There are some beautiful wine glasses around nowadays, but they aren’t often cheap.
A Zalto glass can cost around £50, and it’s gutting when you break one.
BUT… all is not lost! DO NOT throw it away.
If it is only the stem that is broken, you can easily fix it. In our case, it became our favourite Zalto to use.
Contrary to what the unprofessional representative from a leading glassware company snapped at me, I do not believe this is “killing [their] business“; on the contrary, customers can feel more confident in investing in expensive glassware knowing that they can repair it at least once.
Tools required*
- Stainless steel pipe
(for Zalto stems, a 4mm internal diameter is required, eg 6mm with 1mm wall thickness – a metal drinking straw may work. I used an old pipe from a Gaggia Classic espresso machine) - Rotary tool
(Dremel are the market leaders. I have a cheap non-branded version as I am not a heavy user) - Two-part epoxy resin (glue)
Optional:
- protective latex (or latex-free gloves)
- a metal file, or sturdy nail file
In addition to: a small stick (to mix and apply the glue. A toothpick is fine), paper (to protect the working surface), a large book, 2 identical glasses to the broken glass (or a pile of books or other flat things.
Step 1
Using the rotary tool, make 2 perpendicular cuts in the end of the tube.
You’ll have 4 bits that can splay out to fit the bowl of the glass
I did the same with the bottom end, but it probably wasn’t necessary
You may want a metal file to remove any sharp edges
Step 2
Mix the glue and insert some in both ends of the tube, then apply to both ends before inserting the broken stem
Step 3
To ensure everything is straight and level, place another glass on either side, a book on top, and a weight on top of the book.
Once the glue sets (30 to 120 minutes), you have a new glass again.
For a short video instruction, see my Instagram post:
For anyone without an Instgram account, or not logged in, follow this link)
View this post on Instagram
* the above links are affiliate links with Amazon. Amazon may then pay me a small commission from their margin at no additional cost to the customer.
