Yeah man, agreed. Nobody is perfect, I don’t care how many people would like to think so. Accidents are just that-- ACCIDENTS. Now if you are INTENTIONALLY DOING IT…well… different story. I’m not “master of window cleaning”, I just really enjoy doing this and like to make the customers happy and the glass shine. If it was easy, EVERYBODY would do it.
I hope it all works out for the original poster, that would have me really bothered in the back of my mind. Good luck brother!
I originally only did window cleaning and electrical installs (since I’m actually a licensed electrician). But it wasn’t paying the bills, so I evolved to Gutter Cleaning, Solar Panel Cleaning, Dryer Vent, Hard Water restorations, Soft Washing etc. Those other services are “add-ons”, not my bread n butter.
Yah we we have similar thoughts on these discussions. You are my Window Cleaning brother from another mother.
What’s the deal with old castle. One day we picked up a new customer and pointed out all the scratches to his old castle glass before we began. He went in a rampage and called the builder to find out who did the construction clean and ripped them a new one. We still clean this one today and won’t even put steel wool on it.
if it is a glass fine and not the blade causing the scratch changing the blade would help how?
a metal blade could be wiped clean where the plastic could have the debris embeded.
I don’t know, I believe Old Castle is notorious for “dirty” manufacturing practices. It almost seems as if their glass scratches even from putting a soaking wet scrubber on it.
Did the customer ever get the scratched glass replaced?
Usually not.
In this case the builder replaced and the other window cleaning company gave him free work.
Hope they dont damage the free work, LOL
look below
Phileepoo - I had to learn how to fan glass two handed working in Phoenix. Clean water technology was still just starting out and wasn’t something I could afford at the time. Now I fan glass two handed most of the time - especially when I’m finishing a window.
Looks like the method you’re using is working well for you, but if it were me I’d be a lot more careful when using a blade of any kind on glass - especially if you’re working around stucco/concrete. A lot of glass can be fine being razored off but it’s the pieces that aren’t that’ll get ya. Going back & forth with a blade increases the likelihood of scratching the glass. Pretty sure it’s not the steel in the blade that scratches the glass, usually, it’s the debris that gets cut off and rides along the blade doing the damage. Good reason to only use short strokes imho.
The blade holder looks interesting. Not sure it’d make much difference in keeping crappy glass from scratching though. That and I have to wonder how safe it is. A six inch razor can give you a serious cut in short order. I know. I prefer the 5" champion myself. Just seems like it gives me better ‘feel’ of/on the glass. Rarely use a razor on a pole since I want to be able to feel if I’m cutting off something I shouldn’t be using a blade on. There’s a different feel to (the non-existent) FD than overspray. I’ve always felt more comfortable using hands on for glass that needs any serious work.
These days if I do a window job I rarely use a blade on tempered at all. Not worth taking the chance. Cutting stucco off tempered is a sure way to eventually scratch the glass. Especially if you’re doing long upward strokes that make it more likely for particulates to ride along the blade.
after a bad CCU project a while back I emailed several manufacturers to ask about their recommended methods for cleaning dirty glass, I got info back saying that professional scraping tools were approved. This was on ‘fully tempered’ glass I was asking about. They actually said it was the approved method for removing paint or debris. I’m not sure that blades are ‘not allowed’ by manufacturers as often as thought. Maybe something we should all look into more. I call pull the info if anyone wants to see it.
So are these really ‘non-approved’ methods? Check with the manufacturer I guess.
sounds like here say to me, you can google tempered glass care instructions and get a several page document from half a dozen manufactures.
At the end of the day if you cause damage to the surface you are working on by tools or technique then you are liable, and as this particular thread shows that insurance will not cover from this type of damage.
Dude… Your going to lose a finger lol 
For starters, That is very troubling to hear. 
This is a common problem in the area with glass I’m running into as well. I water fed pole almost all windows before I spot check with steel wool and my small pocket scrapper. The fear is a new guy running around overzealous with a razor and something like this happen or I do it myself. Did you try your blade on a small area to see if the scratches appear easily as you had before? I find it very hard to believe that you did that without knowing. Something seems off because we always look at the glass a million times while we are running around on the job. Like they said above somebody rubbed a brick on them. Sorry dude.
