Breaking the Bottle {how to}

wine bottle vase 2

I might be on a little kick with wine bottles lately…I can’t help it, there’s just so many amazing possibilities using the corks and empty bottles!  If you enjoyed my recent post on making a Wine Cork Mat, then this next “how to” should really get your creative juices flowing!  There are tons of ways to up-cycle those empty wine bottles we all aquire, but many of the projects you’ll find require the wine bottle to be cut in half…sounds scary, I know.  Really this process is much easier than you may think, all you need is some string, a little nail polish remover, and a match.  Of course, you will need to use caution with any project involving fire, but this one’s pretty simple.  Follow this simple “how to” below and learn how to cut a wine bottle using household items!

PS. If you’re a wine drinker, your going to need a place for the fancy glasses too ;), learn how to make a hanging wine glass rack out of any old peice of wood!

How to Cut a Wine Bottle

Gather Up:

Cotton String

Acetone Nail Polish Remover

a match

pot of ice cold water

step 1 p

Fill a pot with ice cold water and set to the side

step 2 p

Wrap a (medium thickness) piece of cotton string around the wine bottle three times (wrap it around up to 6 times for a thicker bottle), tie it.

*UPDATE*  Many have found success using yarn (and some even say shoelace works great!).

Once the string is tied, slide it off the wine bottle.

step 3 p

Soak the string in acetone based nail polish remover for 10 seconds

step 4 p

Put the nail polish remover soaked string back around the bottle on the spot where you would like it to cut

step 5 p

Using a match light just the string on fire, continually rotate the bottle in circles so that the fire spins around the bottle.  Keep rotating the bottle until the flames goes out.

**Keep the fire going for as long as you possibly can, especially for thicker bottles.  The bottle will not break if it doesn’t get hot enough!  You may even need to do this a step a few times on thicker bottles.  I had a hard time keeping the flame going, but once you do it a couple times you’ll get the hang of it.  Just keep rotating very quickly!

step 6 p

Once the flame goes out, quickly submerge the bottle in a pot of ice cold water and watch it break!

Now you can imagine all of the possibilities for up-cycling wine bottles!

What are some ways that you’ve up-cycled wine bottles?  Share your thoughts and ideas below!

jordan picklee signiture1

226 responses to “Breaking the Bottle {how to}

  1. I would give this idea 5+ pickles.How the heck did you ever come across such an idea? I have wanted to know how to do this for ages and finally – an easy, simple way!!! You are brilliant. Thank you for sharing, Lis

    1. Lis, I was amazed when I came across this idea too. Stay tuned for lots of wine bottle DIY’s I have planned for the future =)

      1. When I was little my Dad did this w kerosene. He made cheese & cracker dishes. He made a round cutting board for the cheese. The top of the bottle fit over that. The bottom of the bottle was for the crackers. He made the bottle short so it wasn’t too top heavy.

      2. My dad used to do this years ago on his allotment,for seedlings ect.After cutting the bottle cut he would smooth the edges by swirling the flat edge on the paving slab,in a circular movement,really easy,smothed very quickly.

      1. This is what I did. I wound the string around my Corona bottle like 8 times. When I took the string off, I twisted it to look like rope, then soaked it in the acetone. When the flame went out, I dipped it NECK FIRST into the water (I used ice water). Broke first time. Don’t dip sideways, it won’t work. I tried it twice like that. Dip straight down, neck first.

        1. Thank you so much! My friend and I have been trying to cut bottles for her wedding for two months and just couldnt get it. The KEY is when putting the bottle in the water it HAS to be neck STRAIGHT DOWN!!!!! any other way DOES NOT work!!!

      2. Did not work for me. I tried it with a clear wine bottle. I tried it with 3 X around, 4X, and 6x around with the twine. I tried soaking it for 10 seconds, 1 minute, and longer. Bummer!

        1. I’m not sure twine would work. I tried with cotton and it didn’t work but I had better luck with half acrylic half cotton string.
          I inverted the top part of the bottle and set it into the bottom part of the bottle and made a hydroponic planter, a planter that only takes as much water as it needs. 🙂 I love it can’t wait to make more. My edges are really jagged and dangerous-looking but I bet it all comes with practice.

          1. Ash, you have to sand the edges! Don’t leave them jagged, thats dangerous hon…

          2. Use sandpaper to smooth the edges so you don’t cut yourself. Or… you can always cover the sharp edges with a layer of hot glue.

          3. You can put the bottle in boiling water and cook it for several minutes. that should smooth the edges as well. 😉
            but take care of the label, it will go off.

          1. I have tried this multiple times. The first time I followed the direction exactly…didn’t work. I then went and bought cotton string/twine and new Nail Polish remover (thinking my supply was too old). Tried it several more times wrapping the string more each time, letting the string soak more each time, adding more ice to the ice water. Can’t get it to work…bummer! Any helpful hints???

