Cutting Stained Glass: The Zip Sound

There’s a sound that every stained glass artist loves to hear.

“Ooooh! Aaaaah! Looook at your beautiful work!”

Cutting stained glass Mountain Woman Products

Not that one! Well, we do all like that too, but…

I’m talking about the zip!

How To Know If You Scored Your Stained Glass Right

Not every glass you score will make that special sound, but it’s probably the easiest way to tell if you’ve made a good cut.

For beginners, I recommend practicing on picture frame glass.

Why? Two reasons:

  • It’s cheap (think yard sales & thrift stores)
  • It almost always makes the zippy sound

You want to hear it? Listen to the video below.

Solutions to common cutting problems

If you find your scores aren’t breaking well, it usually comes down to one of three issues:

  • You’re pushing too hard. Remember, you’re not carving ice – use a medium pressure, like you’re cutting cold (not frozen) butter. 
  • You’re on a funky angle. Try standing when you cut for better control. 
  • Your cutter is dry. Make sure you’re using cutting oil (mineral oil is cheap & works great!).

Happy scoring!

Peace, Love, & Stained Glass,

-Shannie

Stained Glass Classes & Workshops coming soon!

In the meantime, if you haven’t already and…

If you’d like to learn more about stained glass, without having to figure it all out on your own, sign up for your FREE Beginner’s Guide to Stained Glass and get monthly tips too!

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