Corkscrew

A corkscrew is defined as any combination of a screw and handle that allows you to uncork a bottle of wine. There are many different varieties, which are described below.

The *waiter* corkscrew is the most basic design, with just a screw, a knife and a hinge that unfold from within a protective cover. The knife is used to cut the foil from around the top of the bottle neck, then you manually twist the screw into the cork. Once the screw is inserted 2/3 of the way into the cork, you rest the hinge on the lip of the bottle opening and use it as a brace against which you pull the cork from the bottle.

The *screwpull*, or twisting pull, corkscrew is a screw with a knob above it and a brace below it. You begin by placing the brace over the top of the bottle neck, which centers the screw over the cork. Then you start turning the knob, which digs the screw into the cork. As the screw becomes embedded in the cork, the brace meets the lip of the bottle opening and the pressure pushes the cork up out of the bottle.

The *winged*, or cheerleader, corkscrew is a screw attached to a knob above it, a horizontal circle below it, and two arms, or wings, beside it. To use it, place the lower circle around the bottle neck; this centers the screw on top of the cork. Then, twist the knob to insert the screw into the cork. As the screw moves down, the wings rise up. Once the screw is fully inserted into the cork, and the arms are nearly vertical, you push down on the arms until the cork is removed.

The *lever*, or rabbit, corkscrew is gaining popularity because it requires minimal effort by the wine opener. Here the screw is attached to a horizontal lever above it, and two arms are used to stabilize the screw. To begin using it, lift the horizontal level up (to raise the screw) and open the arms. Then, center the screw over the cork, close the side handles, and push down then pull up the top handle. Instead of a manual-twisting motion or bracing motion, the rabbit is an easy push down and pull up motion.

The *Ah So*, or two prong, wine opener can also be called a corkscrew, even though it has no actual screw. Instead, the design consists of two, thin prongs that are set apart the diameter of the average cork, one slightly longer than the other. The longer prong is inserted between the cork and the bottle neck first, then the shorter prong, and you continue to go back and forth pushing the two prongs into the bottle. Once they are both completely embedded, you twist the device in an upwards motion until the cork emerges.