    2. I also LOVE this idea, but like many of you- all attempts have failed so far…. no matter how many times I wrap it with the cotton string, or the right nail polish, I have yet to make progress.

  2. I came across this from your inspiration post where you have beer bottle glasses. Love this idea! My mom’s been working with glass for a few years now and does a lot of fancy-schmancy bottle upcycling work. She has a glass saw that she uses to cut tops off and all, but this idea is great for those who don’t want to invest in the expense. The only thing is, if you’re going to use them for drinking glasses, you should definitely smooth out the top so you don’t cut your lips (I assume that you get a pretty rough edge from this cutting technique?) That’s super easy to do with a cheepy butane torch. LOVE the DIY. Came from Pinterest, but I’ll be coming back again 🙂

    1. Jillian, it could be a couple things…if the bottle’s pretty thick you mat have to wrap the string around 6-8 times, and make sure it’s cotton (I used yarn). Also, keep the flame going as long as you can the plunge into the cold water immediately. Make sure the water is very cold ( I even added ice). The quick shock is what helps the bottle break.

      Give it another try and let me know how you make out!!

      Jordan

    1. Danielle,

      Make sure you wrap the sting tight a few times around. Also, be sure to use nail polish remover with acetone, this is important. Also, keep the flame rotating around the bottle as long as possible then dip into ICE COLD water.

      Best of luck!

      1. I tried this with string and with yarn and it did not work. I even wrapped it around a few extra times nothing. Can you use pure actone or does it have to be mixed with polish remover? If you could let me know it would be great I love the idea. Thanks

        1. Kim, it’s important to keep the flame lit at long as possible, it can take a few tries. I wouldn’t try the pure acetone, only because I never have and I can’t say how it would work. Also, maybe try using a thinner bottle first?

  3. i want to know how the wine was!! I have been wanting to order some DT wine. Im actually going to see DMB this weekend! I would love to get a bottle & do what you did with the flowers. It would go perfect with the rest of our decor!!

      1. Target also sells the DT wines, I agree they are very good, of course I am bias to anything connected to DMB. I might add that his (DM) Blenheim wines are also very good.

        1. Walmart, Target, Giant Eagle, Krogers all sell DT wines… Walmart is about $3-4 cheaper than the rest. I am going to try this technique tonite on my DT crush bottle…

  4. I wasn’t able to get this to work either. I tried wrapping the string around more time, using thicker string, etc. I put lots of ice into the water as well. I tried on a wine bottle and then on a beer bottle with thinner glass but no success. ):

    1. Katie, consistancy is key, keep trying with the string in the same spot everytime! Also, make sure that you are using nail polish remover with acetone. It took me three tries on my first bottle.

      Good luck!

      1. Cannot, no matter what get this to work! I was so excited as I have some beautiful bottles I was saving! I GIVE UP BUT I do LOVE that particular wine also. It runs about $13.00 per here in Florida.

  5. For those of you who are having trouble, you should double-check that your polish remover has acetone. Lots of removers these days are non-acetone. Just a thought!

  6. after a few tries (and setting the kitchen sink on fire!) my husband and i got this to work. it’s really fun and took a little work, but the vase looks great! we used the bottle of wine from our wedding that had been sitting empty in the cabinet that i was hoping to use for something. now it serves as a great reminder of our wedding that we can use year round!

    1. Sara, this is great! Well not so much about the sink on fire…but what a great way to showcase something so special to you 🙂

      1. I’m trying this tonight. Quick question…since I’m going to be cutting off the bottom of the wine bottle (to use with pillar candles) do I submerge the bottom of the bottle in the cold water? or do I need to completely submerge the entire bottle in, at once? Thank you!

  7. Pinterest has shown some people using used spirits bottles for tumblers and such. Can you recommend a way to smooth out the edges to make it drinkable?

    1. You can get glass files at hardware stores, or if you are handy with tools there are sander attachments designed for glass that go on rotary tools like dremel, etc.
      Worst case – get some high grit sandpaper and go to town.
      In any case – WEAR A MASK, glass dusk and shavings can be really bad for your lungs!

      1. Wet sandpaper technique. Get wet/dry sand paper at your favorite store, set into a shallow dish/cookie sheet and pour water in. Place the cut glass into water and start sanding. The water prevents glass from flying around, especially those itty bitty sand ones.

  8. Love this idea, thank you! It took me three times, and what finally worked:
    – Have enough water to plunge the bottle head first into the water, and only plunge the top of the bottle up to the string. I don’t know if I was doing it wrong the first two times.. I was putting the whole bottle in.
    – The water had a *lot* of ice in it.
    – It was a thick bottle, so I wound the string around 6 times (first two times I only wound it around 3 times.)
    The only thing I haven’t worked out is how to make the cut a straight one (it’s a little wobbly), and to smooth out the top. I’m thinking maybe sandpaper?

