I left my cork screw at a neighbors

[Rocky]

Here is what I am now using, and I am very pleased with it:



I bought two of them on Amazon, one for home and one for travel. They cost about $13 each.

 

[winemaker81]

@vinny made me do it -- I had to pull out my "collection". I have a collection of bottle openers from when I went winery hopping once or twice a month. A few of these are antiques, such as the Pabst way in back.

 

[vinny]

@vinny made me do it -- I had to pull out my "collection". I have a collection of bottle openers from when I went winery hopping once or twice a month. A few of these are antiques, such as the Pabst way in back.

Maybe I wouldn't be so upset if I had a backup?

 

[winemaker81]

Maybe I wouldn't be so upset if I had a backup?

Always have a backup! These are in my kitchen drawer.



I don't use the corkpulls much, but they're handy.

Hmmmm ... I have another red corkpull ... where did I put it??? That's my problem, I put things in places that are so safe, I don't even know where they are ....

 

[winemaker81]

I need to buy another corkscrew to keep in my computer bag. I carry that with me when I travel, and keep essential things in it, such as sewing kit, small tools, OTC meds, etc. I have a corkscrew I got from a hotel decades ago. It works, but a real corkscrew is better.

 

[Darrell Hawley]

I’ve been happy with this one I got on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0081HCUYS?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

It's the first thing I throw in the suitcase when going on vacation(especially overseas). Small enough & easy to open that wine bottle in the middle of nowhere.

 

[mikewatkins727]

I'm a huge fan of the 'ah so' worm-less screw-less method: View attachment 94116and, as a 'cheap *******' I can also re-use the corks on my homemade wines after gently extracting them with the ah so View attachment 94115

I liked this one until that day it broke the bottle neck while I was inserting it.

 

[cmason1957]

The kind of cork screws with a tiny, tiny, almost, kind-sorta knife may be confiscated from you, unless they are in checked baggage, but you can certainly take your knitting needles and some types of scissors in carry on luggage. Makes no sense.

 

[CDrew]

My favorite is the inexpensive and excellent Franmara Italian made single action "boomerang" corkscrew. Apparently, the Italians know their corkscrews and for under $10 these will last you for decades. There is even one in the console of my wife's car and one stashed with the camping gear in my garage.

https://www.amazon.com/Franmara-Boo...My4zMiIsInFzcCI6IjIuODMifQ==&s=kitchen&sr=1-7
https://www.amazon.com/Boomerang-Bu.../B001AS0NO4/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=BEqTP&con
But there are some subtleties here. Franmara also sells a similar looking corkscrew that is labeled "double action" or "two step". It is IMO complete worthless junk and made in China besides. Avoid.

The Italian ones say Italy, or Patent Italy or Made Italy stamped into the metal of the rivet surround. The foil cutter is TSA proof (no blade) and it even comes with a slot to untwist the wire closure of champagne bottles.

With that said there are hundreds of Chinese knockoffs/fakes/bad designs on Amazon so be very careful.

Also, there is an optimal pitch and length to the screw coil that all Euro and USA manufactures know about but only 10% of Chinese factories do. These tend to pull out the center of the cork, or break the cork 1/2 way.

Also regarding the Ah-So style, I like these, but the cheap ones have improperly tempered steel fingers that eventually bend or break so seek out a better one. I have an old Norpro (labled "Italy") that is good and cheap and the German ones look good and expensive.

I avoid the double arm ones, the rabbit ones or anything gimmicky.

Though I've always admired this (though would never pay $250 for a corkscrew):
https://www.campagnolo.com/WW/en/store/big_the_corkscrew
These have been a thing since I was racing bikes 35 years ago. So if you want an expensive corkscrew made by a bicycle components manufacturing company, it's your only choice.

 

[TurkeyHollow]

Not very portable but very durable and replacement parts are available if ever needed:
Rogar Estate Opener Bronze #34332 | IWA Wine Accessories

 

[Darkroom]

This tool was given to me from friends. We nicknamed him ***** boy but he has a defect. His member separates from his body. when trying to remove from the cork. Not very useful but a nice conversation piece. My go to however is a waiter's corkscrew.

 

[vinny]

This tool was given to me from friends. We nicknamed him ***** boy but he has a defect. His member separates from his body. when trying to remove from the cork. Not very useful but a nice conversation piece. My go to however is a waiter's corkscrew.

That is quite the piece!

 

[vinny]

My favorite is the inexpensive and excellent Franmara Italian made single action "boomerang" corkscrew. Apparently, the Italians know their corkscrews and for under $10 these will last you for decades. There is even one in the console of my wife's car and one stashed with the camping gear in my garage.

https://www.amazon.com/Franmara-Boo...My4zMiIsInFzcCI6IjIuODMifQ==&s=kitchen&sr=1-7
https://www.amazon.com/Boomerang-Bu.../B001AS0NO4/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=BEqTP&con
But there are some subtleties here. Franmara also sells a similar looking corkscrew that is labeled "double action" or "two step". It is IMO complete worthless junk and made in China besides. Avoid.

The Italian ones say Italy, or Patent Italy or Made Italy stamped into the metal of the rivet surround. The foil cutter is TSA proof (no blade) and it even comes with a slot to untwist the wire closure of champagne bottles.

With that said there are hundreds of Chinese knockoffs/fakes/bad designs on Amazon so be very careful.

Also, there is an optimal pitch and length to the screw coil that all Euro and USA manufactures know about but only 10% of Chinese factories do. These tend to pull out the center of the cork, or break the cork 1/2 way.

Also regarding the Ah-So style, I like these, but the cheap ones have improperly tempered steel fingers that eventually bend or break so seek out a better one. I have an old Norpro (labled "Italy") that is good and cheap and the German ones look good and expensive.

I avoid the double arm ones, the rabbit ones or anything gimmicky.

Though I've always admired this (though would never pay $250 for a corkscrew):
https://www.campagnolo.com/WW/en/store/big_the_corkscrew
These have been a thing since I was racing bikes 35 years ago. So if you want an expensive corkscrew made by a bicycle components manufacturing company, it's your only choice.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I have the ah-so and a boomerang on the way. Still considering a wall mount. Then I will have all my bases covered.

I agree, $250 is a little steep for me, as well.

 

[QuiQuog]

+1 on the Boomerang. I got a Benziger stamped one when visiting the winery. The 4 wheel foil cutter is such a breeze.

 

[CDrew]

I have one other waiter’s style corkscrew I like because it’s the Peterbuilt of waiter’s corkscrews. It’s called the Capitano also made by Franmara. It lives in one of my Land Cruisers. It’s very heavy and strongly built. It’s longer too so lots of leverage. The current ones on Amazon do not look as nice-I suspect production has moved to China. Here is a picture of the business end:

 

[winemaker81]

When buying a corkscrew, make sure the screw is "hollow", e.g., you could push a nail through the spiral, like the one on the right.

The one of the left works fine for most corks, but if the cork is weak or if it's stuck in the bottle (or adhered to the glass), the solid screw (pictured on left) is far more likely to rip out the center of the cork.

I learned this the hard way. Fortunately, I had a corkpull handy and was able to get the cork out.