Deluxe Glass Etching Kit by Armour Products

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Reported by Jessica Ripley

Even though I am a crafter who loves to use different products and media to put together a unique piece with layers of what was inspiring me at the time, every once in awhile it is just so nice to be able to pull out a ready made kit to make my creative time easy. So, I'm always on the lookout for such kits to have in my stash for days when I really want to do something crafty, but don't want to think about it too hard. The Deluxe Glass Etching Kit by Armour Products seemed to have that very potential.

The kit states right on the box that inside is "everything you need to create beautiful etched designs to decorate your favorite glassware and mirrors". This is almost true. Inside is a pair of plastic gloves, the glass etching cream, a paint brush, rub-on tool, hobby knife, several stencils to get you started, and a practice piece of glass (which I really thought a nice addition).

Also included are instructions, which state that a few more items are actually needed. To be fair though, they are normal household items which most of us probably already have on hand, such as masking tape, a ruler, glass cleaner, cotton swabs, pen, etc. Some other recommended items which I did not have included steel wool, smudge-proof carbon paper, and Contact Brand Shelving Vinyl (though the last two were if you wish to make your own stencil designs).

In reviewing the directions, there is quite a bit of text to read through, however the steps are simple and straight-forward. Again, the box is a little misleading, stating there are 3 quick and easy steps when in actuality there are 7, but I certainly don't want to hold that against them and be that literal. Still, be aware the process does take a little more time than you might think at first. There are also lots of warnings about the harmfulness of the chemicals in the cream, specifically Ammonium and Sodium Biflourides. They instruct you to wear long-sleeved garments, the gloves, protective eye wear, and use in a well-ventilated area. They also recommend this kit is for ages 18 and up only, and that the company is not liable for any injury as a result of using the kit. Very thorough warnings!

There are also some helpful hints before you get started, the first of which states that rubbing the stenciled design with steel wool will create a darker impression. As I said, I didn't have this on hand, and would have loved if they had included a little piece along with the kit. My designs, as you'll see below, came out okay without it, but they are a bit fainter than I would have liked.

Choosing a design for the practice piece was difficult, but only because they are all so great! I was very impressed with the range of designs to choose from, and could see myself using any of them on a number of projects. The stencils are not re-usable, so I chose a floral border promising myself that test piece would become part of a future piece of art (someday). I liked that the stencils also had guidelines for cutting out the designs and ample room around each to do so.

After adhering the design to the test piece with masking tape (temporarily this first time), the stencil must be transferred to the glass using the rub-on tool which came with the kit. It was easy to do, and the stencil adhered to the glass nicely. Once it's attached, the tape is removed and a clear backing peeled off the design to expose the stencil. This process works just like using rub-ons. Next, the design is re-taped to to glass. The tape is just as much to protect your piece as it is to secure the stencil, just like one would use painters tape on trim when painting the walls of a room.

The instructions also contain a helpful hint to hold the piece up to the light and look for any tiny tears in the stencil to be sure they are covered up before applying the cream. I did so, and low and behold needed to cover a few. That was a great tip!

Upon opening the cream I didn't experience any overpowering odor, though it does have the faint hint of ammonia. I worked near an open window as they recommended. The cream also isn't open for very long, as you must work quickly, so don't be concerned that possible odors are an issue (unless you are extremely sensitive to such things, but I'd equate the strength of the smell to paint). They advise that you must apply a generous amount of the cream and I did so using their example photo as a guide. It is very easy to apply and has a good, not runny, consistency:

The cream must then remain on the glass for 60 seconds (no longer according to the instructions). After a minute had passed, I headed to the sink to rinse the cream off in lukewarm water. The stencil however was very difficult to peel off, and I had to actually scratch it off with my thumbnail. Here's the finished piece:

It turned out pretty well, though as you can see near the bottom the design is a little muddled. I think this may have to do with the fact I scratched off the stencil. Still I liked how the cream worked, and in such a short amount of time too. At first I was actually under the impression that it did not work. The etching is almost completely invisible when wet. But once dry it comes through very clearly.

I tried again on a couple of different pieces. First a mirror, which I loved the result of:

This time the stencil came off very easily when rinsing off the cream, and the impression left on a mirrored surface was very clear.

Next a bit of a disaster though:

I tried it out on this vase and was pretty disappointed in the result. Attaching the stencil to a rounded surface turned out to be a bit difficult, and even though everything looked evenly covered before I applied the cream, I could clearly see from the result that it wasn't. I also noticed tiny bits of the stencil's more intricate parts coming off on my brush as I applied the cream, and I was not pressing hard. Unfortunately there is no going back once it is applied, so if you aren't practiced and absolutely certain you can go ahead, you may ruin a project. Just be sure your glass surface is clean and that you rub every inch of the stencil firmly to be sure it is well attached to the glass.

I should state that the result of the above too could be entirely due to the different kinds of glass surfaces used. The cream worked great on the flat test piece, and even better on the mirror. Though I did clean the vase prior to application of the cream, it was an older piece from around my house so it's entirely possible I didn't do so well enough which led to the bad result.

All in all I did have a good time with this kit, I'm just not sure it's necessary to purchase an entire kit if you wish to do some glass etching. The kit retails for around $25.00, however if you have the ability to make your own stencils with vinyl or are even confident enough to free-hand a design, you may be better off purchasing just the etching cream alone which is less than half that cost. Especially if you already have tools in your stash such as a brush and rub-on tool, which are the essentials. Still, again it was fun to just pull out a kit and go to work.

Pros:

• Comes with just about everything you need to start etching glass, and the stencils in particular have a great variety of designs to choose from (including holiday designs).


• Quick and easy way to make a lasting gift.


• Cream is easy to apply and is a nice consistency so there is no worry about applying it to areas where it should not go.

Cons:

• The cream itself is quite toxic, and great care needs to be taken when working with it. Warnings are clear and strong.


• I had a few problems with the stencils, the first when it wouldn't come off cleanly, and the second when it came off too cleanly while I was applying the cream. The key to a successful design is to adhere the stencil with great care, which takes more steps than the box lead me to believe.


• It is not a forgiving medium, meaning once it's applied, there is no going back to fix a mistake. The results are almost instantaneously permanent.

Have you used this kit or another glass etching product? What were your experiences? Any helpful tips to share? We'd love to hear from you!