Help!

[Snowy is dead]

So finally my last winekey broke. I've been using the same ones for years and years and absolutely love them. Now I discover that they are no longer in production and am heartbroken. I can't find them anywhere and the company that formerly made them is out and anyway doens't ship directly to consumers. The US distributor is also completely out. I did find some online about 2 years ago, but the link I saved is no longer valid, and I can't find them anywhere. If anyone can help me find this wine key, I will be very appreciative. This is the link to the Italian producers page:

http://www.pedrini.com/pedrini.asp?idmenu=...tomenu=1&idL=42

I can find this style in all stainless steel, but they don't work the same and are vey uncomfortable. The plastic coated ones are better, and have a longer worm.

Thanks in advance

Sean

[rconnelly]

So finally my last winekey broke.  I've been using the same ones for years and years and absolutely love them.  Now I discover that they are no longer in production and am heartbroken.  I can't find them anywhere and the company that formerly made them is out and anyway doens't ship directly to consumers.  The US distributor is also completely out.  I did find some online about 2 years ago, but the link I saved is no longer valid, and I can't find them anywhere.  If anyone can help me find this wine key, I will be very appreciative.  This is the link to the Italian producers page: 

http://www.pedrini.com/pedrini.asp?idmenu=...tomenu=1&idL=42

I can find this style in all stainless steel, but they don't work the same and are vey uncomfortable.  The plastic coated ones are better, and have a longer worm.

Thanks in advance

Sean

←

not sure which one you are trying to find, but if it's the waiter's corkscrew try Crate & Barrel. I bought one at the store but i beleive they are available on line.

Good Luck!

[rooftop1000]

"Wine key" pulls up a bunch of stuff on Ebay

T

[Snowy is dead]

already done the usual, amazon, ebay, endless internet searches, calling places that used to carry it then calling their distributors. Last time I happened upon it by chance. This time, so far no such luck.

[thirtyoneknots]

This is the style I prefer, the stepped lever makes pulling corks much easier (and faster, which is nice when you open upwards of two cases worth of wine on a moderately busy night). I've seen them for sale at liquor stores and wine shops around here, and a lot of the ones we use were given free by wine distributors. I don't know anything about the site in the link, but I think you may be able to find those cheaper on ebay or whatever (by searching for 'pulltaps')

Hope this helps

-Andy

[KatieLoeb]

I'm with Andy on this one. The two step lever is the way to go. I haven't used a different wine key since I got my first one in that style. It's particularly helpful for those really long corks in German and Alsace wine bottles.

[thirtyoneknots]

Oh yes, I forgot to add that if you can get them for a decent price, maybe buy in bulk -- your coworkers will want to buy them off you (and if you're anything like me, you'll misplace them frequently as well).

-Andy

[Snowy is dead]

I've tried those, I just don't care for them. I know I'm in the minority with my crazy fixation on this particular wine key. The run down is thus:

the knife has a serrated blade with large grooves, allwing the knife to function properly well after it is technically dull. The super fine teeth or the flat blades do not do this.

the worm is unusually long, eliminating the need for a two step pulltaps type corkscrew. Further, the sprial of the worm is not so compact and the sharp point has a much greater angle. This gets a nicer hold on the cork and reduces breakage, at least for me. The sharper, more angled worm end also makes it easier to retrieve corks when the do break.

The bottle opener at the end eliminates the need for anther tool and enables opening even twist off bottles without beaking the rim of the bottle.

The orientation of the knife and worm allow it to be stored in the back pocket, easy to grab, and in the correct position. further, the fact the the worm and knife fold down from the same side increases the speed I can open bottles.

so basically, I grab the key from my back pocket and the knife is already out. In the same motion I close the knife I open the worm. There is no need to fish for it in my pocket, open the blade, then rotate the key to open the worm. Even the wine keys that are oriented the same way, like the one in the post above, I find are too small and fall into or out of my pocket. The one I like has both a long worm and knife and stays put on the edge of my pocket.

I know I sound perhabs a bit irrational, but its kind of like finding out they don't make your favorite food or wine anymore. I have gotten used to this thing to the poing I don't even need to look (though I do, usually) when I open wine. With the several keys I have tried it just seems like such a production.

There are some that are similar, but he knife is usually smooth and the worm is short and has less of an angle. Some don't even have knives, which boggles me.

So there you are. Please excuse my phsycho babble about this thing. For the record, my girlfriend (bartender too) also thinks I'm crazy...

Sean

[Snowy is dead]

Andy,

do you know Jeff Kent?

[Snowy is dead]

Yikes, I just re-read my last post. sounds like a scene from "They call me Bruce"