Have you ever found yourself in front of a beautiful piece of crystal that is so damaged that you wonder if you should throw it away?

Like that time you set that beautiful table and realized one of your glasses was chipped.

Or the time you took out a vase to put flowers in that someone had just given you, but it was scratched.

Those glasses and that vase that you love so much but can't use.

I know this makes me really want to get angry.

You say to yourself: "There's nothing to do, I'll get rid of it."

The worst is when you have a set of 6 glasses . If one is damaged, your set is ruined.

Why keep an object that I can no longer use?

But make no mistake. It is possible to fix them.

Don't worry, everything is fine.

You are saved.

In this article I will give you solutions to give your crystal a new lease of life.

In the vast majority of cases it is possible to resolve the problem.

As you can imagine, since I started working I have seen everything. Even things you could not imagine.

So be sure I will give you the right tips:

• Do you have chipped glasses ?

• Are your crystal pieces scratched or whitish?

• Is your vase broken?

• You can't find any solution because for you the only way out is the trash?

I know you would like to find a quick and effective solution.

That you want to reuse all those objects that you take great care of.

Okay!! Let's put an end to all this:

I'll explain to you how to do it.

There are different possibilities depending on the type of problem and product.

I'll start with polishing.

Tip number 1: How to revive your crystal objects through polishing.

It will depend on their quality, origin and lead oxide content.

If you want to know what quality your glasses are, read my article: “Tips for your crystal glasses: 7 simple steps to recognize quality crystal every time”.

Because I can only help you if they are made of crystal and not crystalline, or glass (even Murano ).

No, I'm not trying to discourage you.

This is actually a complete polishing of the damaged part.

What will be decisive for the future will be the lead oxide content present in the crystal which will allow it to be repolished (glass vase and cup etc.).

On the contrary, crystalline glass or Murano glass (which is glass mixed with arsenic) cannot be repolished because the special products used are only effective and compatible with crystal.

This is the one and only possible solution to restore the shine to glasses that have been bleached or micro-scratched by time, limescale or the dishwasher (if you want tips on the dishwasher, here is the link to an article I wrote: CLICK HERE )

The work consists of repolishing the glass using a mixture of sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid which will remove a micro layer.

But be careful, the products used are extremely dangerous and toxic acids which are used in a specially designed workshop, with huge acid tanks, rinsing tanks and suitable ventilation.

Because even the vapors of this mixture of sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid, heated to over 70 degrees, are extremely harmful by inhalation.

I know you're asking yourself this question: "What do I do if I want to keep the stamp because polishing will erase everything?"

If it is my signature it is obviously possible to give it back and for the other big houses it will always be possible for you to consult a reseller or the parent company who will be able to give you a certificate or failing that the plate where this piece appears. This will allow you to attest to its origin.

I guess you don't just have glasses.

Beautiful vases or other pieces should adorn your tables.

There are solutions for them too.

Tip number 2: how to give new life to your glasses , vases or other crystal works , by re-cutting them.

Your vase is cracked, your lamp is chipped, or even your cup.

You think it is not possible to repair them.

They are at the back of the closet or in the attic because you don't know what to do with them.

Very often customers do not dare to bring me their item because for them there is no way out.

You have to dare.

Most of the time there is a solution.

But be careful, I don't perform miracles.

If there is a crack at the bottom of the part, repair will unfortunately be impossible.

Usually a champagne bucket that has suffered a thermal shock (when you put the ice cubes in without having added a little water first), or a vase washed with water that is too hot.

On the other hand, if there is a crack at the top. The risk that the piece will split completely is significant, but I can try to cut it without any guarantee of results.

The job will be to cut the piece from where the crack ends.

But, frankly, keeping a cracked part is useless. So you might as well try and in this way make it a living and usable object.

It either needs to be repaired or thrown away.

It depends on the value of the piece, its origin, and the importance you attach to it (family memories, gifts, etc.).

But it's not over yet.

Sometimes it is possible to make scratches (by the way, ladies, remember to take off your rings when you clean crystal, because this is the best solution for making scratches).

In this case I will only be able to solve your problem if the scratches are under the foot or on a flat surface.

I will need to resurface the bottom of the piece and polish it to restore its shine.

Because on one edge or inside it will require too much work.

Anyway, whatever happens, you can send me pictures of the part or bring it to me and I will tell you what I can do.

So you can see the machines I use here are some photos and explanatory videos.

Above is a crystal cutting lathe which allows you to resize your pieces using diamond wheels of different diameters and profiles.

It is also with this same machine that all the cut decorations on vases, glasses and various objects are made.

In the photo on the right we see a cork wheel on which pumice stone is applied, to polish small surfaces.

Above is a sanding machine which is used to resurface the edge of chipped glass or any other parts, using abrasive belts of different grain sizes (coarse grain for roughing, then increasingly finer, until polishing).

On the right, the small white machine is a diamond cone used for beveling glass (this consists of softening the interior angle to make it non-sharp).

Below are two videos about the repairs and the machines used:

1/ Video of glass repair made by cutting crystal:

2/ Video of glass repair made using polishing:

Tip Number 3: How to recycle your crystal.

What? Recycle.

All these pieces gathering dust, I think I'll give them away.

But no!!

Don't do it. It is possible to recondition your valuable items.

As you can see in the video above, it is possible to re-cut a coin if it is chipped.

Of course this will make it shorter, but it won't stop you from using it.

For example, a wine glass will become an aperitif glass , or a liqueur glass .

But there is another solution for stemmed glasses .

If you break the foot. It is possible to trim it neatly to turn it into a table bell.

Here is an example photo:

A vase that is missing a large piece can be cut to transform it into a pocket emptier, an ice bucket or even an ashtray .

TO YOU:

There you have it, I have given you the complete method to be able to recycle your crystal efficiently.

You have all the solutions

I know that often you don't really want to do it, that all these pieces remain at the back of the closet.

You say to yourself: "I don't have time"

Of course I do.

It takes you a few minutes.

After that it depends if you are really attached to it or not.

But if you keep them, you don't throw them away, it's not for nothing.

And if this has just happened to you, don't despair. You now have the solutions.

Even if there isn't always one, you know what is possible and you will be able to

share all these tips with your loved ones.

Now you know all the real techniques to repair your crystal.

You see it's very simple, no need to worry anymore

So start now.

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And you: what tips from this article will you put in place to repair your crystal?

What rooms have you transformed?

Did this article help you find any solutions?

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