enjoyable is grease / cheesy powder / salt / etc. all over your fingers. I therefore decided to do something about it.

Thus was born the Thork. It's basically a thimble which fits over your finger and is equipped with a fork blade, so you can just spear food with your finger! The Thork is made from hard-wearing ABS plastic so it can deal with a very wide range of snackfoods (although in testing it did struggle a little with harder foods, such as picked onions). It can then be washed and used time and time again. This makes it perfect for going out for fast-food; you can pop it in your pocket, go out to eat and then just wash it afterwards and put it back in your pocket! It's been tested with KFC (as you can see from the photos), Malteasers, cheesy puffs, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and a whole range of different foods. Basically whatever takes your fancy!

The Thork was originally designed for my fat fingers, but I acknowledge that most people don't have thick fingers like me. Therefore I can recommend using Sugru mouldable glue as an infill to mould it to the shape of your finger. This is such great stuff and has so many uses, but in this case it's used to personalise the Thork to fit snugly into your finger. The Sugru comes in the form of a soft putty-like material; you fill the interior of the Thork with the Sugru, gently push your finger into it, leave it for a few seconds and then carefully take your finger out. You then leave the Thork for 24 hours and the Sugru will turn into a rubber-like lining, perfectly moulded to your finger. And then you can head for the cupboard...

(However, make sure not to wear the Thork for long periods of time as there is a possibility that Sugru can irritate more sensitive skin with prolonged contact. I've spoken to the manufacturer and they told me they're working on making it less likely to irritate, but for now it's best to limit wear-time to about 30-45 minutes. Make sure you wash your finger after using a Sugru'd Thork, but then as you'd have to wash it anyway with normal snacking there's not much added hassle there!)

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is stated in the instructions provided when you order Thorks from my Etsy store (www.etsy.com/uk/shop/enterprisexddesign) but I'll say it again here just to be sure - Please make sure your Thork is washed THOROUGHLY, preferably with an antibacterial washing up liquid or an antibacterial wipe if you're on the go, EVERY TIME it is used. 3D printing leaves microscopic voids in the walls of printed items due to minute air-bubbles in the print and if the Thork is not washed then these voids can be places where bacteria can grow. I will not be held responsible for the explosive results should this advice not be followed.....

Bon appetite!