Open a bottle of wine with a piece of string.

Open a bottle of wine with a piece of string.
Learn how to open a bottle of wine with a piece of string, remove the cork in one piece. The is an awesome party trick that I have heard has cost people up to $200 to learn "I bet you I can open this wine with this piece of string"...."how much?" ...."$200"...

It's also useful on picnics on boats.

Most likely you'll use this instructable to drink other people's wine for free.

"If i open your bottle with this piece of string, can I have a cup?"
 
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Step 1Remove the cork cover...

remove the cork cover...
tear off that pesky cork covering thing.
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87 comments
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Oct 15, 2011. 4:55 PMjstewart-1 says:
I am putting a piece of string and a strong pen into my purse right now, for the next time I go camping with my wine appreciating friend! Thanks!
Aug 27, 2011. 4:49 PMilpug says:
Must do this for money...
Dec 20, 2010. 7:09 PMiectyx3c says:
What is this "coark" and "boddle" you speak of ? I looked on all sides of my box, but could only find laminated paper flaps and a plastic screw cap. And I've been known to pay up to $2 USD for a fine month-old vintage.
Jun 14, 2011. 9:53 AMXaqFixx says:
Month old? That is some highfalutin stuff right there, Tuesday was a great vintage.
Aug 27, 2011. 4:48 PMilpug says:
^love it.
Oct 11, 2006. 2:54 AMsomerwaters says:
that's so rad, my children wil teach it to their children's children for the time when there are no more corkscrews in the world, after doomsday...
Jul 5, 2010. 10:20 PMDIY-Guy says:
Wonderful survival "with string" technique! The 'doomsday' spoken of may be what our grandparents called 'the great depression.' If so, 'the greater depression' to come might be so bad that it leaves us wishing we had a piece of string to open a corked bottle with. Question: Where do I get wine if all I can afford is to scrounge a piece of string? Or, if wine is consumeable and needs to be replenished... wouldn't I be wise to store a permanent tool, the corkscrew? It could be passed on from one generation to another. But the wine would need to be purchased again and again. Summary: this string trick works for those who go camping (or partying) unprepared! Lessons learned: Always invite a Boy Scout or survivalist that has a Swiss Army knife with a corkscrew when you want to drink wine.
Aug 11, 2011. 6:50 AMbowow0807 says:
well in doomsday wine might be the only drink-safe liquid, back in the middle ages people drank wine and beer because the water wasn't safe to drink
Jul 4, 2010. 2:50 PMlanceearlhaines says:
another doomsday naysayer? jeeze how many are there?
Aug 5, 2011. 10:57 PMo0doll_face0o says:
i dont drink a lot of wine but ill sooo remember this for parties:) also world market has this peach carbonated beverage they cork (angry face) so i can try that !
Now everyone go ahead and laugh at the liteweight.....
Aug 4, 2011. 9:17 AMTracesDad says:
The better wording would be, " i bet i can get this cork out with only this string"
This way, you leave yourself open to use whatever tool you wish to push the cork INTO the bottle as long as you use the string to take the cork OUT
Aug 2, 2011. 3:56 AMricklow says:
Great idea!
Jul 31, 2011. 9:32 PMLeaffall72 says:
This is great!!
Jul 31, 2011. 9:19 PMkyle59 says:
Good trick! if you bet me a glass that you could do it I'd likely give you the entire bottle not only because I was impressed but also because you stuck a bunch of foreign objects in my wine! ;) all kidding aside well done.
Jul 31, 2011. 6:06 PMjimmyrsabig says:
thanks
Jun 14, 2011. 10:46 AMevogel1 says:
if you're going to push the cork into the bottle, why go the extra (harder) steps to take the cork out? (unless it is a bar bet) isn't the goal to get the wine out? with the cork pushed in, that's completed.
Sep 8, 2006. 2:09 AMraoult says:
hmmmn. . . neat trick, but sounds a bit tedious.
try this one on for size (great for camping trips)

hold the bottle of wine firmly a few inches from the base in your good hand and hit the bottom of the bottle sharply (and squarely) against the trunk of a tree. this will force the cork out of the opening of the bottle. you can usually open a bottle of wine with three or four strikes. the cork will come out gradually, so you can get it to the point where you can pull it out, rather than having it jump out at you.

