When it comes to igniting their herbs and tobacco, smokers have a handful of different devices easily at their disposal. What you use or how you light you water pipe is completely a personal preference. It's your call, but there are some pretty strong differences. Torch Torches are an essential dabbing tool. These are typically butane-powered devices that will generate flames that get as hot as 2000ºF. They will quickly heat up a quartz banger or other heating element. Standard lighters are not going to get hot enough in order to heat up nails. When picking out a butane torch, you need to determine:
The hottest part of a torch’s flame is thought to be the bright blue cone that is generated close to the torch but combustion is not complete at this part of the flame. In reality, the hottest part of the flame is the light blue part of the flame. It is best to make sure the nail is sitting in front of the bright blue tip of the primary combustion zone for the quickest light. One last thing... Typically, if you're simply lighting herbs or tobacco, why bother with a torch? You don't want to ignite all of your material at once, as you'll probably not be able to smoke it all at once, right? Slow down with herbs, friends. No need to finish your bowl in one sitting, my mother once said. Lighters Lighters come in many shapes and forms. You will find anything from fuel powered Zippos to the stoner-staple Bics. Most of your disposable lighters are made very cheaply and it is very common for the igniter or flint to go dead. You get what you pay for, obviously, so should you expect a 99 cent lighter to last forever? Meanwhile, Zippo lighters look amazing but they require a serious amount of upkeep. Plus, the flame on these tends to be always pointing up, which is a problem for any water pipe user. Hemp Wicks A hemp wick is a phenomenal all-natural alternative to butane lighters. In order to use a hemp wick, you just need to light the wick (usually with a lighter) and use the wick to light your bowl. Hemp wicks have advantages over butane lighters. The wick is made from hemp fibers and is normally wrapped around a lighter so that it can be easily lit. With the use of a hemp wick, you lessen the risk of breathing in any butane or noxious gases from your lighter when lighting your bowl. Also, you also will have more control of the flame and can corner your bowl with more precision. Hemp certainly does not combust at the high temperatures that butane burns at. Your smoke will be less harsh and you can take more intense hits without feeling as much strain on your lungs with the use of a hemp wick. The Herb Iron The Herb Iron (available here) is officially the smoker's premium combustion device. There's really nothing else like it. First, it's electric. It's a lot like an old school soldering iron, and even better, there is no flame. There's a safety switch that will automatically turn off the herb iron once it's left for a while, a crucial element when it comes to these devices. Not only that, but Hemp wicks do tend to have a taste and a smell. Not so with the Herb Iron. Make no mistake: there is no cleaner way to smoke than with a Herb Iron. It is a genius device. Conclusion If you want your smoking experience simple, you may want to just stick with your lighter. If you are more of a dabber, you should go with a torch. If you are interested in going butane free, you are going to want to look into a hemp wick. Beyond the potential health benefits over butane lighters, waxed hemp twine tastes cleaner. On the other hand, nothing lights a bowl like the Herb Iron. Nothing. The choice is yours, friends.
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A bubbler is a smaller, hand-held version of a water pipe. The compact size and portability is what makes bubblers so popular to so many people. Bubblers can take a variety of sizes and shapes. In many cases, they are simply a dry glass hand pipe with a small water chamber that provides some diffusion. On the other hand, they can seriously resemble small and rather complex water pipes with high end percolators and a very scientific glass-oriented look. TAG, naturally, carries more of the latter type of glass bubbler, and our collection is here: https://www.thickassglass.com/collections/bubblers Bubblers use water, which will cool your smoke for smooth hits and bring down the harshness to your lungs and throat. As mentioned above, these mini-water pipes also use percolation systems that will filter, diffuse and cleanse your smoke to make your smoke as healthy as possible. The combination of water and a quality percolation system will ensure you're good to go. What all bubblers share, of course, is portability. These pieces are small, solid, and can be easily transported. There are drawbacks, however, and they include:
