Imagine having a beautiful day, the perfect picnic with someone special, some good bread, some cheese and a bottle of wine, but… you forgot the corkscrew! No problem! There are many simple techniques for opening a bottle and enjoying its contents. You can also sip wine without the corkscrew, by removing the cork with household tools, pushing the cork or even using the shoe. Perhaps the simplest method is to push the cork into the bottle, if you don't mind it falling into the wine! A knife is a great tool for removing the cap without contaminating the drink. You can try a couple of methods and choose the one you prefer!
Steps
Method 1 of 8: Push the Cork into the Bottle
Step 1. Get an object with blunt ends
It should be finer than the diameter of the cork, it should not stick into the cork or shatter it, pop it, chip or break. A small inexpensive ballpoint pen or a regular marker (a highlighter or whiteboard marker is fine too), both with caps, are perfect for this purpose. You could also use a long stick, the cylindrical container of the lip balm, or a thin knife sharpener; even a carabiner is very effective.
Step 2. Place the bottle on the floor or a stable surface
You can also keep it on your lap or just put it on the table.
Alternatively, you can lean the object against a wall or other vertical structure and press the bottle horizontally; push it from the wide base to force the cap on with ease. Hold the neck of the bottle and the object with one hand to prevent them from slipping. Make sure the countertop is sturdy enough not to leave a dent and that it isn't covered over, like a wall lined with flyers
Step 3. Place the tool on the cork
Typically, the cap is already slightly below the edge of the opening; if it is flush with the glass, push it with the object to make it recede a bit. This way, the improvised tool is more stable and less likely to slip.
Step 4. Push the cap down
Direct the bottle away from people in case the wine leaks under pressure. While holding the object with one hand and the bottle with the other, apply firm pressure on the cap until it falls inside. Remember that the wine will splash a little on contact with the cork.
- This method is very practical, but you may end up with cork fragments in the wine.
- The surrounding area (and the clothes of the person opening the bottle) should be stain-proof, in case the wine overflows a little. Avoid this method of opening a bottle of red wine when you're wearing a nice dress or standing on a rug. Keep some napkins handy, they may be useful for wrapping the neck of the bottle as you push.
Method 2 of 8: Using a Knife
Step 1. Get a pocket or curved knife
The blade must enter the neck of the bottle. You can also try a serrated knife, which offers a better grip on the cap.
Be very careful when using a knife to avoid cutting yourself
Step 2. Insert the blade into the cork
Move it back and forth by applying only light downward pressure; you should be able to get it in entirely.
Step 3. Turn it one way or the other to slowly remove the cap
When the blade has fully penetrated the cap, twist the knife by pulling lightly to open the bottle; be careful not to break the cork and not to let it fall into the wine.
Step 4. Insert the knife between the glass and the cap
Use the blade as a lever to pull the cork out to one side. To do this, carefully insert it between the edge of the bottle neck and the cork, slowly applying constant pressure on the cork, while moving the handle of the knife towards you; in doing so, the blade moves inward like a lever.
If you have decided to go with this method, it is best to grab the neck of the bottle with your free hand just below the knife
Method 3 of 8: Using a Shoe
Step 1. Remove the protective cover from the bottle
Make sure there is no plastic or aluminum cap protecting the cap; to remove it, you just have to remove it by pulling it upwards, but if you can't, check if there is a tab that you can pull to detach part of the capsule. Alternatively, cut the coating with a knife by scoring the surface along the edge.
Step 2. Place the bottle in the opening of the shoe
You can use any model with a flat sole (high heels or flip flops are not good), as long as the opening is large enough to accommodate the base of the bottle; the cap should be facing you. To keep the bottle in place, you should hold it with one hand and grab the shoe with the other.
Step 3. Tap the sole of the shoe against the wall
Keep the bottle in the shoe and hit the wall several times with both. The bottle should be in a horizontal position and you should touch the wall with the part of the sole that is just below the bottom of the bottle. The shoe protects the glass from possible breakage, but still avoids exerting too much force; a series of a few firm strokes should be enough to move the cap thanks to the internal pressure of the bottle.
- If you are on a picnic and there are no walls nearby, you can hit a pole or tree; just be careful not to miss your aim, otherwise you could drop the bottle.
- If you don't have a flat shoe to put the wine bottle in, wrap the bottle in a cloth or keep the base against a book to protect it from bumps. The purpose of the shoe is to protect the bottle from possible breakage.
Step 4. Remove the cap
When it comes out of the opening for two or three centimeters, you can simply pull it out with your fingers; at this point, you can enjoy the wine.
Method 4 of 8: Using a Screw
Step 1. Find a screw and a pair of pliers
The larger the screw thread size, the better. Make sure that all objects that come into contact with the cap are clean; dirty ones could contaminate the wine.
Step 2. Insert the screw into the cap
Rotate it in the center of the cork until only a 1 cm long portion remains on the outside. You should only be able to do this with your fingers, but if you need help, you can use a screwdriver.
Proceed carefully to prevent the cork from breaking into smaller pieces
Step 3. Pull the screw with the pliers
Use this tool to pull the screw that should drag the cap with it. Instead of the pliers, you can also use a nail hammer (the one with a forked end) or a fork; you just need an object that has a better grip on the screw than your fingers.