  9. This is a super cute idea! I love lots of wine bottle labels and think they are pieces of art – what a great way to showcase them. Question: How do you not mess up the label when you are setting the string on fire or submerging the bottle in water? I can’t wait to try this!

  10. Tried this and I couldn’t get the string to light on fire. Weird, huh? I actually ended up using twine and that worked.

  11. I wonder if using a thick braid of cotton string would make a more even edge? Not that it matters much for me, as I’d use these for decoration and maybe, if small enough, containers for upcycled candles. Just a thought. 🙂

  12. I’m going to try this tonight I am so excited, I have been looking at tons of ideas on how to do this for the last few years as I am an avid wine drinker…hopefully I can get it to work and will be able to perfect my technique by xmas!

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  14. Love this idea and am wondering, how do you smooth the edges of the cut glass? Love your blog and will be checking back…..

    1. I’m glad you enjoy Picklee! I haven’t tried making the glasses myself, but I would suggest using a heavy grit sand paper to smooth out the edges…

      Has anyone tried the glasses with smooth edges yet?

  15. I love it!! Can’t wait to post a link on our wine blog! So creative!! A whole set of them would make such a great accent for a long harvest table picnic! Or casual wedding…

  16. I have tried this like 10 times and nothing has happened 🙁 I have read all the things you have said to others who have had problems and still nothing. I don’t know what to do…

      1. me too… have tried 4 times, definitely using acetone polish remover, cotton string, wrapping 8 times, plunging neck first. sad and frustrating. was really excited about this.

    1. What type of string did you use? I used cotton, and the key is making sure it stays lit long enough. Also, be sure that the nail polish remover is acetone.

    2. After a few times, I finally had success! What I did was used some pretty thick yarn and wrapped it around about 4 times. I let it burn for as long as possible and dipped it into the water just before it looked like the flame was about to go out (it starts flickering a bit). I hope this helps!

  17. I tried this with my dad and the first 3 times it didn’t work. My dad covered the opening of the bottle with his thumb while rotating it and that seemed to have done it. We tried with different bottles and they all cut where we wanted. Only problem we had was that the bottles had cracks going vertically. Did this happen to anyone’s?

    1. Vanessa,

      Was the string wrapped tightly arounod one small spot and was the fire well contained? If other areas of the bottle got too hot it would cause the vertical cracks…

  18. Thanks for the great idea!!! Mine worked first time!
    I filled the sink quite full and added ice.
    I also used twine for mine and found it burns for a lot longer than expected I wrapped it around 8 times after soaking it in the nail polish first.
    I think also what angle you are rotating your bottle at makes a difference I rotated mine horizontally so the flame was straight up at 90 degrees from bottle so its not touching any of the glass just burning the twine. I also only dipped it in the water just past where the line of twine was.
    I took the bottom of the beer glass off not the neck because i wanted to but a candle under it it works really well!!!
    The only problem I had was trying to get the cut even it’s a bit wonky.

  19. I want to try this, I have just picked the most beautiful pink hydrangeas from my yard. I have a great wine bottle to use, but I am home alone it would be safe to have a buddy incase I go on fire!!!! LOL but I will do soon and just pick more flowers.

  20. On May 27 someone said you can smooth the edge for a glass using a butane torch. Anybody tried that? I would love to be able to make glasses.

  21. I have a Dom Perigon bottle from a few years back that is just sitting here, going to try this Saturday. Wish me luck!

  22. I LOVE this idea but I’m getting really frustrated by my continued failures. I’ve braided the string, wrapped it up to 8 times, I’m plunging into ice H20, using cotton kitchen string, to no avail. The wine bottle just laughs at me as I’ve even tried knocking it on the side of the sink thinking it was at least weakened – not a chance. I’ll try a few of the above “tricks” that I haven’t yet employed and hope for success. After that, I will try a different bottle as this one may just be super thick.

  23. I had to use the string method 4 times & then it worked perfectly. I think holding the lighter to the string for about 30 seconds before letting it burn out is key. I also hang up the strings to dry and reuse them. This is a great trick! Thanks for sharing! :)))

  24. Is it possible that some of you who are having problems are waiting too long after the flame goes out? If you don’t dip it in cold water while it is very hot nothing will happen. Instead, try rotating the bottle until the flame begins to die out, and before it does completely dip it vertically into the cold water. My husband and I did this and it worked the first time. We accidentally left the cap on and it built up so much pressure that the bottom actually blew off (in one piece, but I don’t suggest that, lol) Hope this helps 🙂

  25. Might be a dumb question but I’ve been wondering about this for a while- is it still sharp when you cut it?

    1. Absolutely! Needs to be sanded with up to 220 grit sandpaper and if you have a dremmel tool, that is helpful as well.

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    1. Get a special drill bit from your local hardware or home depot store made just for glass and ceramics, and keep the bottom of the bottle under water (I used an old dishpan) while you drill it. Works well!

