For the 3ds users, why don't you use a combinaison of smoothing groups and 2 turbosmooths (the one underneath being used with Smoothing Groups turned on) ?
Found a way to have it deform on a line by using the path deform binding (WSM) modifier inside 3ds max. Thx metalliandy for the screenies and obj file.
Trying to 3D model a skillet, but there's this ugly shading issue I can't seem to solve when connecting the handle to the rest of the skillet. Below I also attached the topology.
I'm kinda surpised 3d packages don't have an option for a geosphere yet, I normally keep a 2x subdivided geo sphere in my scenes to duplicate when needed.