From a design standpoint, this is a very good product.But the documentation is pathetic, and was clearly never tested with new / real users.There is no explanation of how it's supposed to work.That understanding is very helpful:with it, you'll never have trouble, and will marvel at the clever design.Let's get started.
Have a bottle of wine handy on which you've already used the supplied (and very good) little foil cutter to remove the foil over the cork.
Take the unit in your hand and look at the movable parts.The overhead lever that swings outward / downward and then is reversed / brought back over the top - moves the spiral corkscrew up and down.To see this, operate the overhead lever with one hand while holding the clamping "side handles" with the other.When you move the overhead handle the corkscrew rotates.
Why is the corkscrew turning?Because it's forced to do that as it goes through a "guide" (the metal collar with gray plastic center).The gray plastic piece has an internal spiral track that forces the corkscrew to rotate as it passes through.
Here's the critical point:as long as the guide mechanism is locked in place and can't move up or down, the guide forces the corkscrew to rotate when going through.
What if this guide were locked in place on the `down-stroke,' but could move vertically on the `up-stroke'?Then the guide would force the corkscrew to rotate on the way down (so the corkscrew would penetrate the cork), but the guide would stay attached to (and _not_ rotate) the corkscrew on the way up - thus pulling the cork.
When the unit is operated correctly this is exactly what happens.But how?
Look more closely:Before using the Rabbit's `side-handles' to hold the wine bottle neck, the guide is locked in place by two protruding spring-loaded latches and can't move vertically.Try it:it won't budge.(You can actually see these small latches projecting over the top of the guide and keeping it from moving - by looking in the area above and to the far rear of the guide, near the smooth rod.)
On the other hand, when the clamping handles are squeezed onto the neck of a bottle, these latches above the guide _retract_, releasing their hold on the guide so it can move upward.
Do this now:Take your bottle of wine and, with the overhead lever rotated to its fully outward / downward position, place the guide directly over the cork and grip the neck of the bottle _firmly_ with the clamping side handles.
Look at the latches described above:they have retracted, and no longer restrain the guide from moving upward.This has no effect during the down-stroke / cork penetration phase, since the guide is already as low as it can go.Because the guide can't move, it forces the corkscrew to rotate when you operate the overhead lever - thus penetrating the cork.Perform this down-stroke.
Now watch what happens when the overhead lever is pulled back to withdraw the cork (while you at the same time continue to grip the bottle neck firmly with the side levers).Because the guide can now move vertically with the corkscrew, it imposes no rotation on the corkscrew.The corkscrew stays inside the cork as the overhead lever is moved outward / downward, and the cork is extracted.Do it.You now have the cork out of the bottle, suspended above the bottle neck, and are still gripping the side handles around the bottle neck.
Release your hold on the side handles and move the Rabbit away from the bottle.The cork is still attached to the corkscrew.Re-grip the side handles with one hand and once again operate the overhead lever, bringing it all the way back to its fully closed position again (as if you were on the original down-stroke into the cork).
As you get to the very end of the stroke, you will feel resistance and will hear a click:the latches have snapped back into place over the top of the guide, locking it in place.The guide is once again `captured' - and cannot move vertically.The cork is still attached to the corkscrew.
Finally, move the overhead lever back yet again to its fully open position (as if pulling the cork from the bottle).This time the latches _don't_ retract (because you're not using the side handles to grip the bottle neck) - so the latches again keep the guide from moving, and this forces the corkscrew to rotate `in reverse' as it passes upward through the guide.The corkscrew backs out of the cork and the cork drops off.It takes all of a few seconds once you get the hang of it.
Understanding the operating principles should help.None of this is well explained (or, indeed, explained at all) in the almost non-existent documentation.
Steve Ferris
Click Here to see more reviews about:
Metrokane VIP Sterling Rabbit Corkscrew with Black Leather Presentation CaseProduct Description: Featuring an award-winning design, this corkscrew comes in a black leather-bound storage case with polished chrome sides. Tested for 20,000 cork pulls, it's made of die-cast metal with a polished chrome finish and black leather grip pads that match the case. Included are a polished chrome foil cutter, an extra spiral, and a 10-year warranty.
Buy NowGet 48% OFF
Easy and fast to use. Well constructed.
Woks very well - I use it to prevent the corkscrew from wearing down when going through the wax seal.