    2. buy a “diamond drill bit” at home depot or lowe’s, theyre made to drill into glass. fill a sink with water a few inches deeper than the diameter of the bottle, and use a sponge to rest the bottle on steady. wear safety goggles, and drill while the bottle is under water, use a cordless drill and keep the bottle and the drill steady… and have a buddy present if youre as afraid of being electricuted as i am.

    3. Diamond bit drill bit found at your favorite hardware store. You’ll spend about $14 bucks. And keep the glass and the tip of bit immersed in the water, like suggested. Else you’ll shatter the glass. 😀

  27. We have tried this more than 5 times today. With anywhere between 2-8 wraps of cotton string, acetone polish remover, and ice cold water. I even used the DMB bottle of wine!! Anyways, I am really looking forward to this working, so any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!

  28. I’ve tried this multiple times already with a bud light platinum bottle. I used the string, the nail polish remover, and the ice cold water. Nothing is working, not even a crack. What could I be doing wrong? Any tips? Oh and what type of nail polish remover are you using, how much acetone does it have?

  29. you can buy 100% acetone remover at most drug stores… you can also purchase a glass scorer at most hardware stores, they weaken the glass but are difficult to control (i recommend marking the line you want to cut with tape or something to guide you to get a more even cut) but the tool only costs $4 and will break the bottle… i usually heat the scored line with a grill lighter and drop it into ice water to get a cleaner break and then sand the edges starting with corse sand paper and working down to a finer grit

  30. I’m have troubles with it cracking down the side of the bottle when i dip it in ice water…any way that I can keep it from doing that I have less than a month to get it right and not many more wine bottles that i’m able to use (don’t drink wine but have a wine themed wedding shower that I am doing center peices for on July 22) HELP!!

  31. This did not work for me at all. Tried a few different ways. After my several attempts, i decided it would be best if i just bought a glass cutting tool. Found one amazon for $20 and can use it to cut the bottles into rings, which can be used for making wind chimes. All in all, this idea was clever, but not effective.

  32. I’m so bummed! I tried like 10 times on two different bottles with everyone’s tips, tricks etc. and nothing 🙁 I was really looking forward to a new vase and candle holders!

  33. Just could not get this to work, did everything, read all the comments.. now I just have a headache from burning acetone fumes..

    1. Diane,

      Make sure you are using acetone nail polish remover, also try wrapping the string around the bottle a few more times. Also, make sure to keep rotating it quickly.

      Hope this helps!

  34. I’ve been meaning to try this for a while, and from reading what others have said, I got thinking: Does it necessarily have to be nail polish remover? Or could you use some other flammable liquid like alcohol? Just curious.

  35. I have not tried this yet, but can’t wait. I have been saving awesome bottles and finally came across your instructions. I was wondering, if I pour candle wax into this bottle and put it on a candle warmer (like I do with all my candles), do you think the glass will break? I don’t like to light candles but I will if you think the candle warmer will break the glass. I know glass can withstand lots of heat but just wanted to be sure. Thanks.

  36. This is THE most fabulous idea. Thank you so much for sharing! The possibilities are endless for us wine drinkers now!!

  37. still haveing trouble with this could it be that the bud lite bottles are not the right one to use. i had trouble with it staying lit then when it did it .broke jaged.

  38. Hello, thanks for sharing such a brilliant idea. Are there any safety tips we should take note of? 🙂

  39. this is great. My daughter and I tried it the other night. Turning the bottle and speed is the key.. if the bottle doesn’t break the first time it may need more string. Remember the thickens of the bottle play a huge part. 🙂 And going straight down with no angle works too. Some glass can be melted with a flame but be very careful.. the bottle gets hot quick.

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  41. Ok we have tried this 4x with all the correct materials & NOTHING!!
    We wrapped a beer bottle 6x, soaked string in acetone, had a great flame & still
    no break:( How long should the flame burn before submerging into ice cold H2O?
    Any recommendations on bottle types that broke would be helpful.
    Thank you!!!!

  42. I actually just tried this…the first bottle didnt work nor did the string obviously. The only other string i had was a shoe string and it broke on the first try!

  43. Does not work. Tried this a zillion times. Wasted a whole bottle of 100% pure acetone, used the correct string and used ice water.

