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10 Ways to Uncork Wine Without a Corkscrew

You’ve got the wine, the glass, and the company, but not the corkscrew. That doesn’t have to be a problem, though. With these ten hacks, you can still enjoy the wine, even without the corkscrew.

golden corkscrew

Source: http://www.popsugar.com/love/Gifts-Women-Who-Love-Wine-42621943#photo-42621946

  1. Take a Trip to the Toolbox- All you need is a screw and a claw foot hammer. A screwdriver makes it easier, but is not necessary. Simply tap a screw into the cork, and then use the rear of the hammer to pull the cork from the bottle.
  2. Use Your Shoe- This one doubles as a neat party trick. Simply remove the foil top to expose the screw, and then remove a shoe. Place the bottle in the shoe upright, and begin hitting it against a wall. Use medium strength, as hitting with too much intensity may break the bottle. Watch as the cork begins to dislodge, and then just use your hands to finish removing the cork intact.
  3. Anybody Home? For this one simple lodge your house key into the cork and screw. The trick is to turn the bottle, NOT the key.
  4. The Old Coat Hanger Trick- We’ve all tried it in our college dorm rooms, but most of us have failed. The trick is to fashion the coat hanger into a proper, albeit primitive, corkscrew. This won’t work if you try to use the hanger as designed. You need to break the metal and create a smaller item, with the screw at the bottom, and a fashioned handle on top. Then, just twist and pull.
  5. How About a Manicure? This trick uses curved nail scissors and a small knife. The knife is used to make two 45 degree angles in the cork. Try to push through the entire cork without actually breaking it. Use the nail scissors in the created hole to create leverage against the rim of the bottle to slowly lift the cork up and out.
  6. Books & Bottles- Much like trick number two, this is a simple trick that will impress those around you. Use a book as a buffer between the bottom of the bottle and a wall, and then slowly but firmly tap it against the wall. The cork will slowly rise to a point where you can remove it with your hands.
  7. Snip Snip- Have a dull pair of scissors? Drive one in into the cork, and the plastic coated handles to hold onto as you slowly lift and twist the cork out. Salute!
  8. Pump it Up- Another one that’s fun to do in front of friends, simply place the needle from a bicycle pump into the cork. Two or three good pumps and the cork should pop right out.
  9. Write About it- This trick uses a screw hook and a simple household item to pop the cork; an ink pen. Twist the hook screw in, and then use the ink pen as a horizontal leverage. This one looks, and acts, almost like a traditional corkscrew.
  10. Cut it Out- When all else fails, go for a serrated knife. The trick is to carefully, very carefully, place the knife into the screw at a 45 degree angle. Then, slowly twist, using the rim for leverage. The simple trick is to not break the cork by using too much pressure at once.

That’s it for now, but if you are more of a visual learner, check out our interactive infographic that shows in detail how to open wine bottles without a corkscrew.

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