Corkscrew design

[Pancho07]

I've been looking at new project ideas on google images and ran across this corkscrew and my first though is that it wouldn't work very well as it would be difficult to get screwed into the cork but on the other side might be easier to make than a traditional screw. Has anyone on here tried something similar to this? Is it worth trying myself or do I need to make one and report back?

[Jim Coke]

Greetings Pancho, 

          I think you find it would be short lived .  The weak spot is at the flat to round transition.  SNAP..  Save your metal for another project. 

Forge on and make beautiful things 

Jim

[bigfootnampa]

That style of screw tends to tear up the corks.  A more traditional round wire screw is superior!  Smooth finish and pretty accurate coil are keys to a good working one!

[SmoothBore]

For what it's worth .....

Using the threads of a 3/8" Lag Bolt as a mandrel, to form the wire "screw", yields a nice spiral.

[beammeupscotty]

I'm not sure that I agree that there is a danger of breakage at the transition from flat to round, but there is still a major problem with this design.  What the photo depicts is not a screw thread, intended to penetrate a material.  What the picture shows is an auger, which is designed to remove chips from a hole.  Because of this, the net effect will probably be tearing the cork apart rather than penetrating the cork to allow extraction.   

[Pancho07]

Scotty and Bigfoot, that's what I was thinking but thought it was an interesting design. I don't drink enough corked wine or wine period to need to try to make one unless someone asked me to make one. Just thought it was interesting and impractical enough to get second opinions on. Thanks all

[steevo99]

The semi-sharp edges remind me of an auger or maybe a gimlet. You could test by just running 1/4" or so drill bit into a cork an try to pull it out with a pair of vice grips.

I like the lag bolt suggestion from SmoothBore

[Frosty]

Properly made an auger CAN be made to corkscrew into things but it will displace all the material in it's path. An auger that will corkscrew without needing to be driven in while it's turned has a much flatter pitch, think wood screw for max pitch.

While an auger CAN be made to work as a cork screw it isn't going to make you happy as one and without cutting and removing material from the hole, the cork it displaces WILL make the cork tighter in the bottle.

I'm a real fan of using a bolt or screw as a jig to make corkscrews. It's not only a better finished tool but it's easier to draw material down to a uniform rd. stock with a point than it is to draw down to a thin flat strip suitable for an auger.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Marc1]

I wouldn't dismiss that design as non functional. There are plenty of commercial corkscrews that are not a wire spiral but a helix. I think that it depends from the way the point is made and sharpened and the edges of the helix if they are flat/thin enough. 

I would make it a tad narrower so to cut less into the cork but to me it look feasible. Surely better looking than a wire.

Sure it looks like an auger but the business end of an auger is a flat sharp chisel, a corkscrew needs a pointy end

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTS_JiMZ9OFDQSQuvVONWjqwiiFQ2JdHEjtJCauGPHm_rW6FQTI

[VaughnT]

As Mark notes, the twisted version was used in the past.  I think the tapered wire design became prominent simply because it was easier to manufacture.

I have a hard enough time making "standard" corkscrews!

[Marc1]

That is a better picture. Probably grinded out of a 3/8 shaft.

it would be a challenge to make it hot with a fuller. The flat version is easier. 

[gote]

As Waughn said: The twisted version is an earlier design but it is not only more difficult to make but also inferior since it is likely to make a hole in the cork when pulled if the cork is old as in a vintage bottle. Then you have your precious wine contaminated by cork flakes and have to pry the cork out with another tool. Believe me. I know.

Perhaps that design was used because it could be made in softer steel and could not be straightened out as the wire design can if too soft.