The Durand has long been touted as the ultimate remover for old corks. Ystrday, I had to open 7 vintages ('64-'76) Brane-Cantenac. So I took along my Durand to deal with them.
It was a poor showing by the Durand. First you drive the corkscrew into the cork. Then you then use the Ah-So part thru two slots in the cork-screw part in the cork to finish removing the old cork.
Alas, it didn’t work as advertised. I was unable to drive the corkscrew part into the cork perfectly centered. So when I tried to drive home the Ah-So part, it did not perfectly align with the periphery of the cork. It caught on the inner lip of the btl & I couldn’t drive the Ah-So part home. Or it would just force the cork into the neck of the btl. I would then try to fish out the remainder of the cork by other means.
So, maybe the Durand is not the perfect solution for old corks after all.
Anyone else have this problem with the Durand? Maybe the word “Klutz” fits me to a T and the Durand is not the ultimate solution??
Tom
User error? never had that problem.
Yup… user error… u don’t put the ah-so through the slots, u use it perpendicular to the corkscrew.
the two slots in the cork-screw is for storage, u put the ah-so through those 2 slots when u put the durand away
This!
Whoops! BLNT!
Ah so… operator error. I’m a PhD Engineer. Why should I bother w/ reading the instructions??
Tom
Easier to watch (re-watch) the YouTube video…the slots are not for the removal process. I started the same way 
.
First time I saw a Durand this kid in Germany was using one on a '71 Riesling at a restaurant and trying to put the ah so through the slots. I thought that was an odd tool that didn’t work very well, although he managed to get the cork out, mangled and all. Once I bought one and read the instructions I realized the flaw.
PhD pfft I drink wine 
Yeah, those slots are only for storage. I’ve seen a lot of people make that mistake, so you’re certainly not the first. But yeah, definitely go perpendicular to those slots and it’ll work like magic when you grip the whole thing and turn and pull.
I want a wee bloody pulpit!
I fell into the same trap right in front of a visiting Berserker!
I am sure he noticed, but was too kind to criticize.
Welcome to the Durand fail club!!!
Is the Durand significantly better than just using a regular waiter’s friend in tandem with an ah-so?
Pretty sure we had this exact same thread a coupla-few years back. I had to check the date because I thought Tom was the author of that thread too.
Yes. It is.
As the Phd used it…
That was my exact thought, too!
Old IT acronym: PEBCAK. Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard.
It has a thinner worm with a very sharp point so tends to require less pressure when driving the worm, reducing risk of pushing the cork in if it doesn’t have a lot of friction along the glass.
You can drive the prongs down further because of the way it fits over the worm piece than you can using a waiter’s plus a prong opener.
So the more delicate the assignment, the greater the advantage for the Durand.
Yes, much better, have used mine many many times and it always comes through. Amazing tool!