Page 2 of 2

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 5:35 pm
by Covert
Two. When we installed the most gorgeous Brazilian granite counter tops at our camp, they came at a price. They don't give - at all. A little bump, which would mean nothing on formica, shatters glassware. All of our glassware is Riedel. Don't know what it costs, not all that much. If we broke glasses by the dozen, it would be a different matter.

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 5:40 pm
by Jon Peterson
Simon J wrote:I was wondering how many glasses you have broken in the last year (or on average) and also how they broke. :cry: (i.e. when you were washing them, drying them, putting them away, knocked them over while drinking etc.) Also, was the glass expensive?

Just curious.......and thanks for any replies.


I broke a $10 Spiegelau glass. It happened like this: Upon purchase at the wine shop, the clerk hit into it and the glass fell over and bounced off the marble counter but did not break or crack or anything.
Weeks later, while drying one of these glasses, a piece just popped off of the bowl in my hand, well, into the towel I was using; it was a beautifully shaped piece, sort of like a teardrop. I was not exerting much pressure at all. I am 99.9% confidant that this was the glass that the clerk tipped over weeks before.

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 3:06 pm
by Carl Eppig
Covert wrote:Two. When we installed the most gorgeous Brazilian granite counter tops at our camp, they came at a price. They don't give - at all. A little bump, which would mean nothing on formica, shatters glassware. All of our glassware is Riedel. Don't know what it costs, not all that much. If we broke glasses by the dozen, it would be a different matter.


Not a wine glass, but we had a 1.5 qt oblong pyrex dish that they don't make anymore (now it's in the shape of bread pan). It was perfect for baking bisquits. A year ago it fell from the top shelf of an overhead cabinet onto the granite. We are still finding pieces of it!

And wouldn't you guess it? A shot glass from a college I went to, and have been hauling around with me for fifty years plus, hit the granite tonight!

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:58 am
by AlexR
Probably break 3 or 4 a year.

This is one reason I will never buy the better Riedel glasses.

They *are* very nice, but they are not forever.
And I would feel *very* upset if I broke one.

I therefore have Spiegelau (yes, owned now by Riedel...) glasses that are much more reasonably priced and are perfectly shaped, if not quite as fine.
And I don't have a heart attack when one breaks.

Best regards,
Alex R.

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:00 am
by Sam Platt
Broke one large Riedel Burgundy glass. I was sort of holding it in my teeth as I opened the door while carryin a plate of meat in from the grill, and it snapped at the rim. Stupid, but luckily no glass shard related damage to my mouth.

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:11 am
by Redwinger
WARNING!!! Don't try this stunt at home.

Sam Platt wrote:Broke one large Riedel Burgundy glass. I was sort of holding it in my teeth as I opened the door while carryin a plate of meat in from the grill, and it snapped at the rim. Stupid, but luckily no glass shard related damage to my mouth.

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:23 pm
by Simon J
AlexR wrote: Probably break 3 or 4 a year.This is one reason I will never buy the better Riedel glasses..


Yes, I know how you feel. A few years back I decided to splurge on four of the big burgundy glasses. A friend came over to help 'break them in' and ended up snapping a stem off while drying one. I think the good advice that I have seen around here is to wait until the next day before cleaning the glasses, not only because you have better control the next day, but you also have better control over your emotions when someone snaps off the stem. :oops:

Another good word of advice seems to be " don't carry wine glasses around in your mouth!" :lol:

I am surprised at how few glasses actually seem to get broken around here though.

Simon

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:09 pm
by MikeH
Heard this story Friday night from a good friend.

New Year's Day, he's drying wine glasses. As he's drying one, he snaps the stem off the bowl. At that point, he also loses control of the bowl which leaves his left hand and becomes airborne. He lunges after the bowl to keep it from hitting the floor and shattering, and is successful in that endeavor. However, the sudden movement has stressed the ankle he sprained after slipping on ice a few days prior. As pain shoots through that ankle, he clutches his right hand to his body. Unfortunately, that hand holds the stem of the wine glass which now is now more like a lance than a glass. And it performs like a lance as well, putting a large hole in his shirt and a smaller hole in his chest.

Proud to say that the event has not stopped him from drinking wine. He does leak a little bit though. :shock:

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:00 pm
by Simon J
MikeH wrote:Unfortunately, that hand holds the stem of the wine glass which now is now more like a lance than a glass. And it performs like a lance as well, putting a large hole in his shirt and a smaller hole in his chest.


That reminds me of a story of a certain conductor (name withheld) who was rehearsing a piece with choir and orchestra. At one point, while conducting, his baton hit the music stand sending it spinning up in the air. Without missing a beat he snatched the baton in mid-air and continued on the up-beat. Unfortunately, the baton was not correctly placed in his hand and he ended up ramming it up his nose, puncturing a blood vessel and bringing a quick end to the rehearsal.

And who says that classical music isn't dangerous?

Simon

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:30 pm
by Jenise
Too many to count. Probably a dozen. Two Spieglau champagne glasses that I know of and easily a bunch of others. But then we entertain a lot and it goes with the territory--not complaining.

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:49 am
by Norm N
Just one (Riedel), my then 3 1/2 year son was reaching across the table to get something and knocked it over. Believe it or not, I was kind of happy that he did that. He had been reminding me incessantly of a wine glass that I had broken the year before ("Daddy, remember that wine glass you broke?"). After he broke the glass, I kept asking him the same question. That finally shut him up!

Cheers,
Norm

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 1:54 pm
by Michael Malinoski
I read this thread just before departing for a weekend of wine debauchery and thought to myself "if I reply stating I didn't break a single glass all year, I'm sure to do so this weekend". Well, sure enough, walking out to the car, my Riedel bag (mistakenly left unzipped) popped open and deposited 2 Riedel Bordeaux stems on my garage floor, which naturally broke into thousands of pieces. So, I guess perhaps I should never have opened the thread at all!

-Michael

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:24 pm
by Ruth B
It was a bad year for glasses at our place
3 Reidel Bordeaux stems
2 Reidel Burgundy stems
2 Reidel champagne flutes
2 or 3 knock offs (Lara)

All but one of them in the washing process!

sigh :(

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:20 pm
by Simon J
Michael Malinoski wrote:I read this thread just before departing for a weekend of wine debauchery and thought to myself "if I reply stating I didn't break a single glass all year, I'm sure to do so this weekend". Well, sure enough, walking out to the car, my Riedel bag (mistakenly left unzipped) popped open and deposited 2 Riedel Bordeaux stems on my garage floor, which naturally broke into thousands of pieces. So, I guess perhaps I should never have opened the thread at all!

-Michael


Michael, I am soooooo sorry that happened. You are not the first one to say that this thread could cause a jinx. I just hope it isn't true 'cos I would feel real bad about it. :oops:

Simon

Re: Question: Broken glasses

PostPosted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:39 pm
by Michael Malinoski
Simon, no worries! In all honesty, I don't believe in anything like jinxes (except during World Series games or Super Bowls, when every action I take I worry about jinxing my team!), and my post was meant to convey a little humorous anecdote and certainly not to play a blame game. I forgot to zip the damn bag, making ME the jinx!! 8)

-Michael