A
corkscrew is a tool for drawing
corks from
wine bottles. In its traditional form, a corkscrew simply consists of a pointed metallic
helix (often called the "worm") attached to a handle, which the user screws into the cork and pulls to extract it. Corkscrews are necessary because corks themselves, being small and smooth, are difficult to grip and remove, particularly when inserted fully into an inflexible glass bottle. More recent styles of corkscrew incorporate various systems of
levers that further increase the amount of
force that can be applied outwards upon the cork, making easier the extraction of difficult corks.