Step 4. Remove the cap with a corn fork
You simply replace the pliers with this tool that you have to rest against the screw forming a "T". The screw must remain in the vertical position, while the fork horizontally; make sure that the screw is between the two tips of the fork, place the index finger on the tips, the middle finger on the handle of the instrument and pull upwards.
Make sure the fork is thinner than the flat end of the screw, which should have a fine or medium thread
Step 5. Use a bicycle hanger instead of the screw
Get one of these hooks (the ones you use to hang bikes from joists) and screw it into the cap. Using the rubber-coated part as if it were a handle, pull the cap to remove it away from your body; this way, you don't need pliers or any other object to uncork the bottle.
Method 5 of 8: Use a Coat Rack
Step 1. Straighten the hook of a metal coat rack
Get a cheap one made of wire and open the hooked portion to straighten it.
Step 2. Make a small hook at the base of the hanger
Use a pair of pliers to create a small hook, folding a segment that is at least 10mm long until it forms an angle of about 30 ° (it should look like a fish hook).
Step 3. Insert the metal between the cap and the wall of the bottle neck
It should stick to the glass with the hooked part parallel. Push it until the small hook is under the base of the cork; you will have to drop it for at least 5 cm to achieve this result.
Step 4. Rotate the hanger 90 degrees
In this way, the hook fits into the base of the cap and allows it to be removed easily; you simply twist the hanger, so that the hooked part moves towards the center of the bottle.
Step 5. Uncork the bottle
Slowly pull the hanger making it sway sideways to move the cap; you should wear gloves, as the wire could hurt your fingers. The hook must penetrate the cork as you pull up and drag the cork with you.
Step 6. Use the coat hanger like a corkscrew
An alternative method is to use this tool as if it were a corkscrew. After straightening the hook, simply insert it in the center of the cork and twist it on itself as you pull up; in this way, you should gradually pull out the cap.
Method 6 of 8: Using Staples
Step 1. Get two paper clips and a ballpoint pen
Partially straighten the staples leaving a "U" portion intact. The other part must be shaped to obtain a straight line without altering the innermost "U".
Step 2. Thread one of the paper clips along the side of the bottle
Fit the "U" part of one of the two between the cork and the glass, until it is under the base of the cork, while the rectified portion must remain on the outside. Rotate the paperclip 90 ° to bring the "U" under the cap.
Repeat the procedure on the opposite side of the cap using the second paper clip
Step 3. Join the straight ends of the paper clips together
Twist around each other a couple of times, making sure they are securely attached to allow you to pull the cap.
Step 4. Uncork the bottle
Insert a suitable tool, such as a spoon handle, ballpoint pen, or pencil, under the twisted ends of the staples. Slide your fingers under the tool, so that the metal wires are between the middle and ring fingers; at this point, you can pull the cap upwards and remove it.
Method 7 of 8: Using a Hammer
Step 1. Get three short nails with small heads and a hammer
In theory, you need long enough nails to reach the bottom of the cap.
Step 2. Gently insert them into the cork using the hammer
Try to hit them with a movement perpendicular to the ground and form a line of nails; make sure they are close to each other. Don't use a lot of force, or you could break the cap.
Step 3. Grab the nails with the forked part of the hammer
They should offer a good grip to allow you to uncork the bottle.
Step 4. Pry up using the nails and pull out the cap
Simply pull the hammer and gradually move the cork towards you; you can also swing the tool sideways, to move the cork and facilitate operations. Alternatively, use the hammer and nails to hold the cork in place as you twist the bottle to separate it from the cork itself.
If you don't get results on the first try, re-insert the nails by creating a line perpendicular to the previous one and try again
Method 8 of 8: Using Scissors
Step 1. Get a pair of scissors
It's best to use the small ones for crafts or children's ones (but not the safety ones).
Step 2. Spread the two blades completely apart
Be careful not to touch the cutting edge and keep the handles fully open.
Step 3. Insert the thinnest blade into the center of the cap
Applying light pressure, push it into the cork up to half of its length; be careful not to break it or drop it into the bottle.
Step 4. Rotate the handles of the scissors as you pull up
Hold the bottle firmly with one hand, while turning the scissors with the other or vice versa. If you have wedged the blade deep enough, you should be able to pull the cap out completely or just enough to grab it with your fingers and remove it by hand.
Advice
- All of the methods described in this article require some time and effort. If you can easily go to a store, it is best to buy a corkscrew.
- Slightly open a sharp pair of scissors; push them in the center of the cap and close them to use them as a lever and extract the cap itself.
- Heating the tip of the bottle is a "trick" that could help you extract the cap; however, make sure that the base of the bottle does not get too hot, otherwise it may explode.
- If you don't have pliers, wrap a string around the screw and pull.
Warnings
- Be very careful with sharp tools and don't use them when drunk.
- Using your teeth to open a wine bottle can damage them.
- If you exert too much force, you could break the bottle, no matter which method you use.
- Direct the bottle away from you when you push the cork to avoid spraying the wine on your clothes.
- Depending on how the wine is stored, the cork could be very dry and break inside the drink; proceed with caution to keep it intact.
