A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing Your First Glass Pipe
This is a small and portable device that’s very user-friendly. It allows you to easily inhale the active components of cannabis and enjoy its benefits. It’s composed of several pieces, a bowl for the cannabis, a stem for the smoke and a mouthpiece for you to inhale the smoke.
Having a durable and easy-to-use glass pipe is a very popular strategy among smokers because of the clean taste it provides. It’s also beginner-friendly, effective and simple.
Types of Glass Pipes
Spoon
Spoon pipes are one of the most popular types because they’re very simple to use. They’re also small and compact which makes them easy to transport as well if you’re on the go all the time. Spoon pipes fit into pockets and small bags, meaning they’re discrete and won’t peek out for everyone to see. Even though they’re small, these pipes will still give you a good smoking experience.
Sherlock
Yes, you’ve guessed it. These pipes were named after the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. They reminded people of his curved pipe and gave them the name. This very distinct and unique glass pipe has a longer stem and a larger bowl. A combo like this makes a cooler smoke.
Besides being aesthetically appealing, they’re also highly functional. Because of the longer path the smoke has to go, it gets cooler when it reaches your throat. This is the main reason why this pipe is so popular.
Bubblers
Bubbling tobacco pipes combine the ease of portability of a hand pipe with the water filtering of a bong. This delivers a more enjoyable smoking experience. They’re great if you want to get the best of both worlds. Bubblers are a handy option because they are generally bigger than spoon pipes but smaller compared to bongs. The water is there to cool down the smoke and filter it before it reaches your lungs. It also enhances the flavour of the smoke.
Chillums
Chillums are just plain, long tubes that have a mouthpiece on one end and a bowl on the other. They’re very easy to use, highly portable and great for quick smokes. If you’re a fan of smaller doses, chillums should be your first choice.
Steamrollers
The main goal of these pipes is to provide a stronger smoking experience. They have an open end on a straight tube, which makes it easier to inhale more smoke in a faster manner. Steamrollers are not for the faint of heart and are often the first choice of seasoned smokers who crave a big hit.
What to Consider When Buying
Glass Quality
The most important thing when buying these pipes is the glass they’re made of. The two most commonly used types are quartz and borosilicate. They’re considered high-quality and suitable for this use. If you’re buying a hand-blown pipe, make sure there aren’t a lot of imperfections and deformities. If there are, you’ll have a bad smoking experience.
Bubbles and scratches are the two main flaws in glass pipes you should be aware of. While a few bubbles and scratches are normal, don’t buy the pipe if you see a lot of them. If you see scratches where the two parts are joined together, don’t get it, it will wear out very fast. Look for clean connections. This way you’ll get a glass pipe that will last for a long time.
Its Purpose
If you know what you’ll be using the pipe for, it’ll be much easier to choose one. Not everyone has the same needs and preferences. If you want to smoke outdoors and travel a lot, a small, easily portable pipe will be the best to invest in. If you always have smoke inside your house alone or with a friend, you can buy a steamroller or a bubbler. And if you want to make a statement and have a unique pipe, get a Sherlock or even a Gandalf pipe.
Pipe Shape
The shape of the pipe can make a big difference in your smoking experience. Some people find long pipes annoying, and others don’t get enough satisfaction from shorter pipes. It doesn’t matter if it has a long or a short handle, the pipe should have an ergonomic design. It should feel comfortable in your hands.
A pipe with well-considered design and graceful curves will always work nicely. The structure of the glass is also important. For example, look for a pipe with a flat bottom. Otherwise, it’ll roll off the table. Every piece of the pipe should fit you well, the mouthpiece, the handle, the bowl and its size.
Glass Thickness
Glass is a fragile material, and if you don’t take care of it properly it can break. But not all of them are so easy to damage. If the glass is thick enough it can withstand a few bumps and knocks. The thickness of these pipes can vary anywhere from 1-9mm. The thicker the pipe, the more durable it will be.
Design and Aesthetics
When you’re browsing for a glass smoking pipe, you’ll see that there are so many different styles and designs. They come in vibrant colours, and fun patterns and some of them are true pieces of art. There are of course classic designs if you want to keep things simple. Hand-blown pipes are very popular because they’re all unique. Some of them can even have extra elements to make them easier to use.
How Do You Use It?
You should know how to use the pipe properly if you want to have a good smoking experience. The first step is to prepare the cannabis by grinding it into a texture that’s not too coarse or too fine. Inspect the pipe and make sure it’s clean. Fill the bowl with cannabis but don’t pack it too tight.
Hold the pipe by covering the carburettor with your finger, light it and inhale gently to make a flame. Inhale the smoke, hold it for a moment and then exhale. Don’t hold it for a long period, it’s unnecessary. Once you’re done extinguish the fire safely and clean the pipe after every use.
