What is a wine key?

A wine key, sometimes called a waiter’s corkscrew, has a small knife and uses a metal fulcrum positioned on the lip of the bottle to create leverage to lift the cork up and out. A good wine key or corkscrew needs to be sharp enough to easily pierce through the cork, have a good grip and, above all, be easy to use.

Why is it called a wine key?

The term “wine key” came into existence due to the German inventor’s last name, Wienke, which is difficult for English speakers to pronounce. When ordering the product from catalogs, the meaning and origins of the new Wienke Corkscrew gradually became lost and it was simply referred to as a “Winekey” or wine key.

How do I use a wine key on a server?

Bracing the whole lever against the bottleneck with your nondominant hand, pull up on the handle with your dominant hand until the cork can’t rise any higher. Then hook the second notch (the hinge point at the end of the lever) on the neck of the bottle and repeat the motion. The cork should slide out cleanly.

Who invented corkscrews?

Reverend Samuel Henshall
The first official corkscrew patent was filed in 1795 by the English Reverend Samuel Henshall. He added a flat button of metal to the helix to make a firmer fit with the cork. Since then, hundreds upon hundreds of corkscrew patents have been filed, each with a slight twist on the classic screw.

Why is it called an Ah so?

This is because normal corkscrews can damage the cork or even cause it to crumble, while the Ah So is designed to avoid this. The name is translated from the German phrase, “ach so”, which loosely means “ah, I see”.

What is Maxwell corkscrew rule?

According to Maxwell’s corkscrew rule: Imagine driving a corkscrew in the direction of current, then the direction in which we turn its handle is the direction of the magnetic field. This rule is used to determine the direction of magnetic field around a straight current carrying conductor.

What is waiter’s friend?

The waiter’s friend corkscrew is the most popular wine bottle opener, whether for home use or in a bar/restaurant. The key features of this type of corkscrew are that they’re lightweight, durable & strong, but more importantly, they can easily fit into your pocket when folded.

How do you sharpen a wine key?

A standard chef’s knife steel is ideal.

1. Rest the knife steel on the blade of the wine key so the steel is just resting on the blades edge.
2. With moderate to light pressure simultaneously pull away and along the blade.
3. Once at the end of the sharpening stroke, repeat again 2-3 times.