The Journey of a Simple Idea: How the TOAKS Titong Came to Be

Ten years ago, I met Mikhail at the OR Show in Salt Lake City. He is the inventor of the famous Emberlit wood-burning stove—a truly great man. He had a brilliant idea: to combine a spoon and a fork using a clasp on the handles to create a versatile BBQ tong. He wanted me to help bring this idea to life.

We discussed his concept in depth. The advantage was clear—the utensils would gain new functionality. But the downside was that both the spoon and fork handles needed to be quite long and thick enough to utilize the springiness of titanium. This meant the product would be heavier and more costly to make. I pointed out these issues, which I didn’t like, but Mikhail stood firmly by his design. Technically, it was definitely achievable.

Unfortunately, Mikhail’s business partner introduced many demands unrelated to the product itself, putting both Mikhail and me in a difficult position. In the end, we had to reluctantly give up on the collaboration.

It was a fantastic idea, but it remained unrealized for a long time, which was frustrating. Over the next two years, I often thought about it. I wanted to create a nylon connector to join TOAKS’ titanium spoon and fork, designing the connector’s inner hole to match the shape of the handles and using the plastic’s elasticity to hold them firmly. This plastic piece’s flexibility would keep the tong naturally open, making it easy to pick up food. By adding only a small part and a few grams of weight, users could enjoy a completely new experience.

I showed my design idea to Mikhail. He thought my design didn’t infringe on his original idea and had the benefit of being more cost-effective—he agreed it was a great concept. So we launched the SLV-15 Titong.

After using this product for a long time, I still have one small regret: the tong is a bit short. When the BBQ flames are strong, your hands can get hot. If I design a next-generation version, I would make the connector longer so the hands rest entirely on the plastic piece. Of course, that would require a more secure connection between the connector and the spoon and fork handles.

Postscript: Recently, I saw similar products online based on Mikhail’s design. I’m happy to see the idea live on and hope it still respects Mikhail’s intellectual property.