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Engraving 101 - Why Bourbon and Bull Engraving Is Better

Posted by Jeff Richards on 5th Aug 2020

There's a huge difference in glass engraving quality, depending on what method the engraver uses.  Unfortunately, not many companies will tell you how they engrave because most use the cheapest, fastest way that results in a a poor quality product, So, here's the deal...

On the bottom end of glass engraving, there are companies who just laser a design on glass. The laser actually fractures the glass in the shape of the image. The result is gray to white image on the glass. This is fast and cheap, and that fractured glass lays on top of the glass and can flake out over time. It will look terrible. You do not want this method yet this is what most internet engravers deliver.... even the big names. They photoshop their web pictures so you can't tell.

On the bottom end, they measure profitability by how many items a laser can etch per hour. To speed up the laser, they reduce the image's detail. Combine this with fracturing the glass... and your have... well... poor quality. 

At Bourbon and Bull, we do it differently. 

We develop art in-house, with expert knowledge of what a laser can and can't do. We optimize the art for the process. We do it at a detail that produces the best possible representation of the art, regardless of how long it takes to laser. 

Our engraving process begins with masking the glass with a special film. We then laser the image through the film and a significant power so the the image is deep. We then tape the image off and blast it in a cabinet with aluminum oxide. The blast removes the fractured glass and leaves a smooth opaque finish in the engraved glass. The blast also deepens the engraving. We finish it up with a very hot water cleaning and final inspection.


Our engraving is cut into the glass... you can feel the edges. It's heirloom quality that will look the same 50 years from now. If you compared ours to theirs.... you'd pick ours 100 times out of 100. Our takes longer, costs a bit more... but our process results in a significantly better product.

At Bourbon and Bull, our team has years of expertise in producing extraordinary quality. We spare no expense to insure that you receive a product that meets and exceeds your expectations... and we deliver that day in and day out. That's simply how we roll.