GrumpyBiker Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 My wife has been joking about the bottle openers , more specifically that I’ve yet to attempt a corkscrew. I am a little leary of attempting one this early in my metal moving journey but , why not? I’m at a loss for what metal would be best for strength and flexibility given how tough wine corks can be. If I’m able to actually pull it off I don’t want it to uncoil or break. So does any of the forum gurus know or have experience (successful experience preferred ;-) in making one of these and what type of steel ? on a side note, where would a person have the best chance of finding the appropriate metal “in the rough / wild” vs buying from a shop ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 You could use a garage door spring, just uncoil a bit and you're good to go. If you can find a small enough gauge, you don't need to draw down as much, and put a long taper on it then do your twist. When done you just normalize. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 You want tough but not brittle, I would use spring steel and leave it as forged, as in no hardening or temprring after. Think some kind of coil spring. Car, atv, garage door.... I have heard people using mild steel with no issue but I'd go with medium to upper medium carbon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 So leaf spring steel would be okay? If not I have a co-worker that says he has a coil from his old truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 I'd say yes if you can cut it into a usable piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Remember free steel isn't free if you have to spend a day pounding it down to something you can use! Check with a commercial roll up door service and see if they can hook you up with your weight in broken door springs for free... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 Has anyone attempted one ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Well I went to my browser, (google), search function and typed in: corkscrew site:iforgeiron images and gave up after the first 30 or so I found.. So I guess the answer is "yes". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 I meant has anyone attempted one that is viewing THIS thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 33 minutes ago, GrumpyBiker said: Has anyone attempted one ? I've actually made a bunch of these, and mild steel (what we call a-36 these days) works just fine. Didn't bother to google it, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 Guess I have no more excuse to not try one (or 10) . Our friends own a winery, I’d love to give them a couple to add to their silent charity auctions. My wife wants it for personal use ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 As I said, mild steel works fine for some, but I would use medium carbon steel. Thomas eluded to the fact that this has been asked or stated before. There Are other threads on it. Eh, whatcha gonna do. Post your results with what you try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 I have no ego in this. I’m new to this hobby so I’ll gladly post my results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 If you don't mind a piece of advice: take a store bought one with you when heading to the shop for forging your first. It's very annoying when you find out at the end that 1. the coil was drawn out too thick 2. it twists the opposite way as it should do. Bests: Gergely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 Good tip. Makes perfect sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 I’ve made a few from a36 steel as well. They work well and I think I’d break the bottle before I bent the corkscrew. I’d rather save my spring steel for punches and drifts...but I’m a shameless miser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Having one twisting the other way would make a good April Fools gift for an oenophile. However I don't think there is a right way and a wrong way; just a more common way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Oh, but there are right handed and left handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 That would be a sinister joke, Thomas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Thanks for the left handed compliment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 On 9/28/2018 at 9:30 PM, GrumpyBiker said: I have no ego in this... Ha you should see some of the cave man stuff I've posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyO Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 One suggestion/modification I'd make, though is, when you are separating the coils after turning/twisting them, don't just pull the end out like I've seen before and it looks like you did. You need to use a screwdriver or something like that to separate the twists so that you have even spacing all around the corkscrew so that it follows the same hole. By having larger spacing at the end than at the top, you will tear up the cork. I can't take credit for coming up with that though, I learned it from Mark Aspery at one of our weekend functions when he demonstrated "Forging a helical actuator for removing semi-permanent check valves in an enclosed fluidine system" as always peace and love billyO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyBiker Posted October 1, 2018 Author Share Posted October 1, 2018 The cork screw photo is one borrowed from the internet. Not of my creation. Ive not yet attempted one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I forged these from 5/8” coil spring. Next time I’m going to start with smaller stock and try mild steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I was thinking that a lag screw could be used as a mandrel of sorts to keep the coils equidistant to each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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