Abstract: Annular surplus material which is separated from a parison section in the cavity of a blow mold in response to penetration of a blowing mandrel into the neck mold of the blow mold in a blow molding apparatus is stripped off the mandrel during the last stage of movement of the mandrel to an upper end position and subsequent to complete opening of the blow mold so as to allow a freshly formed plastic container to descend by gravity and to move sideways out of alignment with the mandrel. The mandrel has a cylindrical calibrating portion which cooperates with the neck mold to press mold the neck portion of the container prior to blowing, and a smaller-diameter lower end portion which guides the container during the initial stage of gravitational descent onto a conveyor or into a receptacle.