Corkscrew facts for kids
A corkscrew is a special tool used to open wine bottles. It has a pointy, spiral-shaped metal part that you twist into the cork. Once it's in, you use the handle to pull the cork right out of the bottle. Corkscrews are super helpful because corks are hard to grab and pull out with just your hands!
Contents
What is a Corkscrew?
Before corkscrews were invented, opening a wine bottle could be a real challenge! People sometimes had to try all sorts of tricks, like burning the cork or pushing it into the bottle. Today, corkscrews are very common in kitchens, pubs (bars), and restaurants. It can take a lot of strength, sometimes between 50 and 100 pounds of force, to pull a cork out of a wine bottle.
How Corkscrews Were Invented
The idea for the corkscrew actually came from another tool called a gun worm. This tool was used by soldiers to remove a bullet that hadn't fired from inside a musket (an old type of gun).
Early Corkscrew Designs
In the 1800s, many companies that made gun worms also started making corkscrews. The very first corkscrew to get a patent (a special legal right for an invention) was in England. It was invented by Samuel Henshall in 1795.
The Waiter's Friend
Later, in 1883, a new kind of corkscrew was invented in Germany by Karl Wienke. This one was flat and used a lever system, making it much easier to use. It became known as the "waiter's friend" because it was so popular with people who served wine, like waiters in restaurants. You can still see this type of corkscrew used all the time today!
Images for kids
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Three types of corkscrew: two modern (left and bottom) and one old (right)
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A basic corkscrew
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A wing corkscrew with an exposed rack and pinion mechanism
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A sommelier knife
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A lever corkscrew
