http://www.forrestrace.com/piece-opaque/
Scratched Your Glassware? No Need To Worry
Everybody has faced this problem at least once in their life. A favoured piece of glassware has been dropped or just mishandled and has picked up some ugly marks and scratches. You would be amazed just how many people throw the bit of glassware out, even though with a little work it could be made as good as new. With the right knowledge and materials, you can get your glass looking spotless again.
1.) Using harsh abrasives to buff the scratch out of the glass is not the best option. This may work on wood, but on your favorite whisky glass, you’ll end up with a horrible opaque patch that will look even worse and be even more difficult to remove. You need to use a very fine abrasive substance such as cerium oxide. You should be able to find this at glassware shops or jewelers.
2.) A polishing wheel is the next thing that you’ll need. This is a kind of buffing pad that can be attached to a drill and in combination with the fine abrasive, will gently buff out the scratch. It is very important that the polishing wheel is clean and free from any grit. The drill should not be used on a high setting as the pressure on the glass may be too large. Crystal glass is stronger and so can withstand higher spin speeds.
3.) If the scratch is quite large or deep, you may find that a polishing wheel is not enough. In most cases you can use a resin to fill in deep scratches and you can pick this up from DIY shops and specialist glassware shops. You’ll need to ensure that the resin you use has the same refractive index as the glass, otherwise it will stand out like a sore thumb, especially on crystal vases and glassware. When you have laid on the resin, the buffer and abrasive can be used to get a consistent finish and get the glass sparkling.
Three Pieces for Orchestra – Mov. 2 – Opaque Reflections Upon Ripples of Water