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  45. Wow!!! That’s simply amazing how you are able to do that… I saw one post that mentioned what type of string to use – I believe it said 1/2 cotton and the other 1/2 acrylic – am I right??? If so, then, the acrylic is a plastic compound, and when heated by the flame, it gives off a tremendous amount of heat. The cooton is an absorbant type of material and will retain the fuel, the nail polish remover, that “fuels the fire. That’s probably why those two materials togeher work so well!!! This is the first time I really paid attention to my niece’s posting on FB – her name is Terri Bauman-Corner. I must admit you are not only beautiful, but you’re also very talented… I bet you had a wise old grandmother somewhere along the way that shared “Heloise’s Secrets” with you when you were younger!!! Am I close, or did you go to some kind of arts and crafts school??? Then again, you could just be brillant and naturally talented!!! Either way, you’re fantastic and I expect to see more great inovative ideas from you in the future… How do I get automatic e-mails from you when you post new things??? I would truly love to be on some kind of mailing list… Please include me if such a list exists.. Thank you for sharing and exchanging your ideas with all of us… In this time and age with the economy the way it is, we should all strive to re-do our junk and recycables and turn them into priceless one-of-a-kind works of art made from the heart… I’m sure all of these in-expensive items would make great gifts… Go girl — and keep the ideas coming!!!

    1. Mike, thank you for your kind words! I come from of family of very crafty women, and I’ve always loved creating things from nothing 🙂 No arts and craft school, believe it or not, I went to school for business! To sign up for email updates, simply enter your email address on the top of the site where it says “get fresh picks”, then make sure to approve the request in your email afterwards.

      Thanks again, I hope you continue to enjoy Picklee!

      1. For a light bulb all you have to do is heat it with a lighter or candle no string and no acetone and then dunk it in cold water. I’ve done it a lot!

  46. I use cotton yarn and it works very well. I am using this to make bottle chimes. I have found that the green glass works a lot better than any other color of glass. It seems like there is something in the green glass that helps it break smoother than the others. I use medium grade sand paper to smooth my edges and it works great. I love your post! Thank you for sharing it.

    1. Erin, thanks for the great tips! I think much the success in doing this comes down to the type of sting used. It seems that yarn (and shoelace, surprisingly!) have the best results. I’m glad you were able to create something great using this!

  47. I just tried 3 times with string and did not have success so I tried with yarn. I wrap it around 5 or 6 times and it works great. My edges are a little rough so I need to pratice some more. This is a great idea.

    1. Great to hear that you found success with the yarn! Looks like yarn is the best bet for this project!

  48. I love that this worked! I used a 100% cotton yarn. I wrapped it around about 4 times. Set it on fire, let it burn then submerged in water. It didn’t break. I did it immediately again, putting the string in exactly the same spot and it worked. I think one key thing is to be sure to tie the string tightly to the bottle. I did get a small crack from the break up the side but not very noticeable. Will keep trying and hopefully get it to not crack!
    Thanks for sharing this technique!!

  49. 3 days, 15 tries, yarn, shoelaces, and cotton thread were used; acetone nail polish and letting the flame go a long time, and STILL no luck:( I’m throwing a shower and wanted to do this for decorations, but now have ran out of time and patience. I even froze the pot of water to make sure the water was cold enough! Bummer, I really wanted it to work! If you have any advice, I’d eventually like to gather the patience to try it again!

  50. I have been wanting to know how to do this for so long, and was actually just thinking about it the other day. THANK YOU!! this is awesome 🙂

  51. It took a couple of attempts for me to get it BUT keep at it. My problem was I underestimated how thick the bottle was. Put more string than you think, and more ice than you think. I’m obsessed with my new vase!

  52. I couldn’t get it to work the first couple times I tried …. on a medium thickness wine bottle … with cottone string. I then tried it with kind of thick yarn …. had to keep lighting the yarn until it wouldn’t light anymore and viola! It worked like a charm! I then tried it with a thicker wine bottle and got a very jagged edge, probably too jagged to sand down. I think this is something you need to keep working at – maybe try it on a couple practice bottles (i.e. ones you don’t really like/want) to get it down before doing it on something you really want to save/keep. Thanks for the directions – I will keep working on this an plan to give some very unique vases to people for Christmas this year!

    1. Great tips! These will make a wonderful gift. Has anyone tried making a candle in one of the cut bottles? How cool would that be?!

  53. This has not worked. I’ve used a thinner wine bottle, yarn, shoe string, pure acetone and keeping it lit with a lighter, resoaking the string NOTHING!!!!! And from the looks of it, I am not alone in this extremely disappointing post. Please correct or remove because it is misleading.

    1. Donna,

      I’m sorry that you’ve had no luck with this. It is a bit of a tough project but I can assure you that it does work if you are persistant. Lots of others have had success and have posted what they’ve found works best. For myself, I found that you really need to keep the flame lit for as long as you possibly can, rotating the bottle very quickly, and then plunging it in ice water immediately.

      Best,

      Jordan

  54. It works!!! It absolutely works!!! Get your bottle HOT and go straight into the ICE water. Worked for me on the first try! LOVE it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! 🙂

    1. Ginny, I’m so glad to hear that you had success! This project can be a bit tough, but persistance definitely pays off!

