Krupnik Old Liqueur ranks among my favourite liqueurs. Previously, I had repurposed an older version of the bottle it came in. Although they’ve updated its appearance, the flavour and recipe remained unchanged. The new bottle looked like an ideal project and I simply needed a new glass, especially something like that – slightly tapered towards the top, heavy and with thick walls. I couldn’t resist making one.
Before scoring the line on the glass, I needed to change the cutting wheel. The jig I made was equipped with a head, simply snapped off from a glass cutter. Periodically, I rotate the wheels to ensure a fresh and sharp one. However, accessing the head with a Philips screwdriver is a bit tricky, so disassembling the jig first is necessary. Fortunately, this isn’t a big issue since it’s only done occasionally. Using an MDF scrap to support the bottle from the bottom, I scored a perfect line. When the water boiled, I simply cracked the glass along that line.
I removed all the labels using both water and a heat gun and cleaned the glass with white spirit. That step was necessary due to safety concerns – the bottle was tacky and could stick to my skin during sanding. Once everything was prepared, I began the sanding process, using grits ranging from 40 to 2500.
That time, I sanded the outside arris round instead of chamfered. Although it involved more work, the results were more satisfying, the glass looked and felt better to the touch. Once that was done, I began sanding the inside arris, using sanding drums ranging from 240 to 600 grit. Additionally, I utilised my trusty wet-and-dry sanding drum with a grit of 2500. Finally, I polished the glass with blue compound and much finer scratch remover paste, each applied with its own dedicated wheel or mop.
That was all it took to make a fantastic drinking glass. It was placed in the dishwasher straight away, and once the washing cycle was done, I could enjoy my new glass. Heavy and thick, with plain walls and some markings on the bottom, as is typical with bottles. There are times when a new glass container is necessary, whether for drinking water, alcohol, or perhaps as a flower vase. The desired colour may also vary. That time, I needed a large, clear glass, but who knows what will be needed in the future?
