This cream is a great way to get started with glass etching. It's easy to use as long as you're careful, but there are a few tricks you should understand to get the best results. - Don't use a brush to apply the cream. It works much better to use a flat popsicle stick (available in packs of copious quantities for cheap right here on Amazon, known as "treat sticks"). Using a flat sided stick helps you smooth the cream into an even layer, and the stick can be loaded with much more cream than a brush can for the initial application. Plus no brush strokes, since the stick never actually has to touch the glass. - Clean your glass thoroughly before applying the cream. Make a glass cleaning solution of 50% of the highest concentration rubbing alcohol you can get (97% or higher is ideal) and 50% distilled or purified water. Use a microfiber cloth to clean just like you would for eyeglasses. The cleaning solution will help remove oils from skin contact like fingerprints, and it will dry quickly too. - Stencils apply to glass better if neither the glass nor the stencil is cold. ~70deg F / ~21deg C is fine, just be aware that temperature is a factor if you store your glass or stencil someplace cold. - When applying the stencil to your glass, use your finger to press firmly all the way around the edges of the design itself. The idea here is that you want your stencil to adhere as closely as possible to the glass to prevent any of the liquid cream from seeping beneath the edges of the stencil. - Don't follow the directions on the bottle. Apply the cream over your stencil in a thick layer, then poke it a bit with the stick to break up any bubbles that might have formed from the application. Leave the cream on for 10 minutes. Every few minutes, use the stick to stir it a bit and re-smooth it. Periodically redistributing the cream over the glass surface is critical to achieving the most consistent, smooth etch possible. If you're having trouble with this product, that's probably the reason. - You can achieve a whiter etch by rinsing and repeating the process up to three times. This is not necessary unless you really want the whiter etch, as the results from a single application are pretty good. And don't expect a world of difference from multiple applications. The difference between one application and three is noticeable but not by any means like night and day. - Wear gloves and safety glasses. It is not at all likely you will get this stuff in your eyes or even on your skin, but be safe! This cream is a potent acid that can irritate your skin (or even burn it if not washed off immediately) and seriously damage the soft tissue in your eyes. Accidents can happen, and it's way better to look like a dufus wearing gloves and goggles for twenty minutes than it is to be caught in an unlikely accident that leaves you blind. - When disposing of this cream, rinse it first into a medium mixing bowl, fill the bowl with water, and stir to mix well. Diluting the acid will preemptively protect you from silly mistakes like forgetting to run enough water down the drain when you rinse it. The 10-ounce size is pretty big and will let you etch more than you're probably thinking about etching if you're just getting started with this stuff. It's a good size for getting started if you have a few dozen glass pieces to etch. If you just want to do 2-4 glasses, there is a smaller size available that will work fine for you.
Anti-reflective coatings fail after about 2 years of use, ruining the glasses. There are many YouTube videos about removing the coating with Armour Etch Cream. It worked great, but there was one big surprise. There is another coating atop the plastic lens (mine are made of CR39) that must be removed too. This coating is very soft. So soft cotton cloth will scratch it. Note - Not all anti-glare coatings have this same substrate, so it isn't a problem for everyone. Unfortunately, finding something to remove the coating was difficult. The only thing that worked was the solvent Amyl Acetate (aka banana oil) and a bit of rubbing with a cotton cloth. The glasses looked like new when done, thanks to Amour Etch.
This stuff works!! I was hesitant to buy it as it is quite expensive for such a small amount however you have use so little that I doubt I will ever have to buy more. I used it to mark/decorate bake ware for Christmas presents and the family loved them. I used sticky stencils without a problem. Follow the directions and it is easy. Firmly place your stencils and smooth out the adhesive well to avoid any bubbles or areas that are too high. Apply the paste thick enough to cover the intended area and walk away. It won't drip or slip. Rinse with some water and voila!! I think I waited 10 minutes but I was so anxious to see the results I couldn't wait longer - that was long enough though. I will caution to completely remove the paste with water and pat dry - wash a little longer then you think is necessary. I rinsed and dried then left them for awhile to come back and remove stickers later. I had a couple extra lines (hardly could tell) on the sides of my letters where water, since it is thinner, seeped under the stickers with a little etching cream. In hindsight I would rinse really well and probably remove the stickers under water to rinse again and avoid that happening. Happy crafting!!!
