How to Cut Wine Bottles for Crafts

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

A great way to recycle old wine bottles is to use them for home decorations. However, if you need to change their shape for the craft, you'll find that cutting them takes a lot of practice. Moreover, since you're dealing with glass, it's very important that you learn to cut wine bottles the right way.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a String

1
Wrap a string around the bottle several times, then tie it on. You want to wrap it at least 3-4 times tightly around the widest part of the bottle. Then cut off the ends of the knot.
2
Slide the wrapped string off the top of the bottle. Keep it tight, trying to leave the string in a nice ring.

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3
Soak the string in acetone, which is often used as nail polish remover. The acetone will burn, heating the bottle along your string line to make it break off cleanly. It only needs to soak for a few minutes.
4
Slip the string back on the bottle, stopping it roughly where it starts to taper up into the neck. You can put the string anywhere, depending on how tall you want your bottle. This is more or less where the bottle will cut.
5
Light the string on fire over a tub of water, with the bottle held horizontally. The string should catch quickly.^{[1]
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Research source} Always have your bucket of water right there on hand to prevent any mistakes or accidents.
6
Spin the bottle as it heats up to distribute the heat evenly. Use both hands to turn the bottle as if it were a piece of corn. Keep spinning until the acetone stops burning, which is usually when it starts to smoke.
7
Dunk the bottle in cold water to "cut" right at the hot, flaming string. The abrupt change in temperature should sheer the bottle right where the flame was. Take a piece of sandpaper and smooth out the edges to prevent any possible shards or rough spots.^{[2]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Scoring and Slicing

1
Purchase an industrial bottle cutter or sharp precision knife. These are small machines that are made to evenly slice rounded pieces of glass. You likely won't need one for much else than this, but bottle cutters are helpful, cheap tools if you're doing this a lot. Otherwise, a glass cutting knife or sharp, precision blade will do just fine.^{[3]
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2
Snugly wrap an industrial hose clamp around the wine bottle to provide a "tracing" line. Place it wherever you wish to make the cut, ensuring that it is sitting evenly. This clamp will provide your guidance line when scoring the bottle, like using a ruler to draw a straight line. You could also use a roll of masking tape with the bottle shoved in the center to provide a nice, straight line.
3
Using a sharp, precision knife, score the bottle by following your tracing line. Follow the line of the clamp to unsure an even cut. Work slowly and methodically.^{[4]
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- You may have to trace out this line 3-4 times to get a nice, deep score. Note that you aren't trying to cut through the bottle, just create a nice, even line.
4
Heat the line you scored over a candle. Rotate the bottle so that the whole line gets nice and hot. Heat changes cause glass to weaken, and your already scored mark around the bottle will help speed up the process and ensure and even break.^{[5]
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- Heat the scored line for about 5-6 seconds.
5
Rub an ice cube around the scored line. You will hear a slow breaking sound as you do. Carefully pull apart the two bottle pieces.^{[6]
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6
Reheat the bottle and reapply the ice cube if it doesn't work at first. By the second or third application, the bottle will slide away and you'll be left with two distinct pieces.
7
Sand away any rough edges before using. While this method creates a relatively clean break, you can never be too careful. Sand down the rim to get rid of any jagged or rough edges.^{[7]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can you cut glass without a glass cutter?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You can cut the glass using the string method. You can also score a line around the bottle with a piece of sharp glass, then heat a wire over a flame until it’s red hot. Wrap the wire around the bottle where you scored the cut line, then submerge the bottle in cold water. The glass should break along the line of the wire.
Question

How do you make a drinking glass out of a wine bottle?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Cut the top off the bottle at the desired height using your preferred method, then sand down the edges. The bottom of the bottle will form the base of your glass!
Question

What if I want to cut the bottle at an angle?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

If you’re using the string method, wrap the string diagonally around the bottle at the desired angle, so one side is higher than the other. For the scoring method, you can also use a string or wire to create your tracing line instead of using a hose clamp to guide your scoring tool.

Warnings

Always wear gloves and goggles when cutting glass.

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Be careful not to rush this you; if you cut too quickly, you might end up breaking the glass and getting cut.

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