6
In May, 1946, the
Wine Review
published
“
Corkscrews That Work!
”
by Paul
Fredericksen of San Francisco
‟
s Wine Institute. The article detailed the Institute
‟
s
scientific tests of a number of corkscrews to
“
determine what makes some
succeed while others fail.
”
Competing with two direct pulls, two open frames, a
couple of bell types, several waiters
‟
friends, a lazy tongs, a double, lever, a
spring, and a flynut was one described as
“
Wire helix, with double-screw
(straight pull, or non-turning) leverage.
”
The latter was our
“
Club
”
type called
the Copex.
Factors considered in the tests were penetration, grip, worm diameter and
construction, shape of edge, pitch and position of the point, centering, and
leverage. The goal was to determine which corkscrew
“
would most successfully,
without fail, remove long commercial corks tightly seated in wine bottles.
”
The
Institute concluded that it was not possible to offer specifications
“
for the best
corkscrew it is possible to make.
”
However, they were able to present some
recommendations regarding the factors tested.
