There is a lot that goes into glass pipes. What style they are shaped into. What kind of material is used to make them. The size of the piece. The different designs within the piece. The functionality of the pieces. And many other variables go into what makes a good glass pipe. In this comprehensive guide, we hope to cover all of this and more! This leaves us one place to start, the beginning.
What is a Glass pipe?
Pipes are objects that are shaped or created that allow you to light and smoke a material of your choosing. If this definition feels ambiguous, it’s because pipes can be made from almost anything! We have seen pipes be made from soda cans, apples, water bottles, and all sorts of other fun and unique items. Our favorite though is borosilicate glass. Man, that glass feels classy.
What are the different parts of a pipe?
The four main features that make up a pipe are.. the bowl, the body, the mouthpiece, and the carb.
The bowl is what contains whatever material you want to smoke. A good bowl is one that can contain your preferred amount of material while not spilling any over.
The body aka the chamber is where all of the smoke fills in while you are inhaling before you clear it. The body makes up the majority of the pipe. So obviously this means this is where all of the design and style choices will come in. With the thousands of different pipe styles out there in the world. We at Fat Buddha Glass, have done our best to keep our store stocked with the most unique, and high-quality styles of pipes that there are!
The mouthpiece is where you put your lips up to and inhale from. A sign of a good mouthpiece is when while you are taking your rips the pipe sits comfortably against your lips. The carb is an optional addition to the pipe. You don’t need it to get the job done. But much like forks and spoons for eating, carbs make the task so much easier that you can’t imagine doing it without them. What they are is a little hole located near the bowl. They are generally small enough that you can cover them with your thumb or a finger. The purpose of a carb is to allow you control over the amount of smoke that you are taking in with each rip. With the carb covered the body of your pipe will fill up with smoke while you are inhaling from it. Once released the smoke in the body smoothly flows into your mouth and lungs. Cleanly finishing the rip.
What are pipes made of?
As we mentioned before, pipes can be made from all sorts of different materials. The most common one that we carry here at Fat Buddha Glass is Borosilicate Glass. Glass pipes are made from someone melting down sand and other synthetic materials, to a molten state. Then taking that red searing hot bit of molten sand and use special tools to bend and blow it into a beautiful shape. The whole process truly is an art form. Glass-blowing artists risk quite a lot as well, having to get so close to extreme heat. Borosilicate glass is a synthetic glass mixture that has a high heat threshold making them safer to use around the intense heat of a burning bowl! But pipes truly can be made out of many different materials, here are just a few other types of pipes besides borosilicate. This isn’t all of the different types, but you will get the idea.
Ceramic pipes can be very unique looking. They are a type that varies in shape based on the skill and preference of the artist. You can do just about anything with clay, in terms of creation. So you have no barrier as to the different types of shapes you can make. Ceramics also have a high heat resistance that comes in handy when you are trying to burn an extremely hot bowl of… any chosen material.
Metal Metalworking in terms of pipe creation, normally means it is machine-made. Machines can bend metals into any shape they want nowadays, but the most common metal pipes you will see are made from molds. Machines fill pipe molds and make mass quantities of pipes within an instant. Personally, this method of pipe creation feels a little disingenuous, and sometimes the quality doesn’t hold up. But to be fair a lot of glass products can also be made with machines. However, in my opinion, with glass molds, you can make higher-quality products.
Wood pipes are most often created for tobacco products. They date back the oldest, and some of these pipes are so beautifully carved that they take your breath away. The biggest difference with wood pipes is that most of the time they do not have a carb hole.
Natural Materials - There are all sorts of different natural materials that have been used to make pipes. But most of them are hand-made by people that are looking for a one-time use situation. These pipes also mostly include fruits. Such as apples, bananas, even potatoes! As long as you can carve out a bowl to use, and create an opening to that bowl you should be able to make your very own unique pipe.
What is the difference between a water pipe and a dry pipe?
The main difference between a water pipe and a dry pipe is… that's right, you guessed it, water. Bongs hold water that will diffuse your smoke and make it easier to inhale. However, this does not make one better than the other. It is all a preference thing. Pipes are smaller, meaning they can be transported easier, have a smaller chance of being broken, and fit in the palm of your hand! Whereas bongs are typically larger, can be knocked over by accident, and typically do not fit in the palm of your hand. So it is up to you to decide if the size difference is worth the added benefits and features.
What makes a good pipe?
