For The Love Of Port

I have read in the past the suggestion that old corks extracted intact from bottles of wine of uncertain identity might have their branding made clearer through the careful use of a bit of diluted bleach.

The idea of this is that the dirt and staining on the cork will be made more pale by the bleach but the original branding burnt onto the cork will not be affected by the bleaching agent.

Has anyone ever tried this? Is anyone willing to volunteer and try it out and report back to us? Can anyone comment on the science that this idea might be based on?

Thanks,

Alex

Fantastic - we haven't had a really geeky thread for ages

I think I remember Tom explaining this in another thread. I now have my box of corks beside me and will try to find an old one with indistinguishable markings. Happy to volunteer what I find if someone can explain the procedure 8)

Derek

PS: Now that, for the first time ever, I am fishing through my cork box you can expect another geeky thread anytime soon.

Alex, I've not tried, but this might work - however, it might also cause the old cork to disintegrate with indecent haste..

I would opt for Hydrogen Peroxide rather than domestic bleach, and would also prepare a dilute solution of PVA (e.g. Unibond) to subsequently immerse the cork in, as this might prevent it's demise after it dries out..

Tom

Chemist... explosives technician (of some sorts)... what DON'T you do???

I would offer... but Tom or Derek may have to lend me one of their old bottles so I can open and try the cork-regeneration technique!

Todd

Alex,

I'm sure you know what I think of this fascinating thread.

But I'm curious...your the famous Cork Rebuilder. You have a vast collection of corks. I even think I remember you saying you had a basket of corks by your fireplace in your lounge.

So why haven't YOU experimented on this one???

Alan

If the branding on these old corks is really charcol, it should work with either bleach or hydrogen peroxide. If it's ink I'm not so sure. let us know how it works out?

Jay

Jay Powers wrote:If the branding on these old corks is really charcol, it should work with either bleach or hydrogen peroxide. If it's ink I'm not so sure. let us know how it works out?

Jay

Jay, this gives me hope. Bleach I can do, HP I would struggle to find around the house :?

I found 1 cork that has very faint markings. I know what it is but an willing to give it up to science to see if we can reveal the branding before it turns to dust

Derek

Brave boy,

Tell us when the experiment is due and we'll have the Cork Paramedics on standby.
We cant afford to lose warriors like this, and No-one gets left behind!!!

This has been Knott Arst, reporting for Channel K.

Derek,

Hydrogen Peroxide is surprisingly easy to get hold of in small quantities. The most common use around the house is in hair lightening products - hair bleach to you and I. You can also buy small bottles of it from Boots or most other high street chemists, small enough to be of use in bleaching a cork but not large enough to be able to make spectacular explosions. Let me know how you get on.

Alan

It would be overly selfish of me to try and hog all the cork expertise to myself. I am happy being the world's leading expert in cork reconstruction techniques. If Derek is able and willing to volunteer to become the world's leading post-removal cork bleaching expert, then I am very happy to step aside and learn from his experiences.

:)

Alex

but not large enough to be able to make spectacular explosions

Keep it away from the nail varnish remover, or you'll get TATP - aka 'Mother of Satan'

Tom

I'm learning so much more than just Port here... how to make homemade explosives 101 by Uncle Tom!

(Disclaimer: To Whom It May Concern (CIA/MI5/NSA/Mossad, etc) - I do not intend to make any explosives, no matter how much good advice is given here, or on any other website (perhaps explaining what "Mother of Satan" or TATP is)... Last experiment I tried was as a much younger man when I mixed gasoline and styrofoam to make a sludgy, not very effective 'poor man's napalm.' Disappointing to say the least, although it did burn...

To avoid the first FTLOP offline funeral, please avoid dumping any Ammonia into your Bleach and water solution.

I do think Todd's disclaimer is needed before we all get a knock on our front doors my some really big ugly dudes in cheap black suits and out-dated sunglasses.