Acid etching is a craft and industrial process that is used to make cuttings on glass and other surfaces by the use of acid. When used in making cuttings and other designs for craft, it is used by artists mainly on glass and metal surfaces. The acids used in creating an acid etch are sodium fluoride and hydrogen fluoride both which are very dangerous substances. The process starts by covering the glass surface with a coating of wax commonly referred to as resist or ground, the artist then with the use of special etching tools creates a design on the glass. The designs could be anything that they want to appear on the finished glass surface. After completing the designing, the glass is dipped into the acid mixture which starts eating into the glass surface that is exposed. This is the parts where the designs were created and once the acid eats into the design to a designed depth, the glass material is removed from the acid and the resist covering cleaned off. Most of the substances used in acid etching, the acids and etching tool kit can be bought in common artistry shops. Glass etching is simple and anyone who understands the process can do it at their homes and create acid etch crafts for sale of for their own use.

Since the acids used in acid etching are really dangerous, it is advised that the handler wears protective clothing while working on the glass. Kitchen gloves are essential so as not to contaminate their hands with the acids and the handler should also avoid touching their eyes with their hands while they have the glass dust on them. An apron or overall would be also ideal to prevent their clothes from being stained while working on the items. For a safer working environment, there are other safer etching creams for those artists who want to work from their homes. The creams however do not have the same deep effect of acid etch just like the hydraulic acid does. While using the etching cream, a stencil is placed on the glass surface being worked on and the cream is wiped over to leave a cloudy finish pattern where the glass was exposed. This is a simpler method of acid etching on glass surfaces. Images and patterns can be produced on glass ware such as bottles, wine glasses, plates and other glass surfaces such as window panes too. There is no limit to the designs that can be designed to the glass surfaces using acid etch method. Colors can also be used in the process to developed colored patterns which are more beautiful.

The tools required for etching are: eye wear protection for the handler, gloves to protect their hands, an overall or apron for protection, a room that has sufficient light either natural or a movable lamp, a stable standing table as your working table and the etching kit which can be bought and assembled easily. The artist also needs hydraulic acid cream, a brush or several of them, a plain contact paper that is not patterned, a sponge or bristle, a scalpel, a clean rag for wiping the progress of the work, carbon paper for drawing the designs, tracing paper, pencils, masking tape and window cleaning solution to clean the glass surface worked on after finishing the project. Most of these items can be found at home or bought easily from craft shops and other stores around the home or shopping centers. If the artist would want to make further engravings on the glass, then a hand-held diamond tool used for making the hand pointed engravings is necessary. It is recommended that if one is a novice in the art, then they should not begin with a valuable glass piece because they might damage it due to lack of skill. Instead, practice should be done first with other glass pieces then the progress can continue like that.

There are two kinds of glass, the harder kind used on soda bottles that do not break easily and the leaded one that is lighter. The leaded glass is ideal for acid etching projects because it is easier eaten by the acid.