Saving Bottle Caps

[Paddy Melon]

Hi Guys,

Thought I'd share my latest light bulb moment. During my last bottling session I came up short of a couple of tops, I don't know how it happened it just did. As a result I googled and found a way to remove a top without damaging it, cracked a couple of bottles and finished off the bottling. That got me thinking that it would be handy to have a bottle opener that does that for me. Again I googled and couldn't find a bottle opener that is made to take tops of without damaging them, there might be somewhere but I couldn't find one, so I decided to make one. Below are photos of my effort, I capped and uncapped 5 times and the cap still seals tight. By tight I mean I cant screw it or move it just like an original one. Anyway, here it is and if anyone is interested I can give you the dimensions. I thought it was worth a try. I don't think there would be a big enough market to cover manufacturing costs so I will remain poor and unknown.

 

[Simon N]

That’s brilliant, good effort!

 

[Sidney Harbour-Bridge]

Patent it Paddy, it's brilliant, green bottle opener that allows you to re-use/recycle bottle tops, you should get a government grant to make it

 

[Paddy Melon]

Thanks SHB, I don't think there would be a big enough market to even cover the costs of a patent. I'm sure if there was a market that might make it feasible a knock off would come out of China and any potential profit would turn into a loss. But if you want to go for it you have my blessing.

 

[An Ankoù]

That's a brilliant bit of kit. I use the bottle opener that comes at the other other end of the kind of corkscrew that, as you screw it in, two levers rise which you then push back down to pull the cork out. The bottle opener bit has the same kind of wide curve as your invention.
By the way, I boil the caps for a short time in a pan of water as I worry about sanitisers causing the metal to rust. This doesn't damage the plastic seal.

I'm not really that much of a cheapskate and crown corks are not too expensive, but I find it (childishly) amusing to stick, say, a Guinness cap on a bottle of lager.

 

[Paddy Melon]

Hi AA, it wasn't the cost of the caps it was the challenge it presented. I just had to do it.

 

[fifis101]

It's only the single point of contact bottle openers that damage the lids enough so they can't be reused (and then again, they most likely still can be). I opened bottle for years with a spoon and reused them with no issues but this looks like it does the job brilliantly. Well done!