Sabering is my new hobby. I recently got a beautiful Laguiole Champagne saber knife for my birthday and I am totally obsessed. I have forgotten about everything I was taught as a child – not to play with knives and like a real wine ninja I uncork one bottle of bubbles after another.

I learned my technique from a real saber master and the tips I got from him, I’m happy to share them with you here.

How to saber with a saber knife, the do’s and don’ts

• Make sure you have a well chilled bottle, the colder the better.
• Make sure the bottle has been lying or standing quietly and has not moved too much before using it.
• For convenience, remove all the foil from the top of the bottle.
• Carefully remove the muselet, you can put it back on top of the thick rim of the bottle for decoration, but this is not a must.
• Look for the seam of the bottle. If you touch the bottle carefully or hold it against the light, you’ll see a line running through the bottle. This is where the glass comes together and it is the weakest spot of the bottle.
• Hold the bottle firmly in your hand, making sure the bottle doesn’t point upwards neither straight forward but in a line diagonally upwards.
• With a saber knife, use the “sharp” side and for a kitchen knife, use the blunt side.
• Gently rub off along the seam of the neck. You don’t need to apply pressure.
• Tap gently against the thick rim at the top of the bottle. Keep the bottle upright as soon as the cork has flown off in order to lose as little wine as possible.
• Good luck!

Tip: if something goes wrong while sabering, don’t try to save the bottle, grabbing it may cause injury.

Watch the video below for a good example! Looking for an alternative to Champagne? Read tips here!