      What do you planning on using your cut bottle for? The possibilities are endless!

      Best,

      Jordan

  55. After three (successful) attempts I just wanted to share a tip that worked well for the yarn. I’d be thinking that all my crazy knots I’d try to keep the string secure kept going way longer then the rest of the string and I didn’t like this, then I just tried wrapping the string around – no knots – this does not work! SO what I found is good is to cut a fairly long pice and tie the two ends together so you have a big circle, then just loop it until it fits around the bottle. You may have to tie knots again and again to make sure it is tight. This worked. Also I’ve found white wine bottles are thinner (and mine worked nicer – no verticle cracks) then red wine bottles. Or the ones I have anyways! Also a sing is needed, not a large pot! Also rolling the bottle on the middle of the sink (the metal between the two sinks) works great to spin it fast (with the top in your hand.
    That’s all my pointers 🙂 Hope it turns out. Now just to sand the tops.

  56. For anyone who is having difficulty, I saw a tutorial video on this through Pinterest and one “trick” is to hold the bottle “butt up” while you are spinning it. This traps the hot hair in the bottle and allows it to heat up to a higher temp. The tutorial I saw was for cutting the bottom edge off, so it may have to be adapted to cut the top off. Just a thought.

    1. Forgot! She also gave the bottle the tiniest little jerk of the wrist when she submerged it in the water…maybe that helps?

  57. I have a wine themed kitchen and thought how awesome it’d be to have wine bottles hang on the wall but would need to be flat. my dad wished me good luck as it is hard with a glass cutter unless you are experienced you can get almost done and not know how to finish and ruin it.. I have yet to try this idea but am very excited and will post pictures. I love your ideas and they are transforming my kitchen keep up the good work!

  58. Nice website. Thank a lot for writing that. I will definitely return to your site to see what’s new and inform my neighbors about it

  59. This is such an awesome idea! I just have one question…if you want to keep the labels how would that work when it came time to wash them? Like if you were going to make glasses is there a way to preserve the label? Thanks!

  60. I used a shoelace as I couldn’t find my kitchen twine and it did work, although the edges were rather jagged. I ended up throwing the bottles out as I didn’t like the look of the jagged edges, nor do they look particularly safe, and I don’t have the tools to sand them down properly. I bought more twine today (felt compelled to roast a chicken tonight) and remembered I had a bottle of hard cider hanging out in the fridge that I could retry this method with. Here goes!

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  62. This is FREAKING AWESOME!!!!! I just tried it, and WOW!!! Works GREAT!!! Thank you for such an awesome post. Look out christmas presents!!! YAY. THANK YOU!

  63. IT WORKED!!

    I used an old sweatshirt hoodie string. Soaked the string a little longer because it was thicker. I would recommend to wipe the drips from when you put the string on before you lite the string. My bottle broke a little above the string and there are some hairline cracks in it but for my first time doing it I am pleasantly surprised!!

    Thanks for posting!!

  64. Tried this tonight with a recycled apple sauce bottle. Not bad! Good for a first try, will try a cider bottle next (like beer bottle). I appreciate all of the extra tips for smoothing the glass, I actually threw out the one I made thinking I had done it wrong! Mine also broke above and below where it was lit, next time I was immerse it slower into the water, straight down, as someone else suggested.

    -Liz

  65. For the jagged edges. Go to your local autozone and buy the flexible edge guards that you use to protect the edges of your car doors. Flexible and easy to cut. Cut to size and push onto exposed jagged edge. Already has a glue-like substance inside. Comes in Chrome and various colors!

  66. Works, thrilled. After the fourth try. I used a blue bottle. The last time I tried a different yarn that burned longer and hotter. It did not break perfectly but good enough. I used the same bottle every time because it didn’t work. Used a tea light to keep my hands free. Able to keep the flame lit by angling. Timing it just right as I saw that the ring of fire was dying I plunged it immediately in the ice water. Fun project. Thanks for all the little hints. Hope to make two more so I can have three vases. Lets have some more wine.

  67. Acetone and lighter fluid works amazingly and you can even score the bottle with a box cutter and a hose clamp then hold the scoring over a flame rotating it until u can hear it cracking then submerge in cold water and tap it it works just as we’ll! And to smooth it I use a nail file(:

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  69. hey! I just tried this tutorial and it worked! but, one of my bottles has extremely jagged edges, and i want to used them for cups.. can i fix thix? if so, how?

  70. Wow! This is very amazing!!!! I will try this out later! I have nice bottle of wines after the holidays and this is one great idea of making use of it! 🙂

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  72. Worked pretty good, however the bottle broke in a couple of places and also went down into the bottle itself creating numerous unwanted cracks throughout the bottle. Is there a way to prevent additional cracking on the bottle??