product works wrll as long as you put it on thick and leave it on for the full 5 mins. i worked with this outside so I didnt have to worry about vapors I still wore protective gear glasses , mask, long sleeves and gloves I also used 2 plastic coffee cans with warm water plus I put dome baking soda in the water to neutralize the acid I sponged the acid off the glasses that I etched useing the warm water with the baking soda to neutralize the acid as I worked one I was finished with one can I gave the gladded a sevond wash with the other can of water I then added more baking soda to each can to finish neutralizeing the acid water . The water will bubble when adding the backing soda once bubbling stopped i felt confident that all the acid was safe to discard once all clean up was completed with work service I did a dry rub on each glass of baking soda before I removed the stencils in cade any acid seeped under the stencil i then removed the stencil and washed the glasses once completed i removed my gloves
I have a fireplace that had glass from my bedroom to my living room. I needed to make it be privacy glass. When putting on the etching cream, I thought it seemed uneven and blotchy. I thought for sure it wouldn’t work. When I was cleaning it off, it looked even worse.But when I cleaned it off all the way, It was everything I hoped for. It has a nice even transparent etching. It doesn’t smell too bad now that I cleaned it up, and I only used about 3/4 of the bottle. This is an area about 2’ x 3’ and I used the cream liberally.
This is my new favorite product! I wanted to buy personalized pint glasses as a small thoughtful gift for a home brewer, However 12 glasses with initial on them were $170.00!!!! So, I started to research how to do it myself. I came across a really good article on the Armour products. I am a little crafty anyway so figured I would give it a try! I bought the Armour etching and practiced on some glasses i had in my cupboard. I made a stencil and was completely hooked! I ordered 12 pint glasses on Amazon and bought some really cool stencils for glass etching and a roll of reusable adhesive vinyl for handmade stencils, and got to work on my project! The glasses came out beautiful! The instructions say to leave the creme solution on for 60 seconds....NO... I left on for 20 mins and I was very happy with my results. So for under 30 bucks I have a great personalized expensive looking gift! This product is easy to use, I put cardboard on my table as a protector ..(just in case) and used rubber gloves, (just in case) and a small foam brush you can buy in any hardware store. The product also washes off your project easily when the time comes, I had so much fun using this. I am a glass etching crazy person now!
My first bottle arrived damaged. I submitted pictures, and the seller replaced. I was so glad, because, I had used this product years ago, and hadn't been able to find it where I now live. So, when I received the bottle and it was damaged, I was afraid I was "screwed" and not going to be able to do the project I envisioned. But, everything is working out, OK! Very pleased with both the seller and this product!
Love this stuff! I've used this etching cream on several projects and the only bad thing I have to say about it is just leave it on whatever u are working on longer than just a min or two. I did my first project and bc I followed the directions of only a min, it etched pretty good except for a few spots. So I did my next project and left it on there longer and it turned out beautifully! It's very easy to use, just put ur stencil on ur glass and u can use a scraper or a brush (I like using a brush bc I feel like I have more control over where the cream is being placed) and just cover the area u want to be etched. Leave on there at least 5 to 10 mins and then just wash away. Simple and easy. U can etch any design u could possibly want on any glassware! I have done so many awesome project w this etching cream. Shipping was fast.
In more ways than one!. Works flawlessly. I even done an intricate pattern which was a pain to weed but the results were fantastic. The other shock was after shaking the bottle like they say to mix it. As soon as i opened the bottle a huge static discharge left the cap and felt it up to my left elbow. The air was not dry enough in the house (in fact 60%) to cause it like in the Winter. So be careful when opening. From now on i am gonna earth myself before opening this up again.
