Re: Tibulei bemashkeh, something that is never eaten with the hands does not require washing when it’s indeed not eaten with the hands. E.g. there is no need to wash for cereal with milk, since it’s always eaten with a spoon. But something that is usually eaten with the hands requires washing even if you happen to be eating it without them.
This is why it’s a good idea to cultivate the habit of always eating pickles with a fork, even when you’ve already washed for bread or for some other wet thing. That way when you eat them outside a meal, with a fork, you don’t have to wash for them.