How to Cut Glass

Glass has been around in various forms for thousands of years and has been manufactured for human use since 12,000 BCE. Glass is a super cooled liquid, meaning that it is rigid and static but does not change molecularly between melting and solidification into a desired shape. Glass is one the most versatile substances on Earth. It is used in many applications and in a wide variety of forms, from plain clear glass to tempered and tinted varieties, and so forth.
Nobody is perfect with glass, but you can get it right nearly every time. Here’s how to cut 1/8″ (3.1 mm) clear glass, also known as “double strength” (DS).

Materials

• Glass Cutter
• Cutting Oil or Kerosene Oil
• Ruler or T Square

Instructions

1. Clean the surface but only along where you plan to score. Any grime or silica will ruin your score.
2. Grasp your cutter like a pencil. Dip it in the oil before you begin cutting the glass. This is important so the cut runs smoothly.
3. Put enough pressure on the ruler along the length of the score to avoid slipping and shifting of the ruler.
4. Start at one edge of the glass sheet and score it lightly with the cutting tool along your pattern’s longest straight line all the way to the other edge of the sheet.
5. Make sure to look at the wheel and its orientation to the glass and align it properly. This is a very simple grasp to achieve, so do not unduly complicate it.
6. Apply pressure to the glass as you pull the cutter along the surface, rolling on the small carbide wheel. The score must run from one edge of the glass to the other edge.
7. gritty sound means that you are pushing too hard or that you did not oil your cutter. The less sound you make, the better your score will be. You’ll have a cut that is not popping and is barely visible if you were to wipe the oil away. It should look like a small scratch.
8. Grasp each side of the cut as if you were trying to break a potato chip in half with two hands. All it takes is minor pressure (it is all in the wrist action).
9. Use fine sandpaper or a sharpening stone, to remove the sharp edge. This edge will be where the vertical edge meets the horizontal surfaces. (Not only does sanding reduce the chances of your being cut but sanded glass is less likely to chip along the edges.)

Tips and Warnings

• Use a scrap piece of glass to practice on.
• An oiled cutter creates a smoother score line.
• If you push too hard, your cut gets “hot”, meaning that it snaps and pops.
• Select shapes that can be cut out in a series of straight or nearly straight lines.