How We Engrave

How do you engrave the glassware?

We primarily use sandblasting, which is the premier method for engraving glass. Sandblasting produces a deep, even mark, and it allows for complete design flexibility. It produces the finest result of all the available engraving methods. For some special designs, we use laser engravers.

How does sandblasting work?

In sandblasting, an individual film mask is made and hand applied to each glass, which is then blasted in a cabinet by a high pressure stream of air and abrasive. The mask protects the glass areas that will remain clear, while the abrasive carves away the glass in the areas to be engraved. The result is a beautiful and elegant mark on the glass.

Will the engraving be permanent?

Absolutely. It is carved into the glass. Unlike screenprinted glasses, the engraving will never wash, chip, or wear off.

How detailed can my design be?

Sandblasting can produce extremely intricate results. The designs for the film masks are created on a computer graphics program, so anything that can be set up in black and white on a computer screen can be replicated on the glassware.

Are there limitations with engraving?

The main limitation is color. We do not do any inking or screenprinting....we exclusively engrave. While engraved glass has a more elegant appearance and is permanently marked, it is limited to the frosted white color of carved glass. For that reason, artwork or images that we use for engraving work best if they are single color images without shading.

What about laser engraving?

We do use lasers for special designs that aren't compatible with sandblasting....for example, with the spiral message designs that wrap all the way around the glasses. With laser engraving, the mark is made by the heat of the laser which is focused on the surface of the glass. Laser engravings are also permanent, but they do not have the depth of the sandblasted engravings. Items that are lasered are all identified as such in the product writeup.