The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-22
CORKSCREIvA,
The CoNstruction, Uses, and Abusse - -
Importaus Household Ussssil.

Importoue hOuseb0lo Ueooetls
The corkscrew is contrivance to facilitate
the removal OF corks from bottles. Whom
cork protrudes from the neck Of the bottle far
enough to admit Of grasping 1t with the hand
or clinching it with the teeth. a corkscrew 10
unnecessary. But when cork 10 Hush with
the bottles mouth. or. through unskilful
manipulation. has become lodged down In the
neck, a corkscrew 10 not only convenience
but almost a necessity. The bottle may =
emptied OF It's liquid contents by crowding the
cork down through the neck with penholdss
or any other suitable article that may be al
hand. but this method OF opening Q bottle u
generally regarded rs inelegant.
There arc several kinds OF corkscrews. That
which has been the longest In use is tho
simplest For several hundred years 1t was
the best. until genius added an improvement
which brought 1t TO perfection. The primsval
corkscrew consisted OF a wire. pointed at one
end. twisted into spiral with about hvo turns.
tempered SO as to give rigIdity to It. and pro.
vided with wooden handle like that Of gin..
let. The spiral part OF tho wire was about two
inches long after being twisted. the part lott
straight WAS OF about tho same length. and the
inches in length and nalf an inch in diameter.
The handln WAS made fast to the metal 81, put:
ting the wire through hole In the wood aud
ciinching II. Tho metal was not FURNISHED.
nor was tho wood polished or painted. It ID
sale to say TINT there never was u corkscrsw
with one o! these primeva corkscrsws.
The nam. Of the Inventor Of the oorksorsw
tons, ii,ai Hs lived boior. the days Of letters
patent. 1t IL hold by q certain school OF ths0-
FISTS that hn was no other than Archimsdss:
The slmi.arit Of the corkscrsw to the spiral Of
The equation e the screw Of Archlmsdss 10
conslant oana,ion for the pitch Varies not only
in different screws. but N the dlhersat splrali
81 the same screw a.. e1rkSersT iSshionsd
with important notifications, would b. ser
virsnbe: hut there seems to be no sufficient
reason for believing that Archimsdes Invented
An importnnt improvement IN corkscrews 10
rr.hrni its value the prnciicn! use OF the
ordinary corSscrew must be understood. The
bottle is grasped BY the neck with the left hand,
the top oi the cor is prcked with the point OF
tine spiral, and about six or seven half twists
are given to the cnrks row. The body Of the
lifting force is applied to the rorkscrow. and
through 1t TO thu cork. The removal Of ths
Sy BY s s Tnsa MAY 9s
snrl4ce OF The right cheek. innstlng the
qn'ssa rass II ys'ssss
brought back through the wooden handle and
twisted around the stem OF the cor kscrew till
comes down to the top Of the spiral; where e
spiral has sunk into tbs cork the blunt end of
this coil strikes against the cork naar its
periphery. and with tho purchase thus OBJ.
tnined the cork Ia turned around In the neck OF
til" bottle and withdrawn far more gently than
with the unimprovs,i corkscrow. A good
for about ilftcen cents In almost any general
store in tho country. In u cutlery establish
ment in the city the price would not be over
seyenty-llve cents.
There ara other complications which are In.
tended to increase the usefulness OF the cork
screw or make IL more conveniently portable,
A metallic contrvilncs. shaped Ike the bow of
a jewsharp. ~ substituted for the wooden han
die. aud the strfh OF the spiral Is fastened be.
tween the ends 81 the bow with pin In such
manner that the implement may be shut up
like n pocket knife. This pattern Of portable
where there may hs bottles OF milk to be
opened. There IL also very elaborate kind OF
corkscrew sold in some OF the large drug stores
aud cut cry embellishments. II Is nickel plated
ana looks Ms formidable rs toy steam engine.
IL Is SO constructed that after 1t has been nd
ing and the cork will be hoisted high and dry.
There are few rules regarding the use OF
ths corkscrsw which are generally observed by
the elite. The place for ths corksersw 10 not
by tho side Of the hostess's plate. Champagne
bottles are not openad with corkscrew. nor
son who has tried to take small cucumber
pickles from o bottle with n corkscrew will ever
aiterward endeHvor to have u pickle fork Mt
hand. II he docs not 90 TO tho extreme OF hay-
ing the pickles moved from the original pack.
age before they are brought TO tho table. Il
tempt 70 utilize the coIkserew for any purpose
other than the removal Of eorks will result In
embarrassment. and had best not b trisd exs
cept In privacy.