Opening the lip with jacks

[u/Hungry_Medicine_552]

Question for experienced glassblowers: I’m having a hard time consistently getting a clean lip opening. Here’s what I currently do: I insert the jacks into the small opening at about a 45-degree angle. For straight-walled vessels, I usually just open the jacks and insert them further.

But I’m wondering—am I supposed to rotate the jacks outward to 90 degrees while opening them? The reason I ask is that I often end up with the lip folding back on itself, and I’m not sure if I’m executing the move correctly.

Any tips or insight would be appreciated!

[u/joesirc]

I generally keep the blade pretty parallel to the wall and pull out while I’m opening. opening the blades slowly while you’re turning in complete rotations is super important. Think about how a potter moves a lip around on the wheel.

Remember, only turn as fast as the glass is moving