Choosing The Best Glass Bubbler Pipe Affordability should not always be why you purchase a particular bubbler. Some things to consider with these solid smoking devices include:
Types of Bubblers Hammer Bubblers Hammer bubblers have a mouthpiece and bottom chamber on them that sits flat on your surface with the neck that leads diagonally upwards in order to connect to the top of the chamber. Essentially, they balance and look a bit like a judge's gavel, or, as per the name, a hammer. Sidecar Bubblers Sidecar bubblers are bubblers that include a sidecar mouthpiece which is going to branch off of the chamber and will move on an angle from the side of the chamber instead of to the top of the chamber. The sidecar design is going to eliminate any type of splashback and will prevent any water from leaving your bubbler. TAG offers a few very cool sidecar bubblers like this. Sherlock Bubblers Sherlock bubblers are bubblers that have the S shape that is seen in sherlock pipes. That classic Sherlock Holmes shape is a big winner, my friends. Pendant Bubblers Pendant bubblers have a notch and string so that you can wear the glass piece as a necklace. These bubblers are pretty seriously compact and are good to bring to concerts or to other large gatherings. These tend to be not extremely common. Concentrate Bubblers Concentrate bubblers give you the ability for use with legal concentrates and essential oils. You will notice that many of this type will have a male joint, which makes it easier to add a titanium or quartz nail An example of a concentrate style bubbler is this. Double Bubblers Double bubblers contain two chambers; many times with each chamber with its own percolator. This design of bubbler is going to create a great amount of filtration because of the dual percolator system it has. Conclusion Let's face it, many water pipes above 10" just aren't as portable as many people would like. Meanwhile, your classic dry glass pipe can make for a rough smoke, to say the least. A bubbler is a beautiful hybrid of both. If you don't have one, what are you waiting for?
via source https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/glass-bubbler-pipes You may be wondering if a grinder is a good investment. Perhaps you're poking around with some old scissors wondering if you should upgrade. Well, we can tell you this: a grinder is literally one of the best investments that you as a frequent smoker can make. How Grinders Help You Grinders are going to help you be able to speed up and simplify the process of separating your dry herbs. They also make it much easierfor you to conserve your herbs when they are finely ground up. It's an important note to remember that when you pull apart your herbs by hand, the pollen and other plant matter are most likely going to stick to your fingers. The problem with this is that you can very easily reduce the effects of the herbs as a result! When herbs are ground up, they can be packed more tightly into a bowl or rolling papers. When your herbs are exposed to less oxygen, they are going to burn less before you inhale them and the airflow will dramatically increase, a major benefit. Essentially, grinders are going to help give you more control over how fast and smoothly your herbs are going to burn. Your grinder is also a good way to store small amounts of your herbs when you are not quite ready to use them yet. Our collection of herb grinders is here: https://www.thickassglass.com/collections/grinders How Grinders are Manufactured Grinders are:
Different Chambers Many of your grinders you find on the market are going to have more than just the two chambers. One very common chamber is going to be the grinder that has four pieces. The four-piece chamber typically has a bottom chamber that is separated from the other chambers by a metal mesh screen. This metal mesh screen is meant to catch any pollen that falls off your herbs when you are grinding them up in your grinder. The grinder will then store your herbs you have ground up in a separate chamber so it they can be used whenever and however you like them to be used. You can also find five-piece grinders are have a second mesh screen on them that is finer and will further separate the ground-up herbs you place in the grinder. Maintenance You should always make sure that you routinely clean your grinder in order to keep it from getting clogged and you never want to use a dirty grinder. Sizes You are going to find out that grinders are going to come in a variety of different sizes. The size of your grinder is not going to affect its function. The size of the grinder you have will only depend upon how much herbs you would like to grind up at one time. We should also note that you don't necessarily need a $90 grinder. There are certainly levels of pricing, but to be fair, most users can get away with something under $50.
