Consulting the Chopstick Oracle
Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 9:10 pm
This one's probably going to be a long shot.
First, to get a few things out of the way (and this is more of a rant at Google than anything): Yes, I know how to use them. Yes, I know the difference between different countries' types. Yes, I know some of the general etiquette, and a good deal of certain specific types in the unlikely event it's needed. And no, when I say "type", "style", "shape", "design" or "profile", I don't mean Hello Kitty, abalone inlay, artisanals in exotic woods and shapes that cost me $300 a pair, stupid little samurai sword-looking things, or other useless vanities or toys. I was just about to type in "tips" as a keyword, but realized that would only direct me to usage and etiquette advice all over again. I've tried this search a gazillion times in the past, but I just can't seem to find what I'm looking for; so here I am, cap in hand, hoping someone might know anything about what I'm about to go into.
As you've probably already guessed, I'm looking into chopstick tips - Japanese chopsticks, specifically. I've used many kinds, including Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese - but that's what works best for me, so when I just say "chopsticks" from here on out, Japanese ones are usually what I'll mean. So on to the point, as it were: Japanese chopsticks are not alone in being among the pointed varieties out there, but there's more than one way to skin that cat, and the exact type I'm looking for seems to be specifically Japanese (my mistake was in assuming that it was universal to that country's design). When it comes to any type of chopsticks, pointy or otherwise, often as not when in use they only meet at the very tip, and that's fine for picking up chunky things and clumps of sticky short-grain rice, but it's rubbish for handling noodles. That's what I've got now for my new set, and Daddy is not happy. However, there's this profile out there that is perfect for noodles, as well as anything else your table throws at you. The tip is shaped in such a way that when the chopsticks are in your hand and you put the tips together, there is line of 1/2" or so of surface contact. You find a very similar profile on a specific design of waribashi (disposable chopsticks that you split apart):
The center pair shows the profile I'm talking about. I know that there are nicer, reusable chopsticks out there with this tip profile, because I used to own a set of 5 pair of them. Had to finally ditch 'em though, because being of light-colored wood, over the years they eventually became stained and gross to look at. The overall profile of these chopsticks is pretty standard: the main body has a tapering square cross-section that changes to a round cross-section toward the tip, much like these:
However, in the kind I'm looking for the main body is somewhat stouter than above in that it tapers a hair less, which allows the rounded cross-section to be tapered more abruptly, in principle not unlike what you get from a pencil sharpener - only much longer in comparison, of course. This angle makes for the increased contact surface that lets you grip onto escape artists like noodles. When you lay them side by side, the tips diverge more sharply than what you see in the pic above, and more like what you see in the pic above that. Apart from still looking good, it's a functionally brilliant design, being both sturdy yet capable of the sort of pinpoint accuracy that lets you pull out little fish bones, and - importantly - you can grip noodles with them far better than any other design. But I can't find anything like it now on the web, so I don't even know what to call it so I can refine my search.
Anyone know anything about what I'm talking about? What it's called, where to get it, anything like that. I hope my description has been clear enough.
First, to get a few things out of the way (and this is more of a rant at Google than anything): Yes, I know how to use them. Yes, I know the difference between different countries' types. Yes, I know some of the general etiquette, and a good deal of certain specific types in the unlikely event it's needed. And no, when I say "type", "style", "shape", "design" or "profile", I don't mean Hello Kitty, abalone inlay, artisanals in exotic woods and shapes that cost me $300 a pair, stupid little samurai sword-looking things, or other useless vanities or toys. I was just about to type in "tips" as a keyword, but realized that would only direct me to usage and etiquette advice all over again. I've tried this search a gazillion times in the past, but I just can't seem to find what I'm looking for; so here I am, cap in hand, hoping someone might know anything about what I'm about to go into.
As you've probably already guessed, I'm looking into chopstick tips - Japanese chopsticks, specifically. I've used many kinds, including Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese - but that's what works best for me, so when I just say "chopsticks" from here on out, Japanese ones are usually what I'll mean. So on to the point, as it were: Japanese chopsticks are not alone in being among the pointed varieties out there, but there's more than one way to skin that cat, and the exact type I'm looking for seems to be specifically Japanese (my mistake was in assuming that it was universal to that country's design). When it comes to any type of chopsticks, pointy or otherwise, often as not when in use they only meet at the very tip, and that's fine for picking up chunky things and clumps of sticky short-grain rice, but it's rubbish for handling noodles. That's what I've got now for my new set, and Daddy is not happy. However, there's this profile out there that is perfect for noodles, as well as anything else your table throws at you. The tip is shaped in such a way that when the chopsticks are in your hand and you put the tips together, there is line of 1/2" or so of surface contact. You find a very similar profile on a specific design of waribashi (disposable chopsticks that you split apart):
The center pair shows the profile I'm talking about. I know that there are nicer, reusable chopsticks out there with this tip profile, because I used to own a set of 5 pair of them. Had to finally ditch 'em though, because being of light-colored wood, over the years they eventually became stained and gross to look at. The overall profile of these chopsticks is pretty standard: the main body has a tapering square cross-section that changes to a round cross-section toward the tip, much like these:
However, in the kind I'm looking for the main body is somewhat stouter than above in that it tapers a hair less, which allows the rounded cross-section to be tapered more abruptly, in principle not unlike what you get from a pencil sharpener - only much longer in comparison, of course. This angle makes for the increased contact surface that lets you grip onto escape artists like noodles. When you lay them side by side, the tips diverge more sharply than what you see in the pic above, and more like what you see in the pic above that. Apart from still looking good, it's a functionally brilliant design, being both sturdy yet capable of the sort of pinpoint accuracy that lets you pull out little fish bones, and - importantly - you can grip noodles with them far better than any other design. But I can't find anything like it now on the web, so I don't even know what to call it so I can refine my search.
Anyone know anything about what I'm talking about? What it's called, where to get it, anything like that. I hope my description has been clear enough.