Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Choosing a tool
• Part 2 of 3: Cleaning and carving the mirror
• Part 3 of 3: Breaking and flattening the mirror
• Necessities
• Tips
• Warning

The concept of "cutting" a mirror is somewhat misleading. To cut glass you just have to notch the surface. This weakens the composition of the glass enough that it can then break along the line you carved. While a glass cutter is the most practical and efficient tool you can use to cut a mirror, you can also use any other tool that is sharp enough to carve the glass surface. Once you've found an object, the process of actually cutting the mirror is the same no matter what you've chosen to cut with.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Choosing a tool

1. Choose a carbide scriber for a sharp and accurate cut. Tungsten carbide scriers have a tungsten carbide tip, a high-quality cutting material used in the best glass cutters. Scriber pens are the best alternative for cutting glass without a glass cutter. These tools do not have a cutting wheel, but the tip of the scriber is extremely fine and can easily cut glass.
   • You can purchase a carbide scriber at most major hardware stores or DIY stores. It costs less than € 10.
2. Choose a diamond-tipped scriber for a more durable tool. Diamond-tipped scriers are used to score metal plates for cutting in industrial practices. As such, they are more than sharp enough to carve a sheet of mirror glass. They also last longer than most carbide scriers.
   • You can purchase a diamond-tipped scriber from online wholesalers or some craft supply stores.
   • Diamond-tipped scriers are about twice as expensive as the carbide-tipped option. They cost around € 20.
3. Use a regular steel file as an inexpensive alternative. Inexpensive glass cutters come with steel blades, so a steel file works as an approximate substitute for it. If you don't have a steel file, you can buy one for less than $ 10 at a DIY store. The file does not need to be large, but it must have relatively sharp and angled edges to cut the glass. To cut glass with steel, you have to put the sharp edge (or pointed tip) of the file against the mirror and scrape it back and forth, until you have cut the glass slightly.
   • Keep in mind that using a rough steel edge (such as a file) to cut glass can result in an inaccurate cut and a messy break. A carbide scriber will produce a sharper, cleaner and more accurate cut.

Part 2 of 3: Cleaning and carving the mirror

1. Place four or five sheets of newspaper on a large, flat surface. You can use a tabletop or work on the floor. The sheets of newspaper will smooth out any rough spots or grit on the flat surface and give you a slightly padded work space.
   • The flat surface must be able to support the entire mirror. For example, don't place the mirror on two trestles, otherwise you risk breaking it in half.
2. Spray the mirror with glass cleaner and wipe it with a microfiber cloth. The surface of the mirror will contain dust and grit. Cutting the mirror without first removing the dirt can dull your cutting tools. Or worse, you could end up with a rough and inaccurate cut.
   • You can buy both glass cleaner and microfiber cloths at a large supermarket or DIY store.
3. Measure where you want to cut the mirror. Use a metal ruler to measure the mirror and see where you want to cut. For example, if you want a 60 cm wide mirror, measure 60 cm from one side of the mirror. Measure in three or four different places and mark each spot with a small dot with a permanent marker.
   • If you are cutting the mirror to fit into a frame, measure the mirror so that it is 2 to 4 mm smaller than the inside of the frame. This gives you a nice firm fit.
4. Mark the line you will cut with a permanent marker. Hold the side of the metal ruler along the three or four dots you marked beforehand. Draw a straight line with a permanent marker. Use one hand to apply pressure to the ruler so that you draw a straight line exactly where you want to cut the glass.
5. Put on work gloves and safety goggles. Since you will be working with a cutting tool and the sharp edges of the mirror, you should put on a pair of thick leather work gloves to protect your hands from cuts. Also wear safety goggles to prevent fiber optics from getting into your eyes.
   • If you don't already have work gloves and eye protection, you can buy these from both a hardware store and a DIY store.
6. Spray four or five drops of glass cutting oil along the line you marked. Use your finger to rub the cutting oil pearls evenly over the area you will be cutting. Glass cutting oil lubricates the piece of glass that you are going to cut through. If you don't apply oil to the glass before cutting, you may end up with an irregular and rough cut.
   • You can buy glass cutting oil at a hardware store or DIY store. You can also use an all-purpose oil.
7. Notch the mirror by tracing a line across it with your cutting tool. Take your cutting tool and place the tip at one end of the line you drew with a permanent marker. Press hard on the tool and slowly draw the point along the line you marked. Keep applying pressure so that the tool cuts the glass evenly.
   • Don't stop carving the mirror once you've started. If you stop carving halfway through the cut, it is very difficult to start carving again in the same spot.
   • If you are carving the glass with a steel file, you will probably have to go over it two or three times before the glass is carved enough.

Part 3 of 3: Breaking and flattening the mirror

1. Slide a dowel under the transom the length of the notch. You use the dowel to break the mirror along the line you want cut. Make sure the dowel is perfectly centered below the score line. If it is not centered, you risk shattering the mirror when you press down.
   • If you don't already have a dowel on hand, you can buy one at a hardware store.
2. Press the sides of the glass to break the mirror along the cut line. Once the dowel is centered below the line you carved, place one hand on either side of the mirror on top of the dowels. Gently press down until you feel the mirror break in half along the score line.
   • If the mirror doesn't break at first, try pressing down in different places. For example, press the top, center, and bottom of the mirror once.
   • Always keep your hands facing each other when you press down.
3. Sand the sharp edges of the mirror with 200 grit sandpaper. You will have two rough edges after you break the mirror. Wrap a 200-grit piece of sandpaper around each edge and sand back and forth until the glass edge is smooth and dull.
   • Do not touch the edges of the mirror until they have been sanded. The rough edges are sharp and may be jagged.

Necessities

• Newspaper
• Glass cleaner
• Microfiber cloth
• Metal ruler
• Work gloves
• Safety glasses
• Glass mirror
• Permanent marker
• Ruler
• Cutting fluid for glass
• Scriber with diamond tip (optional)
• Carbide scriber (optional)
• Steel file (optional)
• Dowel
• Sandpaper grit 200

Tips

• For the best result you should of course just use a glass cutter. They are inexpensive and more effective than these substitutes.
• If you cut a mirror yourself, you will get the best result if the glass is less than 65 cm thick. If the glass is thicker, you will have better luck taking the mirror to a professional for cutting.

Warning

• Tungsten carbide scriers and diamond-tipped scriers are very sharp and can easily cut into your skin. To avoid getting hurt, always cut perpendicular to your body and never directly towards it.
• If you accidentally shatter a mirror glass pane, do not pick it up by hand as the shards could cut your fingers. Instead, use a broom to sweep the pieces into a can.