Extracting the glass from discarded windows for re-use is a sensible idea; many times the glass can be cut to fill a gap somewhere around the house. The only real drawback to window recycling is getting the glass out of its old frame in one piece. Rock-hard putty can sometimes make it nearly impossible. Here’s how to do it:
Lay your window down on a flat surface and paint the old putty with lacquer thinner. Then wait five or ten minutes, and go after it with a scraper. The thinner penetrates underneath the putty, allowing it to be lifted away in large chunks. I’ve never seen putty that wouldn’t succumb to this treatment.
Ron Davis, Novato, CA
