Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Attention:this article is intended for persons over 18 years of age.

Amaze everyone at the next party with a "sabrage", or in other words - opening a bottle of champagne (or any sparkling wine) with a saber. Napoleon's officers knew how to do it, now you can too! Learning to decapitate a bottle of champagne is easy, but it takes practice (and one or two bottles of cheap wine) to achieve perfection.

Steps

1. 1 Get a bottle of chilled champagne that hasn't been shaken. It is best if the bottle has been in the refrigerator overnight. Some people additionally advise chilling the neck of the bottle in a bucket of ice water before decapitating the bottle.
2. 2 Wipe the bottle with a tissue to remove moisture. Remove the foil from the neck. Remove the wire.Also, to prevent the cork from popping out prematurely, loosen the wire and lift it up from the end of the bottle.
3. 3 Feel for one of the bottle seams. This is where the two halves of the bottle are connected.
4. 4 Hold the bottle firmly at a 30-40 degree upward angle (it should be directed to a safe place).
5. 5 Place the saber on the bottle. Place the saber with the "back" part (blunt edge, not the blade) towards the cork, as shown in the picture. Move the saber to the base of the neck, keeping it close to the bottle.
6. 6 Pass the saber slowly and carefully over the bottle to the neck. This is done in order to get a sense of what you have to do. Try to lightly drive the saber back and forth until you get used to this movement.
7. 7 Move the saber forcefully and quickly towards the neck that holds the cork (the best blow will be obtained if you direct the saber towards the seam). It should be one sharp, continuous movement. Weak and hesitant attempts often result in a ricochet off the neck of the bottle. With the right pressure and accurate blade positioning (straight and at the seam), the neck (small glass ring) should gently fly off with the cork.
8. 8 Ready.

Tips

• The backyard is a good spot for this trick, as long as you pick up the cork (and neck) in the unmown grass.
• You can find Champagne Swords on the Internet. If you can't get one, a large kitchen knife or butcher's knife will work as well. Use a knife with a flat side (sides are parallel).
• This trick usually takes half the effort to learn how to do it. Expect to spend at least RUB 1,000 to learn this (6 x RUB 180 per bottle). Practice with inexpensive corked wine bottles. However, some inexpensive bottles can be made from low quality glass. By practicing with these bottles, you run the risk of increasing the chance of breakage and therefore putting yourself in danger. French and Spanish bottles will suit you better than American ones, according to Gizmodo.

Warnings

• Wine will not work without gas. Bottle pressure is a necessary part of the process.
• The "decapitated" part of the bottle is very sharp. Be careful when picking up the severed piece.
• A bottle with a screw cap (like Andre) will not work.
• Even if you decapitate the bottle correctly, before serving champagne on the table, make sure that there are no fragments left in it by pouring a little into a glass.
• Throw away any incorrectly decapitated bottles. Do not drink from bottles that have not been properly opened. A properly decapitated bottle has one clean cut. (which remains sharp but not broken off).
• This party trick is really impressive - use it as part of a gala event at a wedding, New Years, birthday, and more.
• If you would like to include decapitation of a bottle of champagne in an upcoming event, but are too scared to do it yourself, you can bring in experts in the field who can be easily hired. Find a specialist who trained at La Confrerie du Saber d'Or. He can teach you this too, if you want.
• If you don't get it right the first time, be aware that shaking the bottle the first time will cause the champagne to "erupt" when you finally manage to decapitate it. Numerous attempts to open a bottle with a saber can lead to sloppy opening (and champagne cannot be drunk).

What do you need

• A well chilled bottle of champagne or sparkling wine, sealed with a cork
• A large knife or sword with a square back
• Enough space for the neck to fly off (1.8 - 3 m)