ridl a special bottle opener utilising a unique downwards action.
Designed By: Lucy Callahan.
Materials: Polished stainless steel.
Many years ago we were commissioned to make a bottle opener for Domain Chandon. It was to be used for their riddling process and also for promotion.
Riddling involves removing a large amount of crown seals continuously and the sample they had was an old french crown seal opener that used a downward motion rather than an upward motion.This is important when continuously performing this movement as it causes much less fatigue in the wrist and arms.
the story of ridl
“We manufactured the opener for them based on the original french design but the idea of the downward motion opener has stayed with me for all of these years and reappears today as ridl, a design by Lucy Callahan”
- David Robinson
What sets ridl apart from conventional bottle openers is its innovative downward action. Unlike traditional openers that require an upwards motion, ridl offers a more ergonomic and effortless opening experience. The user simply places ridl over their bottle cap, presses down, and with a smooth, fluid motion, the bottle cap is removed.
“I think using subtle curves makes objects more interesting and yet retains the elegance of a simple form. I have become interested in having a focus on producing clean side profiles of objects to create intriguing shapes.”
- Lucy Callahan.
By combining the traditional elements and principles of a riddling tool, with the design language of lood; ridl invites the user to reflect on traditional and often lost technologies.
The result is a bottle opener with a little more weight than you’d expect; the intricate details and the ergonomic downward action make opening a bottle a sensory delight.
