Glass pipes & products perfect for cannabis beginners
So, you would like to try smoking with a pipe “what do I buy?” Purchasing your first pipe can be a bit confusing, learning the lingo, finding a pipe that suits your individual need can be mind-boggling. It is a fantastic way to smoke, easier than rolling a joint!
Some different types of material pipes are made of are:
• wood
• clay porcelain
• crystal
• the shells
• ceramics
• plastic
• metal
• glass
• silicone
Hand pipes are the quintessential pipe for beginners. They fit in the palm of your hand and are ideal for casual smokers, or those who maybe like to indulge before going to bed.
Glass pipes although beautiful to look at break easily, be careful not to drop it. The thicker the glass, the better.
Sometimes size does matter, the smaller the glass pipe, the harder to clean. One must also make sure the holes are the correct size. If too small, airflow will be compromised. On the other hand, if too big, the weed will fall through thus needing a stopper.
Water pipes these are a step-up from the hand pipe. More experienced smokers will enjoy this method, often referred to as bongs. These pipes have a percolation chamber which bubbles and converts smoke into water vapor, lessens the harshness of the hit making the draw much smoother and cleaner. Various sizes are available in these pipes.
Bubblers are a bong and a spoon combined. It is a spoon pipe with a chamber for water. It is more portable and still incorporates the water filtration of the bong.
Steamroller another combination of bong and pipe with its focus on the chamber style instead of the ability to hold water. Typically, it is tube shaped and opens on both ends with a bowl on top. If you want a bigger hit comparable to a bong, this is it. The result is harsher due to no water.
One hitter often called “little bats” are shaped like a cigarette. They hold about 25mg of weed. They are very small. Perfect for beginners and for keeping a low profile. They also do not produce as much odor as other ways of smoking
When choosing your pipes material, there are a few things to consider:
Wood is pretty but will scorch.
Metal might be quite hot to handle but easier to clean as they come apart
Glass seems to be the most popular They have clean hits, so there is no tampering with the flavor. However, cleaning is a bit harder due to the fact they don’t come apart. The best pipes will be made from borosilicate glass. These pipes are very durable will not crack easily on dropping and tend not to get stress cracks as easy as the soft glass used on some pipes. These pipes tend to be more expensive than a soft glass of other pipes. Another consideration in purchasing your pipe is the size of the bowl. It depends on whether you want a one-hitter bowl for yourself or a larger one for sharing or smoking larger amounts yourself.
If you choose to smoke with a pipe, there are certain items you will need regardless of what type of pipe you use:
Filter
Dry herb in the bowl may require a filter. Usually made of metal in a mesh form some are made of glass.
Lighter
Nothing worse than being all ready and no way to light your pipe. The traditional lighter is fine. Others like a glass wand or a hemp stick are great, giving cleanliness to your hits also not bothering the beautiful taste of your bud flavor.
Grinder
Not necessarily needed some people to choose to cut their herb with scissors, but if you want a bonus to use a grinder with a kief catcher. As you grind, the pollen will collect in the kief catcher. Eventually, you will have enough to sprinkle on the top of your bowl as an extra surprise, fantastic a little extra umph!
Although the one-hitter is a complete package, you may like a few accessories.
The poker is a little tool to clean your pipe. You can use a pipe cleaner. The ultimate result is to keep your pipe clean therefore avoiding clog ups
The dugout is a box specifically designed for the one-hitter. Holds all you need, your pipe cleaning tool and a little weed.
The type of bowl depends on if you want your pipe to be a rig or a bong. Some bowls are made to smoke buds, others called nails, which are used for concentrates and extracts. A nail will need a dome to go with it. Just like the pipe, they attach to the bowl.
Downstem
This is a tube that holds the bowl slide or nail. Some are built into the pipe, and some are removable. Removable is great for cleaning
Dabber
This is a long stick that will not melt in the heat and used to pick up wax and burn it.
Purculators
These are additional structures inside the glass that the smoke and water are forced to move through adding extra filtration. These come in several different kinds. The turbine disc is great when you inhale it looks like a hurricane inside your water pipe.
Splashguard
These fixed parts are there so the water will not splash in your mouth
Ice catcher
Are used to give a cooler smoother hit, there are indentations in the pipe, used to hold ice.
Ash catcher
This is a great exterior add-on ready to catch any ash that falls through the bowl. It sits between the joint and the downstream. Regardless of what type of pipe, it's a great add-on.
Now the twisty glass blunt, that's right, its a blunt made of glass. It acts as a pipe, but you fill the whole chamber like a blunt. The twisted screw like center doubles the length that the smoke has to travel, cooling the hit by 30% before it reaches your throat!
There are many different styles of pipes out there suited for all different needs. Take your time to find the one that fits for you.
Enjoy!
