Byrne has worked with Montano for about five years and is delighted with the quality of work.

"I won't let anyone else touch my glass," he said.

Claremont collector Norm Sandusky, 67, has done business with Montano for 15 years.

"Wayne is the most fantastic glass repairman that I am aware of," he said. "There just isn't anybody better."

Montano's distinctive technique involves "rolling" or sanding both inside and outside edges of the glass and then applying a high-gloss polish.

Repairing chipped glasses requires a seven-step process taking about 20 minutes.

If a large piece is broken off a glass antique, he uses an acid as a bonding agent. To finish the adhesive process, he holds an ultraviolet lamp over the piece for several seconds.

Repairing an antique is usually better than the alternative, Montano said.

"It's a lot cheaper to have an $80 glass repaired for $14 then replaced for $80," he said.