How To Use a Bottle Cutters Safely At Home?

Bottle: Some of the glass bottles and glass jars we have in our homes may be too beautiful to just toss them in the trash or recycling bin, but the question worth asking would be what would you do with them if you are not willing to throw them away?. An affordable bottle cutter can transform these precious ordinary glass bottles and jars into useful, beautiful vases, tumblers, candle holders or lamp bases.

There are some ways used to cut or to break glass bottles or jars. Some of these methods are quick and easy and can leave you with a clean cut. Other methods can be more technical and elaborate and may even require a little bit of skill and expertise when following the procedures.

Here are a few easy steps to follow when cutting your glass bottles and jars, but before then let’s get our bottles ready for the cutting process;

The first thing you should do is remove the labels from your glass bottles. Note that some labels of glass bottles will peel off easier than others.

 How To Remove Labels From Glass Bottles?

• Dip the bottle in a bowl or sink covered with hot water and leave it for 10 minutes. This method allows some labels to peel off without stress.
• The above step may sometimes end up only softening the labels of some glass bottles. Then scrape off part of the labels with a knife, then proceed to use a kitchen scrubbing brush or wire brush to remove the rest.
• In case there is still a small amount of sticky residue left after scrubbing with a kitchen scrubbing brush, apply a little nail varnish remover or lighter fluid onto it and it will come off.

Note: Labels can also be used as a cutting guide if they are located in the place where you want the cut to be. It’s better to leave them on the spot and remove them later after cutting the bottle.

Alternatively, here are 3 easy steps you can also use to remove labels from bottles.

1. You can use a mixture of equal amounts of olive oil and baking soda.
2. Apply (rub) the pasty mixture onto the label.
3. Allow to settle for a few minutes and then scrub off.  The labels will fall off along with the paste. This method is simple and easy to follow.

Now let’s look at easy ways to cut a bottle using bottle cutters.

How To Use A Glass Bottle Cutter?

• Step 1: Adjusting The Bottle Cutter

The first step is to adjust the rollers of your bottle cutter. It’s usually written in the instruction manual of the bottle cutter. Also, make sure that the area of the bottle to be cut lies on the scoring blade.

When it fits in perfectly and the jar is placed against the blade, rotate the blade in a counter-clockwise direction. A scraping sound is always heard whenever the blade hits the glass bottle. Tiny particles of glass powder might stick on your cutter after scraping, so be careful not to hurt yourself.

• Step 2: Rotate The Bottle To Create A Scoreline

The scoreline is a faint white line that runs through the entire bottle in a full circle. If any portion of the scoreline is missing or maybe its too thin, the bottle will not cut properly. So its best to put the bottle back into the cutter and score the bottle again. Ideally, you are only allowed to score the object once, although you might need to practice a couple of times to be able to do it right.

• Step3: Apply Hot Water

Once you have achieved a perfect scoreline completely, suspend or hold the glass bottle over a sink or bowl and pour very hot water (new boiling) over it for (let’s say) about five seconds, continue rotating the bottle as you apply hot water to completely heat the scoreline.

• Step 4: Apply Cold Water

Repeat the same procedure in step 3 but this time you will be using cold water instead of hot water. Also, apply for about 5 seconds.

• Step 5: Remove The Top Portion By Gently Tugging The Top Of The Jar Or Bottles

After step 4 the scoreline should be visible. It can easily be seen through the depth of the glass. If you can observe that, then the next will be to tug gently on the top portion of the bottle to complete the separation. If at first tugging doesn’t work, then tap the top section of the bottle gently on a solid surface but covered carefully with a dish towel or cotton cloth and try tugging again. If the bottle does not separate, allow it to settle for a while (say 2 mins) before attempting the separation process again.

• Step 6: Apply Sandpaper On The Edges

When the bottle is fully cut, quickly wrap and detach the unwanted portion in paper or plastic and dispose of safely. Use sandpaper to smoothen the edges of the remaining portion of the bottle, if it is rough and jagged. Also, clean properly to remove tiny shards of glass that may have been formed during the cutting process. Use a damp cloth or damp paper towels to clean your work station to reduce the chances of embedding glass into your skin, thus preventing injuries.

• Step 7: Decorate

Decorating your cut bottles or glass jars is dependent on you. Freestyle as much as you want in the decoration process. Use glass spray paints on the cut bottles to design flowers and symbols or other decorations on the bottles. You can also use copper tapes to line the edges of the cut bottles to give it a touch of attraction. Apply spray paints to mark out unique designs and patterns, then remove the tape to view the unpainted glass beneath.

Some Safety Tips

Avoid using a rotatory tool of electric paper cutter near water to prevent electrocution. Always wear goggles for eye protection, face mask and long sleeves for face and body protection.

In conclusion, bottle cutting takes time and practice. Grow your skill in the art of bottle cutting, then move on to cutting and design of larger and more complicated bottles. The creativity and learning process of bottle cutting is thrilling and endless. Also, it’s proven that recycled bottles make great gifts and presents for both friends and family.