*requisite words of warning:
1) wine bottles are made of glass.
2) people have a soft outer coating.

now, I have probably opened close to 100 bottles throughout my life using this method (I enjoy camping), but I *have* broken two, and one time I sliced my hand a bit. (hence the "hold the bottle towards the base where the glass is thicker") both times, it was a thin, cheap bottle.

all in all, I feel those are pretty good odds.

if you find this tip useful, please pass it along at your next campout.
Jul 5, 2010. 10:26 PMDIY-Guy says:
Do you mean "squarely" at a right angle, or parallel? I see two versions of 'square' in my mind. A. Parallel to the side of the bottle lengthwise. and B. Flat across the horizontal base of the bottom of the bottle, the short side. Which one? Thanks!
Jul 14, 2010. 2:09 AMKryptonite says:
Squarely: with a good thorough amount of force, but not too much. :D
Jul 10, 2010. 11:37 PMaaronscottaugustinhotmail.com says:
I see Three but it gets complicated...
Jul 4, 2010. 2:37 PMlanceearlhaines says:
awesome tip
Jan 28, 2010. 12:22 PMLee Wilkerson says:
Cool trick! Can't wait to start earning money with it. B)
Actually, if I have no corkscrew I have found that a combination of drywall screws (I recommend 2) and pliers or a claw hammer works really well. And I almost always have the screws and pliers. Used this method once when I broke the corkscrew.

~/Lee
Jul 7, 2010. 9:53 AMthingygoboom says:
That's pretty sketch, especially if this isn't your first bottle of the night.
Jul 7, 2010. 12:56 PMRedgerr says:
not terribly SKETCHY, its normal to find ways to open it if you dont have a corkscrew :)
Dec 9, 2006. 5:32 PMlemonie says:
Only last week we found that the cork-screw had been stolen from limo', this would have been really useful! Then again we didn't have any string either...
Feb 4, 2010. 12:44 PMmaxim1982 says:
shoelaces?
Jul 4, 2010. 2:27 PMlanceearlhaines says:
dirty shoe laces? only if i was starving or in a desert.
Jul 7, 2010. 9:49 AMthingygoboom says:
And all you had was wine?
Feb 4, 2010. 2:19 PMlemonie says:
2006? Well, that was a long time ago, thanks for the memory.
Yes probably.

L
Nov 23, 2006. 5:00 PMJarvinho says:
This is the same doomesday, afer which there will only be cockroaches and duct tape?
Jul 7, 2010. 9:47 AMthingygoboom says:
You forgot twinkies in Cold War bunkers.
Jul 5, 2010. 10:21 PMDIY-Guy says:
Cockroaches are forever. Duct tape has a limited shelf life and goes bad before 'the day' arrives. Every time.
Jul 4, 2010. 2:47 PMlanceearlhaines says:
no tape just cockroaches. nay to the naysayer.
Jul 5, 2010. 4:17 AMaudelan says:
Excellente idée! Merci beaucoup je vais m'acheter une bouteille et ... un morceau de cordelette.
Jul 5, 2010. 1:37 AMnwzhnd says:
Damn! I've spent years of wine drinking when this would have saved my friends and I from using half-assed methods and sifting cork between our teeth. I bow to your expertise. Now I've got to rush out and buy a bottle of vino to practice on....
Jul 4, 2010. 7:10 PMntgrater says:
you can do the same thing with a plastic grocery bag. i have found the affect to be much more impressive. Try it!!
May 11, 2007. 3:12 PMwalkie74 says:
Wait...so you *do* have to push the cork in all the way? Or not? The pic makes it look like the cork is wedged in the neck of the bottle. How do you get the string past that??
Jul 4, 2010. 2:35 PMlanceearlhaines says:
read it!
Jun 16, 2007. 6:59 PMblackfister says:
what? you go around parties with your cord? better take a wine opener, it will be much classy. It looks much better than a piece of cord, at least people woth throw pennies at you. ;)
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