  73. I found this tutorial on another site and gave it a try. I used yarn and got a few bottles to break. The problem I have is that I get extreme stress cracks all throughout the top of the bottle once it breaks. I plunge them in neck first and straight up but it’s still the same thing each time. any idea as to why?

  74. I just did this! I used a chunky “chenille” yarn (because it was on top in the yarn box). Looped it 3-4 times, and soaked in the polish remover. I did a Kinky liqueur bottle and I wanted just the very top off, so I let the yarn sit there, with the bottle upright. Flamage was *not* an issue. I let it burn for quite a bit, and even though the flame was probably still 8+ inches, I tipped it over the sink and doused it with ice water. Soon as the water hit it, the top popped off! Now all I have to so is dig my glass grinder out of a box and smooth the edges 🙂

  75. I found this on Pinterest and it was super easy. I found that I had to repeat the process a second time, but it worked. I used cotton yarn and nail polish then dipped into a pot of ice cold water while the flame was still going. Thanks!!!!

  76. I couldnt get it to work. I tried 2 types of cotton string. I tried wrapping it 2 times, 3 times, making it into a rope. I even tried a thin bottle. No luck. I am using acetone nail polish so I cant figure out why it isnt working.

  77. Thank you so much for this post! I was cutting a whiskey bottle that was pretty thick, and having no luck. After my second try, I looked for more resources for some other tips. What finally worked was adding ice to the water, and making sure I put the bottle in TOP first! Broke very nicely 🙂

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  80. Tried the acetone and didn’t work. Switched to mineral spirits, lit with lighter and put in pot on from porch with snow in it and that sucker popped right off in a split second. So awesome! It was so cool that I was yelling joyful obscenities off my front porch! Thank you! !!!

  81. I think this is a great idea. Trouble is; it requires some skill and understanding of the way that glass+heat+water = a reaction ie breaking point. To get a smooth finish one would have to apply either intense heat or sanding in the ways already suggested. My first tries were not successful using the acetone based nail-varnish remover; no luck it (the flame) went out. I then tried pure acetone; again no luck. I work at many crafts and have many flammable liquids at hand to try so i then went on to experiment with them. I found that:- Speed is important; as is cleanliness when applying the string; wipe off any excess solvent; cold water should be appropriate height relative to plunge bottle; thicker string needs to soak for longer and that woollen string won’t burn easily or evenly. Other than that, good luck! will keep you posted on sanding. oh, and do remember to label your throwaways as broken-glass for re-cycling.

  82. I was soooo excited to find your post! So I tried the first time, and a few more times. Finally after a few adjustments, it’s working! Here’s what I did.
    -used a thicker yarn
    -wrapped it around the bottle about 6 times
    -poured acetone over the string already on the bottle (so it doesn’t squeeze out when putting back over the bottle)
    -lit the flame, circling it around until it went out. Then did repeated it again (to make sure it was REALLY hot)
    Hopefully these troubleshooting tips help some others. And thanks for your awesome DIY!! 🙂

  83. I will try this idea. I have heard on craft shows that you can write to the wineries and they’ll send you labels. (In case you damage the one on the bottle.)

  84. YAY finally got it! So, after many tries, I decided to get intense. I used a cotton string wrapped around 6 times, soaked in kerosine (probably could work with acetone but I wasn’t having any lucky – be careful! bigger flame). held bottle horizontal with my thumb over the opening and rotated it until the flame was almost out, submerged the open end straight down in ice cold water (lots of ice in my sink) and voila! top came off! It’s definitely not straight and there are some cracks but I think I’ll be able to fix it up with some sand paper – may try again with acetone because it’s definitely safer, but if you’re getting desperate worth a try… Thanks for the idea!

  85. I tried this using a wool yarn and it works fantastic! I’m so happy I found this, my wedding is in a month and we were scurrying to figure out some unique vases for centerpieces. I’ve saved up a bunch of wine bottles, mostly green which is also a color in our wedding… so needless to say finding your post was a saving grace! Please don’t take it down 🙂 it really does work!

  86. Tried is on 4 wine bottles tonight. 3 out of the 4 will be usable. We did it on the bottom of the wine bottle with cotton string and rubbing alcohol. Large pot filled with ice water. Had to tap on the first two gently with our kitchen shears for the bottom to fall off. We will be using a previous suggestion of a butane torch to smooth out the rough edges. Great post!!!

  87. Thanks for this wonderful tutorial!! Worked just like you said it would the first try!! I wrapped my yarn around 4 times and it broke pretty good. A little jagged but with a little sanding it smoothed right out!! Oh the possibilities!! Thanks again!!

  88. Make sure you use PURE ACETONE as it will burn for longer than regular nail polish remover, pure acetone is sold at beuty supplies like Sally’s. it’s what nail techs use to remove acrylic nails.
    hope it helps.

