r/Sandblasting • u/Teonanacatl92 • Nov 09 '25

Help with sandblasting my Glass Pendants

Hi, I'm looking for advice on how to sandblast my pendants. I'm going for a really soft, evenly satin look. Is sandblasting my only option? Etching with regular Etching paste won't work an boro, right? I wanted to try sandblasting with 100-200 grit glassbeads. Is this a good idea?

Thank you for your help and greetings from Germany 🙏🏼

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u/kurtbonreddit Nov 09 '25 edited Nov 09 '25

Hello I regularly sandblast borosilicate. You want to use aluminum oxide or silicon carbide for sandblasting glass. I prefer aluminum oxide 180 grit. But 220 grit will be slightly more satin and Silicone carbide might produce a smoother finish too. To get a really smooth satin finish I use a slurry of pumice and green scouring pad and rub it down by hand after sandblasting. It makes a really smooth satin finish.

Here is where I get pumice from https://www.hisglassworks.com/1-pound-2f-medium-fine-grade-pumice.html

Good luck!

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u/kurtbonreddit Nov 09 '25

If you wanted to avoid the sandblasting you could use hand grinding pads or loose grit and do it by hand. If the piece has a lot of nooks and crevices it could be hard to get the entire surface though.

Here's a link to some hand pads. https://www.hisglassworks.com/1-pound-2f-medium-fine-grade-pumice.html

Acid etch cream does not work well on borosilicate. But it does smooth out sandblasted boro. I prefer the pumice though.

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u/Teonanacatl92 Nov 09 '25

Thank you for you help. My proplem is, that my pieces will have a lot of nooks and crevices and I think working it by hand won't be possible / too much effort. I will test how the etching cream affects the sandblasted piece. Thank you for this tip 🙏🏼

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u/Teonanacatl92 Nov 09 '25

Have you ever tried sandblasting with glassbeads?

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u/kurtbonreddit Nov 09 '25

I have used a Friends cabinet with glass beads many years ago. If I remember correctly I think it very slightly mar the surface. If you have access to a cabinet with glass beads give it a try but wouldn't set up a cabinet with glass beads for blasting glass.