Blow molds
Also called hinge mold, mould
Full-size wooden, graphite, or metal molds that a bubble is blown into to give a piece its final shape.
What it is
A blow mold is a hollow form that a bubble is blown into to give the piece its form; molds can be wood, clay, or metal[4] , and graphite is used too.[2]
How it’s used
Molds allow quick, uniform reproduction of a shape, size, or design.[4] With wood, the mold is used wet: when the hot glass meets the wet wood a thin layer of steam forms, which “polishes” the glass as it turns in the mold, and drilled vents let excess steam escape so the glass takes the exact shape.[1] Wood also doesn’t chill the glass the way graphite or ceramic does, which matters for large pieces.[1] It does burn and wear: Jakobsson estimates anything from a hundred to a few hundred pieces, depending on the design and the blower.[1]
Graphite is far more durable and holds fine detail; bare graphite leaves a “chill mark” texture, and smooth pieces need the mold corked.[2] Blockhead’s care advice for wooden molds is the same as for blocks: keep them submerged in water and burn them in with a couple of clear gathers.[2]
History
Blowing a bubble inside a mold seems to have been an early first-century A.D. development, practiced in both the eastern and western Mediterranean.[3]
Sources
Blow molds in the archive 70
| Photo | Tool | Maker | Sellers |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Pint Glass MoldAn Archetype mold for an American pint glass, in wood or graphite. | Blockhead Tools | 2 | |
| Bauble Ornament MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a bauble ornament. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Champagne Flute MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a champagne flute. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Chardonnay Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a hot-pop chardonnay glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Cherrywood Mold, 3" × 5" CupA cherrywood mold for a straight-sided cup, 3" across and 5" tall. | Block Party Blocks and Molds | 1 | |
| Cherrywood Mold, 3" × 5" TumblerA cherrywood mold for a straight-sided tumbler, 3" across and 5" tall. | Block Party Blocks and Molds | 1 | |
| Cherrywood Mold, 3.25" × 3.75" Stemless Wine GlassA cherrywood mold for a curvy stemless wine glass, 3.25" at its widest and 3.75" tall. | Block Party Blocks and Molds | 1 | |
| Classical Amphora MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a classical amphora, in three heights. | Blockhead Tools | 3 | |
| Custom Blow MoldsCustom blow molds made to your idea in wood, graphite, aluminum, steel or other materials. | Protostamps | 1 | |
| Custom Graphite Pour MoldCustom-milled graphite: pocketed pour molds, specialty shapes, or small blow molds, quoted by email. | Protostamps | 1 | |
| Custom MoldA wooden mold made to your design; Leviathan quotes it by email. | Leviathan GlassWorks | 1 | |
| Custom Wooden MoldA wooden mold made from your sketch, drawing, 3D file, or a blown sample, milled on CNC from a CAD/CAM model. | Fantlab | 1 | |
| Custom Wooden MoldSolid-wood blow molds CNC-machined to your drawing, with no horizontal joints and stainless hardware. Large ones get handles or can run i... | Jakobsson Sweden | 1 | |
| Cylinder MoldAn Archetype wood cylinder mold in three diameters. | Blockhead Tools | 3 | |
| Double Martini Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a double martini glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| English Pub Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a 20 oz English pub glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Flat-Based Amphora MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a flat-based amphora, 6" tall. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Heart Graphite MoldGraphite punty molds, top and bottom, for a heart. | Blockhead Tools | 2 | |
| Highball Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a 5.5" highball glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| IPA Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a hot-pop IPA glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Imperial (Nonik) Pint Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for an imperial nonik pint glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Irish Stout MoldAn Archetype mold for an Irish stout glass, in wood or graphite. | Blockhead Tools | 2 | |
| Lightbulb Ornament MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a lightbulb-shaped ornament. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Mighty Mold, LargeA madrona wood mold, made as either a slammer or a rotational mold. | Leviathan GlassWorks | 1 | |
| Mighty Mold, MediumA madrona wood mold, made as either a slammer or a rotational mold. | Leviathan GlassWorks | 1 | |
| Mighty Mold, Medium+A madrona wood mold, made as either a slammer or a rotational mold. | Leviathan GlassWorks | 1 | |
| Mighty Mold, SmallA madrona wood mold, made as either a slammer or a rotational mold. | Leviathan GlassWorks | 1 | |
| Mighty Mold, Small+A madrona wood mold, made as either a slammer or a rotational mold. | Leviathan GlassWorks | 1 | |
| Mighty Mold, X-LargeA madrona wood mold, made as either a slammer or a rotational mold. | Leviathan GlassWorks | 1 | |
| Mold CorkA cork for Blockhead's Archetype molds, sold singly or as a kit. | Blockhead Tools | 2 | |
| Mushroom MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a mushroom. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Onion Ornament MoldAn Archetype wood mold for an onion-dome ornament. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Pilsner Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a pilsner glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Pint Glass Hinge MoldA hinged mold for blowing pint glasses. | Block Party Blocks and Molds | 1 | |
| Red Wine Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a punty-style red wine glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Rocks Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a 3.5" rocks glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Snowman Ornament MoldA pair of Archetype wood molds, top and bottom, for a snowman ornament. | Blockhead Tools | 2 | |
| Spindle Ornament MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a spindle ornament. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Stamp Mold - BearA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a bear motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Cherub, LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a cherub motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Cherub, MediumA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a cherub motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Face 2, Extra Extra SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a face (second design) motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Face, Extra Extra SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a face motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Face, Extra SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a face motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Face, MediumA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a face motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Lion (Style 1), Extra SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a lion (style 1) motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Lion (Style 1), LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a lion (style 1) motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Lion (Style 1), MediumA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a lion (style 1) motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Lion (Style 1), SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a lion (style 1) motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Lion (Style 2), LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a lion (style 2) motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Moon, LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a moon motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Moon, MediumA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a moon motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Moon, SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a moon motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Shell, LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a shell motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Shell, MediumA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a shell motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Shell, SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a shell motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Skull, LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a skull motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Skull, MediumA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a skull motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Skull, SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a skull motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Strawberry, Extra SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a strawberry motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Strawberry, Extra, LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a strawberry motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Strawberry, LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a strawberry motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Strawberry, MediumA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a strawberry motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Strawberry, SmallA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a strawberry motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Tiger, LargeA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a tiger motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stamp Mold - Tiger, MediumA brass stamp mold ("fracchi") that presses a tiger motif into a hot bit. | Carlo Donà | 2 | |
| Stemless Wine Glass MoldAn Archetype mold for a stemless wine glass, in wood or graphite. | Blockhead Tools | 2 | |
| Tree Ornament MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a tree ornament, made for top or bottom punty. | Blockhead Tools | 1 | |
| Tumbler MoldAn Archetype wood tumbler mold in four heights. | Blockhead Tools | 4 | |
| White Wine Glass MoldAn Archetype wood mold for a white wine glass. | Blockhead Tools | 1 |