Objectively, you need all four of the features listed above to have yourself a good pipe. But other than that, what makes a good pipe is rather subjective and dependent upon you and your preferences. Do you like intricate twists and turns? Are you a fan of bold colors? Does the idea of a massive pipe that is bigger than your head excite you? GREAT! That means you have been building your taste in fine glass art! We have always said, here at Fat Buddha Glass, that THE most important part about deciding what you want in our store, is finding something that you connect with. Once you have done that, everything else will fall into place. You will be happier with your purchase. You will be more excited to use your piece. Your friends will appreciate your sense of confidence in this new item. And you will even get to share it with them! In conclusion, a good pipe is going to be one that speaks to you.
How do I use a Glass Pipe?
So you have found a piece that speaks to you and you now want to make sure that you use it right? Or maybe you want to make sure that you know what you are getting into before you even make the purchase? Either way, this section is for you. The first thing you are going to do when using a pipe is load your bowl. When loading a bowl, it is best practice to always start with a clean bowl. Even if you have just finished smoking a bowl, clean it out, and load it again. This is going to make sure that you are doing your best to prolong the cleanliness of your piece.
Once you have loaded your bowl with the appropriate amount of material, you are on to the most “dangerous” part. Lighting your material. It really is not that dangerous of a step, but you will want to make sure you do it correctly. When lighting your bowl, make sure that your thumb is to the side of where the flame will be, instead of directly above. This will prevent you from getting burnt. At the same time as lighting your product, you will want to make sure your carb hole is covered, and that you are ready to inhale because you will be doing all three of those things at the same time.
Once your product is properly ignited, you can turn off the lighter. If your carb hole is covered the material in your bowl will continue to burn while you are inhaling. Once you let go of that carb hole, the smoke in the body of the pipe will clear into your mouth and lungs! Just like that, you are using a pipe like a PRO.
Why use a Glass Pipe?
Pipes provide you an easy way to use the amount of product that you desire to use. Joints blunts and other rolled ways to smoke often use more product in an overall more inefficient method. That is not to say that those options are not also an amazing way to smoke. Simply less inefficient. Aside from the efficiency, with a pipe, you are able to own something very unique. Because there are so many different types you can use them to match the rest of your collection. Or find one that stands out from the rest of your collection! Pipes also come in a wide variety of sizes, so depending on your session plans a pipe could be very convenient. With the collection of glass pipes we have on our website we are sure that you will find one that you connect with, and thoroughly enjoy.
What are the different types of glass pipes?
There are many different types of glass pipes out there. We want you to be an informed buyer before making your final decision, this way you are happy throughout the entire process. On our website, we have broken down the different types of pipes into a few different categories. Spoon pipes, chillums, sherlock and Gandalf pipes, Steamroller pipes, unique pipes, and themed pipes.
First, we're gonna go over spoon pipes. Chances are you've seen one before. They get their namesake from every soup eater's favorite utensils! This is because the bowl and body of the pipe slightly resemble the shape of a spoon! Spoon pipes come in the widest range of colors, shapes, and sizes. So you are sure to find something here that you will absolutely love. They are also perfect for on the go!
Next, speaking of pieces that are perfect for on-the-go Chillums aka, glass blunts, are perfect for you if you want something small, and easy to adventure with! What I like about them is that they're small and that they use minimal amounts of material. AND they still get the job done! They normally are about 2.5” long-4” long. They are built for convenience.
Next up we're coming to our Chief Glass Enthusiasts personal favorite! Sherlock and Gandalf pipes! These two styles make you feel so much more sophisticated than you actually are when you use them. The biggest difference between these and other pipes is their size. Because they're bigger you're gonna get a nice large rip plus they are extremely comfortable to hold. These styles get their name from two separate fictional characters who would puff on unique shaped pipes. I wonder if you could guess who those characters are…. It really is elementary.
Now we're going to talk to you about steamrollers. Besides their size. The biggest difference between these and other pipe styles is steamrollers have the placement of the carb hole on the end of the pipe. This allows for very direct airflow and a bigger hit, it's like getting punched in the face but without the black eye. But it is worth noting that this style normally is a lot larger than the other styles of pipes, so beginners should be wary. Experienced smokers… Right this way.
Last but not least we come to our fan-favorite style, theme pipes. These are some of the most fun pipes we have because they allow you to truly express yourself whether you want a blood-sucking Demogorgon or a cute baby Yoda you can find your fit here! They take the idea of pipes and make them culturally relevant, or are even just ornately decorated. But the number of personalized options within this category is what makes it such a popular choice.
