Instructions
- Step 1: Pick stencils Decide what you want to engrave on your glasses. Names or initials? A word like ‘Cheers’? A design? Type search words like ‘monogram,’ ‘alphabet,’ and ‘stencils’ into a search engine, and print out what you like.
- Step 2: Size them Via a photo-editing web site or with simple software, resize the stencils to fit your glasses. Then, print and cut out the letter or design, position it inside the glass with design facing outward, and tape it in place.
- TIP: Practice on an old glass before tackling your good glasses.
- Step 3: Prepare your workstation Place a cloth or towel on a flat surface for the hand holding the glass to rest on. For the hand that will hold the engraving tool, put down something sturdy, like a phone book, that will keep that hand steady and lifted slightly above the glass being etched.
- Step 4: Begin gently Taking your engraving tool, which you can buy at a craft store, gently trace just the outline of the letters or design. Using small strokes and very little pressure, etch from left to right, and from top to bottom.
- TIP: Stay away from the lip, where the glass is thinner and could break.
- Step 5: Remove the stencil When the outline is done, remove the stencil and fill the inside of the glass with something dark-colored so that you can better see the design.
- Step 6: Make the final cuts Finish etching the design, experimenting with different levels of pressure to achieve the look you want. Periodically dust off the glass powder with a pastry brush or soft cloth.
- Step 7: Wipe it down After you’ve finished engraving, wipe the design with a damp cloth to remove any remaining glass residue. Voila! You’ve just engraved your first glass!
- FACT: An American billionaire sued a German collector after discovering that the wine bottles he’d bought from him, believing them to have once belonged to Thomas Jefferson, were actually engraved with the letters ‘Th.J’ by a modern electric drill!
You Will Need
- Internet access
- Stencils
- Glasses
- Tape
- A cloth or towel
- A sturdy stand
- An engraving tool
- A dark-colored napkin or construction paper
- A soft cloth or pastry brush
- An old glass
