Grinding out Chipped Edges

Sometimes the edge of a drop vase is chipped during the polishing process, or more frequently, during use. What to do?

 Grind the edges down until the chip disappears. This seems like an obvious statement. But it is often overlooked.

 

 

The grinding can be at a slight angle to the length or parallel to the base of the piece. The angled grinding removes less glass but needs a jig of some sort to keep the angle consistent. The difficulties of obtaining a consistent angle grind, makes grinding a flat edge simpler.

 You can do this flat grinding and polishing by hand in only a half hour or so. Although a flat lap or belt sander will enable you to do it more quickly.

 You have to be careful while griding, especially when using the rough grits, to avoid small chips on the new edges. One trick I learned is to make a small bevel or chamfered arris the edge before doing the flat grinding.

 

Credit: www.pavingxpert

 If it is a large or deep chip you are grinding away, you will need to do it in stages.

 You do not want a large arris at any stage. It is possible to create such a large arris that you have to grind more glass away than the original chip would have demanded. When the grinding comes close to the end of the arrised edge, stop. Make a small arris on the edge again before continuing to grind the face. Repeat this as often as required until the chip is removed. 

 Make this arris at the start of every finer grit. The arris will not need to be so big as for the first, rough grinding. You are not taking off as much glass on the surface. But the arris will prevent tiny chips appearing at the edge of the polished surface.

 I give a final arris the polished edge. This gives a pleasant roundness to the edge. It also keeps the edge from being delicate and subject to further chips.