via source https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/metal-herb-grinders Downstems are a smoking accessory that you attach to certain water pipes using a joint. Not all glass pipes have them, of course, but if yours is broken, you probably need one fast. For most pieces, typically the old skool "beaker style", detachable downstems are going to provide you with an extra layer of filtration and percolation. In most cases, when you have a pipe with an attached or removable downstem, you can usually customize it with a different downstem based on either design or diffusion level. Downstems work by filtering smoke through a nail or flower bowl and diffusing the smoke into the water in the main chamber of your pipe. The added layer of diffusion is going to make for a cooler, smoother and better filtered smoke time and time again. It's a mild diffusion, but it does work. Check out our collection here: https://www.thickassglass.com/collections/downstems Benefits of Downstems A downstem can even add a lot to a simple straight tube or beaker base. With the use of an additional layer of diffusion, you are going to get a completely different chug and taste out of your next smoke. The key to downstems is for you to experiment with them. While they certainly can't replace an ash catcher (like these), they do add a diffusion level that can smooth things out. The different styles and different lengths in downstem styles are going to lead to quite different smoking experiences. Downstems are not going to just add layers of filtration and percolation to your rips. Some of your diffused downstems are also going to work as adapters or drop downs. The diffused downstem will simply fit as one gender or size but will extend into a second joint of a different size and/or gender. This is going to be perfect for smokers who want that added filtration and a new fit for a different slide all rolled into one simple accessory: a downstem. Sizes and Styles Downstems are going to come in all standard glass joint sizes:
Your diffused downstems are going to be traditionally used only on your female joints because your male joints are external only. However, an adapter can easily turn any of your female joints into male ones. Downstems also come in a variety of length sizes from two to seven inches. The size of the main chamber in your glass piece is going to help to determine how long or short of a downstem you are going to need to go with. Downstems also come in a variety of diffusion styles. Many of the styles are going to be based off of your classic percolator designs which are going to include:
Finding the precise amount of filtration and percolation is something that is very easy to do. Conclusion You can find a wide variety of unbranded downstems which are going to be very affordable and of high-quality. Many high-end vendors of diffusers are going to provide their own twists on diffused downstems. In the end, remember that the more holes in the end, the smoother the smoke. It's hard to go wrong with a good downstem, believe us. via source https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/downstems A carb cap is a tool that is designed for use with domeless nails, either titanium or quartz. These tools have a small hole to maximize airflow to your nail. When using a carb cap, you will heat up the domeless nail, put the oil or concentrate on the nail and place the carb cap over the domeless nail. Carb caps are going to offer you a flavor that is far superior, and will allow you to keep the smoke where it belongs: in your piece. A carb cap will also restrict airflow and help to maintain the nail's heat. Using a Carb Cap A carb cap can come in handy no matter if you are new to concentrates or have been using them for years. The following will give you a detailed account on what to do with your carb cap. Dabbing at Low Temperatures vs. Dabbing at High Temperatures Dabbing at high temperature is what people who are new to concentrates will experiment with. Learning to heat your nail correctly is not easy. Properly heating up your nail will make all the difference when it comes to preserving your glass piece. Experienced users will take preventative measures to make sure that the heat will not be applied directly to their glass piece. Hottest Part of Flame There are two major areas that you need to consider in order to get the most out of your flame. The two areas are the bright blue part and the light blue part.
Low Temperature Dabbing Low temperature dabbing is a concept that more experienced users generally consider. Low temperature dabbing will optimize your flavor and provide you with a much smoother hit. Using Carb Caps with Open Air Systems Carb caps will help you in the low temperature dabbing process. If you want to use a carb cap, you must make sure that you are using a product that is going to operate as an open air system. An open air system is when your concentrates rely solely on the heat from the dish of the nail for vaporization. You can use carb caps on:
Operation of Carb Cap A carb cap creates a chamber with restricted airflow for your concentrates to vaporize. Most of your carb caps are going to have a single hole which will in turn help to create suction within the chamber. The carb cap will then produce a vortex that will help to cool down both the air and vapor that is trapped inside the piece. Most carb caps are similar in design. They all will feature a hollowed, rounded end which will function as the cap and the pointed handle end.
via https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/carb-caps It's all in a name: incyclers are basically internal recyclers. They are a very popular water pipe and dab rig style for many smokers and dabbers these days, and that is for a few serious reasons.
