Which blade cuts glass?
Which blade cuts glass?
None — a tungsten carbide scoring wheel, one firm pass with oil, then snap it. And toughened glass cannot be cut at all.
Cutting glass is really controlled fracturing. The wheel does not remove material; it creates a fissure a fraction of a millimetre deep, and the break is then propagated along that fissure by bending. This is why the score must be a single continuous pass — going over it again destroys the fissure edge and the break wanders — and why the glass should be snapped within a minute or so, before the score relaxes. Toughened, tempered and laminated glass are excluded entirely: toughened glass is under enormous internal stress and shatters into granules the instant the surface is breached, and it can only be cut before tempering, which is why a shower screen or a table top must be ordered to size.
The options, ranked
| Option | Good at | Bad at |
|---|---|---|
| Carbide wheel glass cutter | Cheap and reliable for straight cuts in ordinary window glass and mirror. | The wheel wears and starts skipping, which produces a bad score and a bad break. |
| Oil-fed cutter | Lubricates the score continuously, which gives a cleaner run and a much better break. | Costs more, and needs the right cutting oil. |
| Diamond wet saw | The only practical way to make a curved or notched cut in glass. | Slow, wet and needs the right machine. |
| A glazier | Cuts to size accurately, handles toughened by ordering it pre-cut, and takes the risk. | Costs money for what looks like a simple job. |
Technique that changes the outcome
- Work on a flat surface with a cloth or carpet underneath
- Oil the wheel and score once, firmly and continuously, from edge to edge
- Snap immediately: lay the score over a dowel, or grip either side and flex sharply
- Arris the cut edge with a stone or wet-and-dry paper — a fresh glass edge cuts skin readily
- Wear gloves and eye protection
What goes wrong
- Re-scoring the same line
- Any attempt on toughened or laminated glass
- Cutting closer than about 15 mm to an edge, where the strip will not snap cleanly
Compiled practical guidance rather than a published standard. Product formulations vary by brand and market, so read the label — and where the work is structural, electrical or gas, the regulations that apply where you are govern rather than anything here.
Other blade questions
| For | Use |
|---|---|
| Metal | A bi-metal or carbide-tooth blade with at least three teeth in the cut — that tooth-count rule matters more than the machine. |
| Tile | A continuous-rim diamond blade with water — and cut wet, because dry cutting tile produces respirable silica dust. |
| Wood | 24 teeth for ripping and framing, 40 for general work, 60-80 for a clean crosscut finish. |
| Plywood without tearout | A sharp 60-80 tooth blade, a scoring pass, tape on the line, and the good face oriented for the tool you are using. |
| Brick | A segmented-rim diamond blade, cut wet or with on-tool extraction — brick and mortar dust is a serious silica hazard. |
| Laminate | A triple-chip or negative-hook blade for worktops, and a reverse-tooth jigsaw blade for laminate flooring cut face up. |
| Acrylic | A triple-chip negative-hook blade on a table saw, or score-and-snap for thin sheet — and keep the feed steady so it does not melt. |
| Plasterboard | A utility knife for straight cuts and a jab saw or multi-tool for cutouts — a circular saw is the wrong tool entirely. |
| Plastic pipe | A fine 24 TPI hacksaw or a proper pipe cutter — and deburr the inside afterwards, which is the step people skip. |
Common questions
- Which blade cuts glass?
- None — a tungsten carbide scoring wheel, one firm pass with oil, then snap it. And toughened glass cannot be cut at all.
- What should I avoid?
- Re-scoring the same line Any attempt on toughened or laminated glass Cutting closer than about 15 mm to an edge, where the strip will not snap cleanly
Related pages
- Which blade cuts metal? A bi-metal or carbide-tooth blade with at least three teeth in the cut — that tooth-count rule matters more than the machine.
- Which blade cuts tile? A continuous-rim diamond blade with water — and cut wet, because dry cutting tile produces respirable silica dust.
- Which circular saw blade for wood? 24 teeth for ripping and framing, 40 for general work, 60-80 for a clean crosscut finish.
- Which blade cuts plywood without tearout? A sharp 60-80 tooth blade, a scoring pass, tape on the line, and the good face oriented for the tool you are using.
- Which blade cuts brick? A segmented-rim diamond blade, cut wet or with on-tool extraction — brick and mortar dust is a serious silica hazard.
- Which blade cuts laminate? A triple-chip or negative-hook blade for worktops, and a reverse-tooth jigsaw blade for laminate flooring cut face up.
- Which blade cuts acrylic? A triple-chip negative-hook blade on a table saw, or score-and-snap for thin sheet — and keep the feed steady so it does not melt.
- Which blade cuts plasterboard? A utility knife for straight cuts and a jab saw or multi-tool for cutouts — a circular saw is the wrong tool entirely.
- Which blade cuts plastic pipe? A fine 24 TPI hacksaw or a proper pipe cutter — and deburr the inside afterwards, which is the step people skip.
- Which glue works on glass? Glue and adhesive
- Which drill bit should I use for glass? Drill bit
Sources
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place