Dana Faust
Works well and is a great way to get started with glass etching
This cream is a great way to get started with glass etching. It's easy to use as long as you're careful, but there are a few tricks you should understand to get the best results. - Don't use a brush to apply the cream. It works much better to use a flat popsicle stick (available in packs of copious quantities for cheap right here on Amazon, known as "treat sticks"). Using a flat sided stick helps you smooth the cream into an even layer, and the stick can be loaded with much more cream than a brush can for the initial application. Plus no brush strokes, since the stick never actually has to touch the glass. - Clean your glass thoroughly before applying the cream. Make a glass cleaning solution of 50% of the highest concentration rubbing alcohol you can get (97% or higher is ideal) and 50% distilled or purified water. Use a microfiber cloth to clean just like you would for eyeglasses. The cleaning solution will help remove oils from skin contact like fingerprints, and it will dry quickly too. - Stencils apply to glass better if neither the glass nor the stencil is cold. ~70deg F / ~21deg C is fine, just be aware that temperature is a factor if you store your glass or stencil someplace cold. - When applying the stencil to your glass, use your finger to press firmly all the way around the edges of the design itself. The idea here is that you want your stencil to adhere as closely as possible to the glass to prevent any of the liquid cream from seeping beneath the edges of the stencil. - Don't follow the directions on the bottle. Apply the cream over your stencil in a thick layer, then poke it a bit with the stick to break up any bubbles that might have formed from the application. Leave the cream on for 10 minutes. Every few minutes, use the stick to stir it a bit and re-smooth it. Periodically redistributing the cream over the glass surface is critical to achieving the most consistent, smooth etch possible. If you're having trouble with this product, that's probably the reason. - You can achieve a whiter etch by rinsing and repeating the process up to three times. This is not necessary unless you really want the whiter etch, as the results from a single application are pretty good. And don't expect a world of difference from multiple applications. The difference between one application and three is noticeable but not by any means like night and day. - Wear gloves and safety glasses. It is not at all likely you will get this stuff in your eyes or even on your skin, but be safe! This cream is a potent acid that can irritate your skin (or even burn it if not washed off immediately) and seriously damage the soft tissue in your eyes. Accidents can happen, and it's way better to look like a dufus wearing gloves and goggles for twenty minutes than it is to be caught in an unlikely accident that leaves you blind. - When disposing of this cream, rinse it first into a medium mixing bowl, fill the bowl with water, and stir to mix well. Diluting the acid will preemptively protect you from silly mistakes like forgetting to run enough water down the drain when you rinse it. The 10-ounce size is pretty big and will let you etch more than you're probably thinking about etching if you're just getting started with this stuff. It's a good size for getting started if you have a few dozen glass pieces to etch. If you just want to do 2-4 glasses, there is a smaller size available that will work fine for you.
Amy Harris
I used this stuff to remove the scratched anti-reflective coating from my glasses.
Anti-reflective coatings fail after about 2 years of use, ruining the glasses. There are many YouTube videos about removing the coating with Armour Etch Cream. It worked great, but there was one big surprise. There is another coating atop the plastic lens (mine are made of CR39) that must be removed too. This coating is very soft. So soft cotton cloth will scratch it. Note - Not all anti-glare coatings have this same substrate, so it isn't a problem for everyone. Unfortunately, finding something to remove the coating was difficult. The only thing that worked was the solvent Amyl Acetate (aka banana oil) and a bit of rubbing with a cotton cloth. The glasses looked like new when done, thanks to Amour Etch.
Balsem Mosbah
New favorite craft - what else can I etch?
This stuff works!! I was hesitant to buy it as it is quite expensive for such a small amount however you have use so little that I doubt I will ever have to buy more. I used it to mark/decorate bake ware for Christmas presents and the family loved them. I used sticky stencils without a problem. Follow the directions and it is easy. Firmly place your stencils and smooth out the adhesive well to avoid any bubbles or areas that are too high. Apply the paste thick enough to cover the intended area and walk away. It won't drip or slip. Rinse with some water and voila!! I think I waited 10 minutes but I was so anxious to see the results I couldn't wait longer - that was long enough though. I will caution to completely remove the paste with water and pat dry - wash a little longer then you think is necessary. I rinsed and dried then left them for awhile to come back and remove stickers later. I had a couple extra lines (hardly could tell) on the sides of my letters where water, since it is thinner, seeped under the stickers with a little etching cream. In hindsight I would rinse really well and probably remove the stickers under water to rinse again and avoid that happening. Happy crafting!!!
