Corkscrew Question

[Cyrano]

I do love a glass of wine on occasion, and these occasions seem to be occuring with increasing frequency. I have a 'French waiter's' corkscrew with a leverage arrangement; and a double lever corkscrew; you screw it down into the cork and then push down on the levers and the cork comes right out. But I see corkscrews without the lever mechanism; they're particularly popular on knives. One of the most popular tools on the Swiss army knife is a corkscrew, although I prefer a Phillips head screwdriver as I get more use out of that. And original design Laguioles have a corkscrew as well as a prong for curing bloat in sheep (don't ask). But considering the force needed to budge the cork with a lever, I wonder if I'd have strength enough to pull one without this mechanism. How do you do it? Do you just screw the thing into the cork and give an almighty yank or is there something I don't undestand about this? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[diamonback68]

Twist and pull steady.

 

[boatme99]

Diamondback nailed it.

Due to arthritis, I recently sucked it up and bought an electric corkscrew. Well worth it.

 

[NCTexan]

What you showed there is a knife with a cork screw. I'd find it of limited value unless I was feeling like the Incredible Hulk and didn't mind splashing wine everywhere.

A dedicated wine cork opener by the same French manufacturer Laguiole is my favorite. You screw it into the cork about 3/4 the way and then bend the top mechanism to the lip of the bottle... using that as the leverage point to lift out the cork. No fuss, no muss and voila!

BTW... The little knife of the end has a serrated edge to get traction in cutting the foil off the bottle.

 

[boatme99]

NC, very nice! What is the handle?

 

[Nevada Ed]

I liked the two narrow, flat metal pieces that slid down between the cork and glass bottle for a quick and easy cork job.

However, with the new Plastic corks, this does not work as well, if at all, now.

These modern corks need the screw type puller to work every time..............I have four different type models from just a wood handle to bells, whistles and levers...............

Unless you down size in price and get the "Twist top caps" !!

 

[rog8732]

Yeah, just keep on drinking enough of the sauce, and the cork removal problem will be eliminated with those "screw-offs" and boxes.

 

[cussedemgun]

Just buy the gourmet wine - - - -

with the twist off cap such as Ripple, or Annie Greensprings

My personal choice is MD tho, never a cork to slow you down.

 

[pawngal]

Not showy like the fancy knife ones but real easy to use is the screwpull & foil cutter.

 

[pawngal]

Yeah, just keep on drinking enough of the sauce, and the cork removal problem will be eliminated with those "screw-offs" and boxes.

My current fav is a box wine, only problem is you don't realize just how much you are drinking!

 

[Bkreutz]

Nah, just do it like the GI's did on their march through France in 1944, break off the neck on a handy brick wall (lets the vino flow out faster).

 

[loutent]

My current fav is a box wine, only problem is you don't realize just how much you are drinking!

That's an asset not a problem!

 

[pawngal]

That's an asset not a problem!

When you fall down the stairs it IS a problem.

 

[boatme99]

When you fall down the stairs it IS a problem.

And that, my friend, is why I only live in single story houses or condos with elevators.

 

[Cyrano]

NCTexan: Nice rig. I have one, too, made by Chateau Laguiole at Vialis; not as nice as yours. However, these are just French Waiters' corkscrews with a handle looking like a Laguiole knife.

The consensus seems to be that to use a corkscrew with no mechanical advantage, the way to do it is to twist and pull mightily. The French shepherds up in those high pastures in the southeast cornber of France, must have been a lot stronger than I to pull the cork on their bottle of wine with nothing but the corkscrew in their Laguioles.

 

[Onomea]

Or, just use your shoe: How to open a wine bottle with a shoe - YouTube

 

[Peak53]

Or, just use your shoe:

Well I'll be dagnabbed! I guess I'm gonna have to get one of them there shoe things. Beats the heck out of pullin a shoulder muscle using the old fashioned swiss army knife.

 

[10mmauto]

I can't figure this out, either. Every time I use a corkscrew on my wine box, it just makes a mess.

 

[Cyrano]

Or, just use your shoe: How to open a wine bottle with a shoe - YouTube

Looks like a knife or a key would be easier.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

In my youth wine came in gallon jugs with a cork. Think my dad used table knife to unseal the cork. I believe he paid a dollar for Dago Red. Now it's called Burgandy. This was in the wine country of California.