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All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> Cleaning and Repairing >> Stoppers, getting out of

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Stoppers, getting out of - 1/2/2006 11:35:42 AM    cowseatmaize Posts: 2135 Joined: 12/2/2004 From: Metro West, MA Status: offline Ok, this has to have been asked before but... How the heck do you get ground glass stoppers out that are stuck. I have 2 in particular that are troubling. One has a label and conents so I don't want to soak it in anything. The other just has the contents but I'd still like to preseserve them. Both are salts, lavender I know for one of them. The one on the right bugs me 'cause it's facing the wrong way. WD-40® didn't work after 2 days. Any other ideas? Attachment (1) _____________________________ My 10¢ worth (inflation) Eric If you love what your doing it might be illegal, so watch your back. Post #: 1

RE: Stoppers, getting out of - 1/2/2006 12:26:27 PM    southern Maine diver Posts: 1483 Joined: 8/13/2005 From: South Berwick, Maine USA Status: offline Hey Eric... Did you try soaking (the one without the label) in the sink with hot water? I tried this successfully with an amber US NAvy medicine that had the original contents in it. It was full of iodine... The glass stoper loosened up and came right out. Maybe the hot water expands the mouth opening just enough to free up the stopper? I don't know what to suggest for the bottle with the lable on it. You might just have to keep it that way and just enjoy it the way it is... sure does bug you though when you can't get the stopper out, doesn't it? Wayne (in reply to cowseatmaize) Post #: 2

RE: Stoppers, getting out of - 1/2/2006 12:33:53 PM    Ye Olde Prospector   Posts: 614 Joined: 1/23/2005 From: Bath, Maine Status: offline I think those lavender salt bottles often have stoppers stuck. I have dug several of them over the years and always seems to be either the stopper is nowhere to be found or practically welded in place. I had one I soaked in everything I could think of for days at a time with no luck. Think thats why owners threw them away. I finally resorted to a last attempt by holding the bottle with tongs in a pan of warm water and gradually heating the water, hoping the air inside would expand enough to force the stopper out. No luck (pop) the bottle burst and still left the stopper in the neck. I broke the rest of the neck away with a hammer and at least salvaged the stopper. After that I just leave them as is. I have broken too many glass stoppers over the years to try forcing them out. Good luck and it would be nice if some one can find a solution to this problem. Cliff < Message edited by Ye Olde Prospector -- 1/2/2006 12:36:03 PM > (in reply to cowseatmaize) Post #: 3

RE: Stoppers, getting out of - 1/2/2006 1:16:34 PM    tazmainiendigger Posts: 974 Joined: 11/21/2003 From: State O Maine Status: offline I have freed a couple after a soaking with wd-40 then tapping gently upward with a small hammer on a wooden dowel back and forth from all sides, it's hit or miss though! No pun intended Taz (in reply to cowseatmaize) Post #: 4

RE: Stoppers, getting out of - 1/2/2006 3:32:07 PM    cowseatmaize Posts: 2135 Joined: 12/2/2004 From: Metro West, MA Status: offline Well, I got the one that was crooked out. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not. I soaked the whole bottle in a zipper bag of hot water and tapped up, down and sideways a few times. The stopper ended up on the floor which luckely was wood and not concrete. It smells like plain ammonia salt, not lavender. I'll try again on my labelled one and get back to you, _____________________________ My 10¢ worth (inflation) Eric If you love what your doing it might be illegal, so watch your back. (in reply to cowseatmaize) Post #: 5

RE: Stoppers, getting out of - 1/2/2006 4:21:54 PM    Caretaker maine   Posts: 518 Joined: 7/9/2005 From: Scarboro Status: offline I say leave it in, I have a couple of them stuck too, just turn the bottle so it looks good, be happy you got the stopper with the bottle _____________________________ go out and dig something (in reply to cowseatmaize) Post #: 6

RE: Stoppers, getting out of - 1/2/2006 9:23:16 PM    atticmint Posts: 214 Joined: 10/28/2005 From: Honeymoon City Canada Status: offline Best way of removing a stuck glass stopper (if heating the bottle does not work) is to tap it with another stopper of the same size and shape. Sounds wierd but this works %90 per cent of the time for me and I use this method 20 - 30 times a week successfully. Put the extra stopper against the stuck one and tap it with the plastic end of a screw driver. Kev (in reply to cowseatmaize) Post #: 7

RE: Stoppers, getting out of - 1/3/2006 12:57:46 PM    cowseatmaize Posts: 2135 Joined: 12/2/2004 From: Metro West, MA Status: offline Well, I tried it with the labeled one, it worked. I did get the pop when tapping so I highly recomend doing it close to a wood floor. Also I didn't bring it to a boil. I just used the hot water fron the tap. Put the bottle in a good ziplock, suck the air out and submerse. It took less than 2 minutes. No wd40® or anything else on this one. That's two in a row, still coinsidence? _____________________________ My 10¢ worth (inflation) Eric If you love what your doing it might be illegal, so watch your back. (in reply to cowseatmaize) Post #: 8

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