The corkscrew.

M

macdo

Joined
Jan 20, 2006
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429
Seems to be (along with the hook) a feature people love or hate. As screwtops take over it will have less use but I'll come down on the love side of the debate.
1. We have a monthly meeting at work with beer and wine provided. Every time there is either no corkscrew or the one provided is a dud and people turn to me knowing I have one in my pocket on my EDC Wenger Traveller. So it gets regular use. Also round the house as I know where it is (unlike the dozen real corkscrews that are hidden aroudn the place.
2. The number of occasions it has been the right tool for getting things unwedged or prised out of places. Nice thing about the corkscrew for this is that the tip is not so sharp as the awl (and thus less likely to damage the thing I'm digging) and I can also sometimes screw it into things to get a grip - just like you do with a cork.
But a Phillips is also handy. If I want both then I move to my Explorer.
On the other hand - I have a Minichamp which I find an unsatisfying knife. No corkscrew and it feels like a knife with blades there because they wanted to put a lot of blades rather than going for useful blades.
What do others think?
 
after someone pointed out the thing about using it to untie knots my opinion changed drastically

also it holds the eyeglass screwdriver nicely :)
 
macdo said:
But a Phillips is also handy. If I want both then I move to my Explorer.
Click to expand...

It's perhaps a slightly lesser known fact the small screwdriver tip on the Victorinox can-opener is actually designed for #1 & #2 Phillips screws - so even the relatively minimalist Victorinox Spartan has both a corkscrew and Phillips driver.


To get even more minimalist - the Combo (or Combination) tool, although "unofficial", will fit Phillips - not just "make-do" but actually really well.
This means one can get the Waiter to get both capabilities -
vm53891sola020cx.jpg


I EDC a now discontinued model - the Victorinox Scientist that has both the corkscrew and an in-body Phillips in just two layers.....
Scientist2.jpg


Minimalist SAKs

--
Vincent
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2006
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http://clik.to/UnknownVincent
 
The corkscrew was always a toss-up for me. In the past I have used both the can opener and the in-body style phillips. For me I just prefer a T-phillips. But I always found uses for the corkscrew as well. When I finally added the micro-screwdriver, it finally tipped the scales solidly in favor of the corkscrew. I get by with the can opener tip now. Of course I still want both a corkscrew and T-phillips in a small SAK.
 
macdo said:
I have a Minichamp which I find an unsatisfying knife. No corkscrew and it feels like a knife with blades there because they wanted to put a lot of blades rather than going for useful blades.
Click to expand...
I'm with ya there. I replaced mine with a Midnight Manager instead, which had the tools I actually used.

(However, I've since replaced the Manager with an Alox Classic, since I typically have a flashlight (or two!) and pen on me when I need one. My GF now carries my Midnight Manager on her keys, and says she uses it lots.)
 
A corkscrew model resides in the shaving kit for travel. I really find it handy to have on weekend trips.

tjg
 
The only use I've ever had for the corkscrew has been to hold the mini screwdriver, even though I've never actually used the mini screwdriver.
 
I use the corkscrew quite a bit. Sometimes for opening wine (which it does suprisingly well) but a lot of times its just to poke and prod at things that I can't get at with my fingers. The corkscrew is easy to open so it's the first thing that pops open when I just need a pointy metal object for something.

I alternate between models with the corkscrew and the phillips because I eventually need one more than the other. I really would like both but I don't want a big clunky SAK. (I'm carrying a Manix already, so I have big and clunky covered.) That Scientist model that UnknownVT has looks perfect. Too bad it's been discontinued.
 
I'm curious - has anyone ever heard of a SAK that broke from someone using the corkscrew to pull a cork???
 
macdo said:
As screwtops take over it will have less use but ...
Click to expand...

I wouldn't hold your breath on this to happen. Remember, SAKs are big sellers all over the world. And as a guy who spends a lot of time in Europe, I can tell you that corks are still very very very much the norm, even on lower end wine. (Real gutbucket stuff over here comes in a box -- for that, the knife blade works well, but seriously: Just say no to crap boxed wine.)
 
I am a big believer in having all the tools, then choosing which one to use when the time comes. Having said that I would have two corkscrews on my person all the time, The Spirit on my belt, and a Swiss knife on my keys.
I use the cork screw frequently, not always for corks though. As recently as last night I chose my Spirits cork screw over the masses in the kitchen drawer, while standing in the kitchen.. Practice makes perfect, and I want to be prepared for an emergency bottle opening, should that ever occur.
 
1. Corkscrew use: Some porch screens attached to their frame section by using a rubber tube as the spline to trap/pinch the screen edges over the open perimeter channel. Pets later often push the sreen out of this spline-to-channel grasp. I use the corkscrew to pick the end of the spline out of the channel, so I can then pull it entirely out before reseating the screen.
2. Succesfully used as a corkscrew on wine bottle corks, but have found starting it a little off-center works best to get the screw down the center of the cork.
3. I too think Tim @ "Felinevet" is great to work with; no affiliation with Tim either.
 
After snapping a "revolutionary design" corkscrew, I tried the SAK...after a few mins of my pasta getting cold, I used a crowbar/SAK combo down in the shop to pop it out.

I must admit now that I think of it, the actual cork was cheap..looked like cork mixed with..sawdust maybe? I had used the SAK screw a few times before with no problems, but this one was a killer...
 
i wouldn't buy a SAK without one - I've been without a corkscrew too many times.

however, I would love there to be a metal thingy to attach to the bottle to aid leverage, like in this one. That in the Camper would make the perfeck EDC SAK for me.
 
I used to think the corkscrew was nearly useless (and I'm a weekly wine drinker!) but I have found so many new uses that it is now nearly indispensable.
 
Working on lanyards with the little skull beads. (come on aren't we ALL doing that one now?;) ) Prying open igniter wires at work. (I build gas fireplace inserts for a living) Scoring wood and metal for drilling and cutting. An occaisional bottle of wine too!:D
 
One more use: If you are working with the small blade, the cap lifter/screwdriver, or other tools on that end of the handle, and the key ring is annoying you, the corkscrew can be used to restrain it. Flip the key ring back over the handle and close the corkscrew on it. Also stops it rattling in your pocket.

This works on my Spartan and Waiter, but not on my Yeoman because the hump of the parcel hook gets in the way. (Well, it works, but the corkscrew doesn't close completely.)
 
The biggest use I get out of the corkscrew is as a holder for the small screwdriver. I've opened a few bottles of wine but I only drink wine when I receive bottles as gifts.
 
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