I stumbled across the Metrokane corkscrew on a recent visit to Napa Valley. This is the best kitchen tool I have ever invested in. And so it got me thinking... And before I knew it I was learning more than one ever needs to know about corkscrews. And since I am a self-avowed nerd and like to research things... You may have the thrill of reading about the fruits of my study! I hope you find it interesting and useful. So let's rap about corkscrews then... And see what we are able to find out .
So what is all the talk about? Wine making goes back so far as history. Its study gets lots of attention, but a ton less attention is paid to wine openers. This is a bit funny because you may have all of the wine you would like, but if you can not get the nice bottle open, well then, all is LOST!
The Basic Corkscrew: The earliest corkscrew dates back several centuries when corks were originally introduced to seal wine bottles (among other things- like bottles for olive oil and so on ). The basic corkscrew came in a spiral shape ( often referred to as a worm- but that sounds a little revolting to me- so let's just keep calling it a spiral ). At any rate, you would twist the spiral into the cork and then pull it out with raw force to release the cork from the bottle. This can be a smooth and flawless process in the best of conditions, but it can also be a total disaster.
For example, the spiral won't go in correctly, you can't pull it out, it pushes the cork all of the way in, it breaks or damages the cork in such a manner that the pieces fall into the bottle, you cannot get all of it out and you are compelled to push cork in to the bottle. So the basic corkscrew CAN work, but I would not count on it. There are still some very fundamental problems with a basic corkscrew.
So next comes the Wing Corkscrew : This corkscrew really looks like it has wings because it has two levers opposite each other on the device to provide leverage to pull the cork out. This is what mom and pop had and when I was little, I couldn't quite figure it out- I suppose that was by design.
This one works quite well and I would venture to claim that many folks have this one in the back of their kitchen drawer. The downside to this one is that the spiral on this one is sort of thick and can often crack, break or crumble the cork. So not only have you now introduced cork into your wine, but also, you can't put the cork back in the bottle if you do not finish the whole bottle.
So turn back the clock a hundred years and picture the self-pulling corkscrew. It is in fact, the basic corkscrew with a guide. After the spiral goes in, you just keep turning in the same direction and the 'stop action' ( or so they called it in my study ) will force the cork to tug itself out. Hence, the idea of self-pulling. This is awesome, unless the cork is in there tight, then you can forget it. It won't come out.
It wasn't until 1978 that this problem was solved by Herbert Allen, a Texan oil pro who applied his drilling know-how to the self-pulling corkscrew. By trying a Teflon coating on the spiral, Allen reduced the friction between cork and spiral so seriously that the self-pulling action became almost effortless. His new corkscrew design was soon recognized as the most effective device yet for taking out a cork.
This idea has been perfected with the Metrokane corkscrew. It has the a levered corkscrew with a non-stick coating on the spiral. Metrokane cork screws, actually come in many models, colors and finishes and make the perfect addition to your kitchen tool arsenal. Please stop by my blog for more details and bargains on Metrokane corkscrews. - 32201
So what is all the talk about? Wine making goes back so far as history. Its study gets lots of attention, but a ton less attention is paid to wine openers. This is a bit funny because you may have all of the wine you would like, but if you can not get the nice bottle open, well then, all is LOST!
The Basic Corkscrew: The earliest corkscrew dates back several centuries when corks were originally introduced to seal wine bottles (among other things- like bottles for olive oil and so on ). The basic corkscrew came in a spiral shape ( often referred to as a worm- but that sounds a little revolting to me- so let's just keep calling it a spiral ). At any rate, you would twist the spiral into the cork and then pull it out with raw force to release the cork from the bottle. This can be a smooth and flawless process in the best of conditions, but it can also be a total disaster.
For example, the spiral won't go in correctly, you can't pull it out, it pushes the cork all of the way in, it breaks or damages the cork in such a manner that the pieces fall into the bottle, you cannot get all of it out and you are compelled to push cork in to the bottle. So the basic corkscrew CAN work, but I would not count on it. There are still some very fundamental problems with a basic corkscrew.
So next comes the Wing Corkscrew : This corkscrew really looks like it has wings because it has two levers opposite each other on the device to provide leverage to pull the cork out. This is what mom and pop had and when I was little, I couldn't quite figure it out- I suppose that was by design.
This one works quite well and I would venture to claim that many folks have this one in the back of their kitchen drawer. The downside to this one is that the spiral on this one is sort of thick and can often crack, break or crumble the cork. So not only have you now introduced cork into your wine, but also, you can't put the cork back in the bottle if you do not finish the whole bottle.
So turn back the clock a hundred years and picture the self-pulling corkscrew. It is in fact, the basic corkscrew with a guide. After the spiral goes in, you just keep turning in the same direction and the 'stop action' ( or so they called it in my study ) will force the cork to tug itself out. Hence, the idea of self-pulling. This is awesome, unless the cork is in there tight, then you can forget it. It won't come out.
It wasn't until 1978 that this problem was solved by Herbert Allen, a Texan oil pro who applied his drilling know-how to the self-pulling corkscrew. By trying a Teflon coating on the spiral, Allen reduced the friction between cork and spiral so seriously that the self-pulling action became almost effortless. His new corkscrew design was soon recognized as the most effective device yet for taking out a cork.
This idea has been perfected with the Metrokane corkscrew. It has the a levered corkscrew with a non-stick coating on the spiral. Metrokane cork screws, actually come in many models, colors and finishes and make the perfect addition to your kitchen tool arsenal. Please stop by my blog for more details and bargains on Metrokane corkscrews. - 32201
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