I'd give zero stars if it was an option. Don't waste your time on this company.
great gift for any wine drinker. the wine opener is super easy to use and all the tools are great.
I bought this item because I hated the struggle in trying to get the cork out of a champagne bottle.It works great.I came back and bought a couple more for gifts.The packaging is also very nice.
The fake velvet touch only enhances how cheap this toolkit is. The pieces are flimsy and light, which makes them feel like they can break at any time. The box they came in is ugly and looks like something you'd buy at a K-mart. The ten dollar metal corkscrews you can buy at the supermarket are better designed than the one you'll find here.
I don't bother to review items generally but this was an exceptionally bad piece of junk that I wish I had saved the box so I could have returned (which I also don't usually bother about).I love my lever pull corkscrew and thought this product would live up to that level of quality.I couldn't ever get any suction no matter how hard I tried and just tossed it in the garbage and chalked it up to the lesson of not tossing the box until you have tested the product.
I am struggling trying to find the best wine opener....so far so bad.
This is so pretty I leave it out next to my wine rack.Actually, mine is race car red.I bought this one as a gift for my brother because I was so happy with the one I had bought for myself.It moves smoothly and efficiently every time, opening my wine bottle with little effort from me and then ejecting the cork just as simply.I must have opened a hundred bottles with it, each one perfectly.
I wanted something to store a few bottles of wine in. I ordered this wine caddy and was a little disapointed. It is lightweight plastic and a little flimsy. I expected something a little more substantial. It does match my kitchen decor, as it is black plastic. It does the job adaquately, but would not reccomend.
I think the product description is misleading.I was looking for an all-metal rabbit - only the core of this tool is polished chrome...the rest of it is plastic.Misleading - the description should be changed to be more precise...only a part of this rabbit is "die-cast".For a "sterling" model I am disappointed.To top this off, the foil cutter outfit is also plastic! (ex the blades of course).I am appalled.
Unfortunately this product did not work at all.Nice idea no performance.Stick with the VaccuVin.
I found this great Rabbit Corkscrew all in one box(it actually opens on a side hinge ) for my oldest daughter for when she turned 21. We had an "imitation rabbit" given to us 2 years old,and without a great deal of use it fell apart. I had originally purchased the first rabbit from a specialty shop. Realizing my next daughter would soon be 21 I wanted to buy the same. I was dissapointed to find it had only been a special order available over Christmas.
I love this corkscrew, it works very well. After having used the waiter type for years, this is a fantastic change. Having the foil-cutter built in is a big plus, I don't have to fumble around with a piece on the end like with the waiter or have a seperate piece to keep track of, and it does the job just fine.
I was extremely excited when I originally ordered this item, as I have had great luck with this type of opener in the past.In addition, the extras in the package make this an attractive item.However, even though the gears of the the corkscrew are made of metal, the handles and body seem to be made of a cheap, flexible plastic.The solid feel of the Rabbit is missing in this model.In addition, about one of every 5 corks is not removed properly.The bottle stopper and drip ring are nice, but the foil remover is the worst I have ever used.Do yourself a favor and spend a little more money on a better quality opener...
This foil cutter requires more effort (a stronger squeeze) than it really ought to, and too much turning.The built-in foil cutter on my "Boomerang" brand waiter's corkscrew works more reliably, and requires less effort, and the whole corkscrew hardly costs more than this foil cutter.
Though I haven't tried this with wine yet, this is a great product to keep your baby's bottle or sippy cup cool in the summer, without taking up a lot of space in the diaper bag.It could also be used to keep breast milk chilled.So much better than bulky ice packs--and it covers more of the bottle's surface area too.It doesn't leave any wet condensation on your diaper bag contents.No zippers to open; you can quickly slide the bottle in and out of the sleeve without taking it out of the bag.Great for mom & dad's water bottles too!
Purchased a set of two V-gauge stoppers One does not work at all the other one fits better but does not work as well as the two we got with the original.
The product helps extend the freshness of an opened bottle of wine.It is especially effective on reds.I found that moistening the stopper "O-rings" with a little water before inserting in the bottle neck helps improve and extend the seal.After about 9 months, the stopper failed to create a vacuum.I soaked the stopper unit in warm water for 30 minutes, opening and closing the vacuum release pin, and got it working again; I was careful not to submerge the gauge dial.I would recommend this product to a friend, along with these bits of advice.
