Corkscrew Uses???

Guyon

Guyon

Biscuit Whisperer
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 15, 2000
Messages
45,835
On almost every SAK I've seen recently, there it is...the cork screw. While an interesting tool, I wonder about it's practical application in a wilderness/survival situation. Not too many of us are carrying bottles of Chateau Lafite out in the woods. So let me have it. What are the uses for this little bugger other than pulling corks?
 
Before I owned the real Vic SAK, I had to use the corkscrew on the cheap taiwanese knockoff I had to remove a splinter from my palm.

After that I bought a swiss Rucksack.
 
Originally posted by Guyon
On almost every SAK I've seen recently, there it is...the cork screw.
Click to expand...

To quote a favorite scf-fi book:
"Always have a corkscrew, kid. It's a tool of survival required throughout the civilized portions of the galaxy."

I use the corkscrew on my Irish knockoff SAK for ... well, opening wine ;) Seriously, it's the sort tool that makes me carry an SAK on a daily basis, rather than just when I'm in the woods.

Survival uses? No idea! Interested in hearing what others think, though.

Patrick
 
Hmmm, I've used mine often enough that I won't buy a SAK-type knife without one. I've been looking at the Leatherman Juice line to replace my SAK -- but I'm only considering the ones with corkscrews (of course, I'm probably a wino, too :)).

Tactical/survival use? None. Though I suppose you could use it to screw your knife into a tree to hang something from if you really needed to.

What I've used it for:
Opening a bottle of wine at impromptu office parties (landing a new account, finishing a project, etc.)

Opening wine at another couple's house who are not regular wine drinkers (we brought the wine, they didn't have a corkscrew)

Opening a bottle of wine in a hotel room with room service dinner (I brought the wine with me).

And, the most important use, opening MY bottle of wine when my wife is using the good corksrew on hers :D.

Chad
 
Squirrel Skewer. That way you can roast the little buggers without burning your fingers.
L
 
Many of us who live in Europe carry one or two bottles of wine to the woods for short camping trips. Even in a survival situation a little wine can warm both yourself and your spirit. I'm also checking the "xe6 Leatherman juice" for a replace to my SAK. If you drink wine from time to time, it's almost impossible to open a bottle without a corkscrew, unless you shake, stir and surely spoil the content when you probably finish pushing the cork into the bottle.
When selecting a multitool or SAK, I never will get one without scissors or corkscrew. These two implements are really difficult to improvise...
 
You can also carry a little plastic or aluminium tube into the spirals of the corkscrew.
what for?
Put some sewing needles inside.
 
When you have pulled a loop of wool out of a jumper/sweater. Use the corkscrew to hook the loop and pull it back through out of harms way.

To me the SAK corkscrew is part of the civilised world. In a years time having respectly mourned our dead, the slipjoint SAK, with corkscrew, should be allowed back on aeroplanes. For life goes on and liberty prevails. The Swiss gentleman's pen knife, is to me, part of that civilised free world we fight to retain. This may seem a little insensitive at this time, but then I believe its the little things/freedom of choise and the responsibilities that go with it that truely make us free. I'm dambed if a terrorist, aided by some liberal pussy footed control freak, is going to stop me carrying a SAK in the long term, though with respect I don't mind packing mine in the hold for short term.
(I haven't notices glass bottles being bannen on flights; and I'm sure first class pasengers will want real cutlery back. Posted as a personal thought, not to open a whole line of debate.)

Its the corkscrew that ensures I take it to the best parties. Some of the best have been on the top of mountains and at the bottom of holes in the ground.:)
 
I'm with you, Greenjacket, but I am pesimistic about the possiblity of having a SAK with me anymore if I have to board a commercial plane...
 
The corkscrew holds a fine little eyeglass screwdriver, or makes a good place to store a small piece of ferro rod. It also makes a great tool for removing knots from small diameter cordage.

Mike
 
You need to remember: not everywhere has plastic bottles with screw-on caps. Corks were the rule, not the exception, in the USA not too long about either.
 
alfonso: Nice tip about the sewing needles.

Mike, I've seen those tiny screwdrivers. Pretty cool, but I rarely need such a small screwdriver unless I'm monkeying with sunglasses or with a watch. More practical would be the ferro rod. Where might you get ahold of one that small?

Clint, good point. The question is a bit Ameri-centric. (Is that a word? It is now.) Stranded in Europe or South America, a corkscrew might be handier than in the States.
 
G,

The aforementioned screwdriver happens to work nicely on Photon MicroLights, if you're so inclined. In as far as the ferro rod, the BSA HotSpark could be whittled down the the appropriate size.

Mike
 
Mike,

Nice tip on the Photon. I just ordered two of these lights, so I might go the tiny screwdriver route.

Edit: I found the mini screwdriver here for $3.95 and no shipping charges, so I ordered one up. Free shipping guys! Don't think their prices are the most competitive as far as the SAKs go, but they have a pretty good selection: http://store.yahoo.com/swissarmyexpress/
 
With so many corkscrew fans onboard I'm almost afraid to say this...but I think the SAK corkscrew is a very poor corkscrew.

My regular corkscrew has the folding metal piece on the end that you place on the bottle's rim, and so it allows you to use leverage to pull the cork out. It's very smooth and easy.

But with my Victorinox Camper I once nearly got a hernia trying to pull the cork out of a bottle of wine.
I will work in a pinch but I don't think it's all that great for wine bottles.

An interesting idea my wife came up with:
She prefers to use the bottle opener with two prongs because 1)it's easy for her to use and, 2)it does'nt damage the cork (why does she keep the cork? I don't know. But a did put a few in my tackle-box. They're great for holding loose hooks).

Say she asked "why don't they just make a foldout two-prong style bottle opener"?

My reply "I guess the Swiss like corkscrews".

I prefer a SAK with a phillips screwdriver instead of a corkscrew because I don't drink alot of wine but I use the screwdriver alot.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
If you need to need to add a small handle to a piece of rope to help pull something tight, the corkscrew will work fine. For example, take a piece of paracord and twist it through the corkscrew loops so that it locks itself tight. You then have a neat little handle to help you pull on your rope. The corkscrew isn't the best for opening wine bottles. I make sure to use the awl and start a pilot hole before using my SAC corkscrew.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top