As you can see there are lots of different styles of pipes out there each with its own advantage. When it comes to picking that perfect piece, we recommend finding one that meets your needs but also finding one that you connect with emotionally. To see everything we have check us out at fatbud.com. We appreciate you, and we hope you find your piece.
What can you smoke in a pipe?
Technically you can smoke anything that is combustible out of a pipe. But for clear health risks, you will want to be sure to do your research before you put anything into your body. We at Fat Buddha Glass leave the decision of what to smoke up to you. We advise however that you do research and follow all applicable laws in your area.
Where do pipes come from?
The act of smoking has been around for centuries. Meaning pipes have as well. The first types of pipes on record come out of Asia, and are made out of ceramics. Glass blowing was not on the scene until 30 B.C. But basically, as soon as it was on the scene, so were glass pipes. They really do have an ancient history. Which is fun to remember once in a while during a session, and maybe you will feel more connected to your ancestors that came before you.
How do I clean a glass pipe?
Glass pipes get dirty rather easily. Especially if you have any frequency to how much you use them. Over time they will collect a lot of dark gunk known as resin. This stuff is absolutely disgusting. It has a horrible smell. It is insanely sticky. It will ruin clothes without a second thought. Hopefully, all of this will be enough motivation for you to never have to come across it in the real world. The only way you can do this is by keeping your piece consistently clean. To be able to do this... You should know how to clean your pipe first.
There are many options for cleaning a glass piece. Using isopropyl alcohol and salt. Boiling it. Paperclip method. Professional Goo Cleaning Products. And many other home recipes for a clean pipe, but these are the four we are going to start with.
Using Isopropyl alcohol and salt is a rather effective way to clean your piece. First, find a ziplock baggie that will fit the pipe you are trying to clean. Then gently put the glass pipe in the bag. Then you are going to pour isopropyl alcohol into the bag, enough to cover your pipe. And top it off with a generous amount of salt. The alcohol breaks down the disgusting goop, while the salt acts as an abrasive, making it easier to remove and clean. Once all of that is in the bag you are going to zip it up and shake it (being careful not to drop it, or slam it into anything near you). Shake it for about 3 minutes, let it sit for a few minutes, and come back and give it another little shake. After that, you will grab your pipe out of this bag, and rinse it clean. Your pipe should be a lot cleaner than before, but if it is not, repeat this process until you have your desired cleanliness. With this process be sure to thoroughly rinse your piece after, and let it dry completely so this way you aren’t inhaling any toxic fumes!
Boiling is a fairly straightforward method. You simply take your dirty piece, and leave it in a pot of boiling water for about 5-10 minutes, checking frequently. After you have let it boil, you are going to grab some tongs and safely grab it out. You can rinse it with warm water, but you will want to avoid cold water immediately after taking it out of the boiling water. A stark temperature change such as this can potentially damage your glass pieces. Repeat this process as many times as necessary to have a completely clean piece.
The paper clip/pipe cleaner method is the most tedious on this list. It requires an ample amount of spare time. If you have the time, and you are willing to put in the work, this is an alternative to the other methods. To pass the time I like to turn on a record or a Netflix show to binge. The method is simple. You take a paperclip and unbend it into a straight line. Once you have this small straight pole you can start to attack the black gunk within your pipe, pulling it out with the paperclip/pipe cleaner. Keep in mind that you will need something to remove the gunk from the paperclip, such as a paper towel, or something else you don’t mind being ruined or thrown away.
The last and least complex method we are going to talk about is the professional method. Multiple companies make a product specifically for targeting the gunk that builds up in pipes and water pipes. They can come in a salt-type material that you add water to, or even a goo that you pour onto and into your piece, then rinse away clean! This method is convenient because these companies have dedicated researchers to figure out the best way to clean a pipe, taking all of the hard work off of you as a consumer! Isn’t it awesome?
Conclusion
Pipes come in many different styles. The process of using them and choosing them can be challenging if you do not know what you are doing. We hope that this guide will help you make your future decisions, and provide you with a much smoother safer session. If you have another question that is not answered here, please feel free to reach out to our customer service team, and we will help you make the best decision for you. You can find our contact information by reaching through our contact us page. As always, thank you for reading, and we hope you find your piece.
