Lubrication for cutters

You can cut glass without oil.  It has been done for a long time.  But it has been found that there are advantages to using oil on a score line.

The purpose of oil:

·        A minor element is to oil the cutter wheel.

·        A major element is to oil the score line.  An oiled score line stays open longer than a dry one.  

·        An oiled score line reduces the amount of visible chipping from the score line.

The kind of oil

·        Mineral oil does not oxidise to gum up the scoring wheel.

·        Any light mineral oil from sewing machine oil to WD40 is acceptable. Some use very light oils such as turpentine or white spirits.

·        There are cutting oils that are synthetic and easier to clean than the standard oils and spirits, in that less residue is left when the oil is wiped off.

·        Vegetable oils might appear to be a good substitute.  But they oxidise and become sticky, attracting dust and other particles which soon block the turning of the scoring wheel.  This requires frequent checking and cleaning.  Avoid vegtable oils.

Methods of applying

·        The oil can be put into the cutters that have a reservoir.

·        The cutter can be dipped into a container of oil with or without an oil-soaked material.

·        The oil can be painted onto the glass before scoring.

  Any combination of the above will work.