nendo - interlocking chopsticks

Chopsticks are one of those utensils that have pretty much been figured out. There are some truly beautiful designs out there, but most focus on quality of materials rather than any sort of true innovation. That is, until Nendo created not one, but two unique options.

Both designs are interlocking in nature, but come at the problem from two very different angles. The first is called Rassen (above) and is a round chopstick created from a single piece of milled wood. This twisty utensil comes as a single unit that can be separated into two for eating, and then rejoined when not in use. The second is called Kamiai (below) and it's also interlocking, but in quite a different way that takes advantage of its square shape. Each piece has a magnet embedded into the wide end, which allows the two pieces to snap together into one form, but they're placed toward the outside of each chopstick, so that they don't accidentally do so when they're actually being used to eat.

Both designs are so different, yet incredibly elegant in their on way. Check out more fabulous design work on Nendo's website.


(Via The Fox Is Black)