  89. Hmmm…. I don’t DIY, but if I did I think I’d definitely try this. (I certainly have enough wine bottles!) Who knows, maybe this will be the craft that finally makes a DIYer out of me. Great instruction and photos! (And I’ll let you know if I ever try it out!)

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  91. I REALLY WANTED THIS TO WORK. I FOLLOWED ALL THE STEPS. THIS WAS THE WORST THING I EVER TRIED. IT NOT ONLY DIDN’T WORK,IT WAS DANGEROUS.

  92. I tried this several times before getting it right. The thing I was doing wrong? Tilting the neck up. The opening of the bottle needs to be tilted down slightly so that heat doesn’t get out of the bottle. But alas! I broke the bottle. not sure what I’ll use them for yet I just thought it would be fun to try 🙂

  93. Hi Jordan,

    Love the post, plan on trying it myself soon! I just wanted to let you know that I just came across a Pinterest Pin with your tutorial images translated into another language posted on another blog – as far as I could tell there was no notification of it being someone elses images/tutorial. To me it seemed to be pasted off as the bloggers own (my translator wasn’t working so I can’t be sure). Here is the link if you would like to check it out for yourself: https://guang.taobao.com/!/s68714232/
    I am a blogger myself and I would hate for this to happen to something I worked hard on. Hope this helped!

    Danielle @ Glitter Bug

  94. It worked! I used cotton sting wrapped once around a beer bottle. Next I poured rubbing alcohol on the string, let it set for the 10 seconds. Sat it up right andlit it on fire. Probably stayed lit a whole 30 seconds. Thought I should pour more before trying to break it in ice, and what do you know when pouring more alcohol on the bottle it snapped!
    It broke above the line of string not on it.
    Thx so much for this long awaited “easy how to”

  95. I tried it with cotton string and nail polish remover. It was on fire for almost a full minute and nothing happened when I plunged it into water with lots of ice in it. I tried yarn and that worked but it was cut very jaggidly. My husband, the chemist, suggested I use rubbing alcohol because it doens’t evaporate as quickly and it burns hotter. That worked but better but it cracked down the side. I tried a few more times and didn’t get a nice straight edge. Bummer

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  97. I cut a bottle of corona and a gin bottle, it took a failed attempts until i thought that the bottle mustn’t be hot enough so i followed the instructions but when the flame is out (MAKE SURE THE FLAME IS OUT!!!!!!) poured a cap full of acetone around the string again then i lit the soaked string again so that the bottle was really hot, then when the flame goes out put the bottle in ice cold water straight down (NECK FIRST)

    This worked for a thick bottle of gin but instead of using cotton i used twine

    Good luck:)

  98. Haven’t tried this yeti, but,,I’m going to try cutting down closer to the bottom of the bottle. Once I’ve done that I am going to place a candle on an old tile and put the bottle over the top as a table ornament. Have wanted to do this for ,ages but didn’t know how to cut the bottle. Fingers crossed it will work.

  99. I really want to try this but in Sweden we allmosor just have aceton-free nailpolish remover. Can you use that instead?

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  101. Woo-hoo!! just broke my fist beer bottle. i love it. did with yarn 75% Acrylic, 25% Wool. it was a thick yarn, wrapped around only 2x. for the 3rd try i could keep the flame long enough. (it was windy outside) I dipped it into icy water and voila!
    try to let the bottle down in the water as close to the yarn as u can. for the first time i was too excited and sank the yarn so i had to cut another piece. i got a nice edge, there is only one little crest. but for the first time im contented with it.

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  103. Have tried this a few times! any tips on how to keep it from cracking beneath the cut line? I have glass sand paper to take care of the jagged edges, but the cracks that remain sometimes go up to an inch below the cut line.

  104. I got a glass cutter at a big box hardware store or maybe it was Bed Bath and Beyond for around $5.50. I tried freezing water in my wine bottle, then plunged it into boiling water. Nothing happened.

  105. And the best thing is, we can use any kinds of bottle too.. They will look fancy in my living room. Thanx for the ideas.

  106. I have been wanting to do this forever. I have a few Amersterdam Vodka Bottles that have an odd shape and have wanted to create pendant lights with them but didn’t know how to break the glass. I’m all set now. Thanks a million

  107. I tried this and was preoccupied with something else when I went to light the string.
    Bottle fell in my lap and burnt my pecker off. So ladies be warned always pay attention when working with fire because you may burn your pecker off.

  108. Very interesting experiment. However, be careful to the edge of the bottle. It is sharp and dangerous, especially for babies.

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  115. I tried it and it worked the first time. However, it broke very unevenly and cracked up the side. The flame went on for quite a way, I was wondering if I got the bottle too hot.

  116. I have tried many times..always a fail. whats the trick?? want to make whiskey glasses out of my boyfriends old whiskey bottles for his birthday.

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