Sonni Hill
very good product
product works wrll as long as you put it on thick and leave it on for the full 5 mins. i worked with this outside so I didnt have to worry about vapors I still wore protective gear glasses , mask, long sleeves and gloves I also used 2 plastic coffee cans with warm water plus I put dome baking soda in the water to neutralize the acid I sponged the acid off the glasses that I etched useing the warm water with the baking soda to neutralize the acid as I worked one I was finished with one can I gave the gladded a sevond wash with the other can of water I then added more baking soda to each can to finish neutralizeing the acid water . The water will bubble when adding the backing soda once bubbling stopped i felt confident that all the acid was safe to discard once all clean up was completed with work service I did a dry rub on each glass of baking soda before I removed the stencils in cade any acid seeped under the stencil i then removed the stencil and washed the glasses once completed i removed my gloves
Heather West
Created privacy glass
I have a fireplace that had glass from my bedroom to my living room. I needed to make it be privacy glass. When putting on the etching cream, I thought it seemed uneven and blotchy. I thought for sure it wouldn’t work. When I was cleaning it off, it looked even worse.But when I cleaned it off all the way, It was everything I hoped for. It has a nice even transparent etching. It doesn’t smell too bad now that I cleaned it up, and I only used about 3/4 of the bottle. This is an area about 2’ x 3’ and I used the cream liberally.
Jeanene Vanzandt
great product and fun!!
This is my new favorite product! I wanted to buy personalized pint glasses as a small thoughtful gift for a home brewer, However 12 glasses with initial on them were $170.00!!!! So, I started to research how to do it myself. I came across a really good article on the Armour products. I am a little crafty anyway so figured I would give it a try! I bought the Armour etching and practiced on some glasses i had in my cupboard. I made a stencil and was completely hooked! I ordered 12 pint glasses on Amazon and bought some really cool stencils for glass etching and a roll of reusable adhesive vinyl for handmade stencils, and got to work on my project! The glasses came out beautiful! The instructions say to leave the creme solution on for 60 seconds....NO... I left on for 20 mins and I was very happy with my results. So for under 30 bucks I have a great personalized expensive looking gift! This product is easy to use, I put cardboard on my table as a protector ..(just in case) and used rubber gloves, (just in case) and a small foam brush you can buy in any hardware store. The product also washes off your project easily when the time comes, I had so much fun using this. I am a glass etching crazy person now!
Océane Beauregard
Glad I found this product!
My first bottle arrived damaged. I submitted pictures, and the seller replaced. I was so glad, because, I had used this product years ago, and hadn't been able to find it where I now live. So, when I received the bottle and it was damaged, I was afraid I was "screwed" and not going to be able to do the project I envisioned. But, everything is working out, OK! Very pleased with both the seller and this product!
Waylon Jamez Swan
Works Great!
Works great! I made some stencils with Cricut stencil material using my Silhouette Cameo and I am super impressed with the results.
Gladys Faye Odom
Great etching cream, just leave on for longer than a min or two.
Love this stuff! I've used this etching cream on several projects and the only bad thing I have to say about it is just leave it on whatever u are working on longer than just a min or two. I did my first project and bc I followed the directions of only a min, it etched pretty good except for a few spots. So I did my next project and left it on there longer and it turned out beautifully! It's very easy to use, just put ur stencil on ur glass and u can use a scraper or a brush (I like using a brush bc I feel like I have more control over where the cream is being placed) and just cover the area u want to be etched. Leave on there at least 5 to 10 mins and then just wash away. Simple and easy. U can etch any design u could possibly want on any glassware! I have done so many awesome project w this etching cream. Shipping was fast.
Michelle Donley
Was shocked at the results.. twice!
In more ways than one!. Works flawlessly. I even done an intricate pattern which was a pain to weed but the results were fantastic. The other shock was after shaking the bottle like they say to mix it. As soon as i opened the bottle a huge static discharge left the cap and felt it up to my left elbow. The air was not dry enough in the house (in fact 60%) to cause it like in the Winter. So be careful when opening. From now on i am gonna earth myself before opening this up again.