Word of the Day
22 February 2026
soffietta
A tool consisting of a metal tube, often swan necked, attached to a conical nozzle. The nozzle is used to block the mouth of a glass vessel so that it can be further inflated by blowing into the tube.
Why this one
Italian for a little puff of air. Once a piece is transferred to the punty and the blowpipe is off, the opening is the working end, so the soffietta gives you a way back in; the swan neck keeps hands and face clear of the glory hole heat.
In use
Get it on the punty first, then I'll take the soffietta and open that shoulder out a bit before it stiffens.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.