They typically feature a unique dual chamber design which houses a percolator that will begin the diffusion process. These chambers are perfect for getting the most flavor from your concentrates with superb functionality. After the vapor and water travel through the main chamber, it will then move through the separation tubes to the recycling chamber. The water and vapor loop will then move between the two chambers. The vapor will often pass through the percolators multiple times before leaving out of the mouth piece, which ensures it is completely filtered and smooth. Benefits There are many benefits to using an incycler. The second chamber is going to work as a splashguard which will make sure you won't find yourself with a mouthful of water. Another advantage of incyclers is that you get a constant filtration of the smoke as it passes through the loop from reservoir to second chamber. As the vapor is cycled, it will pass through the percolator numerous times to provide you with a clean dab every time. Hits are going to be cooler and allow for larger dabs. A great example of a fine piece is this 7" Klein Incycler by TAG. Functionality The process is going to begin as vapor is going to be pulled into the primary percolator of the incycler. The vapor will diffuse into the pipe’s main chamber. Water and vapor are then going to be pulled into the internal section of the incycler. The intakes will be positioned at an angle which will maximize the vortex function characteristic of the incycler. Vapor will then make its way through the mouthpiece of the pipe and into your lungs. This is where water is going to be constantly drained through the internal section of the piece and replenishing the main chamber. Why Use Incyclers You should use incyclers because water is going to be constantly moving within the incycler and your vapor will have zero time to sit there and get stale. This is going to make sure that you will taste the full flavor of your waxes and oils. Incyclers are water-driven and the vapor will be cooled down to a comfortable temperature for your sweet enjoyment. It is common to hear people that use incyclers to talk about how they love the drain on their incycler. What this basically means is the amount of time it takes for the internal chamber to replenish the main chamber and empty completely. When this happens, you exhale your dab which will take several seconds to completely carry out. Dabbers will give you long and steady drains to perfected incycler function. If you find an incycler that drains for a while, you should grab it up. There are many budget-priced incyclers and scientific art incyclers, so there is one for everyone to get the most out of. Some of the Dab Rigs TAG makes do have incyclers. See them here.
via https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/guide-to-incyclers Quartz nails are made of quartz crystal. A quartz nail has a somewhat massive ability to withstand high amounts of heat. Quartz nails are going to last longer compared to other nails because they are not going to break. When choosing a nail, many smokers are going to choose quartz nails over titanium or ceramic nails because quartz nails are going to heat up three times as fast. Quartz is also considered safer and tastier for the lack of harmful gases that it can release. Additionally, quartz is ideal for lower temperature dabs on your wax rig. A quartz nail can be quickly heated up and then allowed to cool to a temperature that will be better suited to capture the natural flavors of what you are smoking. This is going to preserve your stash and give you better hits and more sweet, sweet clouds. As an important note, it is extremely important that you do not overheat quartz because it can still break at extremely high temperatures. Knowing When A Quartz Nail is Heated Properly It is easy to know when a quartz nail is heated up because you will see flecks of red that will start to glow in the quartz itself. You should not heat quartz until the entire bottom is red because this is going to make your nail too hot. You should always allow for a cooling time of 10 to 60 seconds. You should also make sure that you are also using a carb cap when taking low temperature dabs to make sure you are not wasting any of your concentrates. Flavor When it comes to flavor, a clean quartz nail is going to have all of the benefits of glass. You will not lose the impact of the taste of your dab at all with the use of a quartz nail. Cools off Fast You sometimes have to be fast when using a quartz nail because quartz is going to cool off fast. Once you heat your nail, you have to be quick to put it to use otherwise you risk dropping oil into something else that is not going to create a vapor. Seasoning of Quartz Nail Quartz is a food-grade material and you can improve the flavor that you get off your quartz nail by seasoning it before using it. You can do this by simply heating your nail up and adding just a small amount of your essential oils or legal concentrate to the edge of the quartz nail. Some people like to use the reclaim from a previous sesh to season their nail in order to preserve their stash. If you season quartz, you are going to avoid any burnt tastes from an overheated quartz nail. Seasoning the quartz nail is going to enhance the natural flavors of your concentrate and give you the chance to experiment with different temperatures and different tastes. Conclusion Depending upon how you like to smoke your concentrates, you can always find a quartz nail that will work for you. Many people like quartz nails that are lightweight and that will keep heat away from their face. TAG's selection of quartz nails is here: https://www.thickassglass.com/collections/quartz-nails A quartz nail has a superior ability to withstand high amounts of heat. Any smoker can trust them to last and be far superior, definitely to glass, and depending on your personal choice, even titanium.
via https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/quartz-nails-domeless If you want to cool down your smoke, it is as easy as using ice or glycerol. The following will explain in detail how you can easily do this process. Using Ice to Cool Down Your Smoke Water pipes do a lot in order to cool down your smoke just by filtering the hot, ash filled air through water. There are many people, even after running smoke through percolators, that believe the smoke created is still too harsh for them. There are many different water pipes that will use an ice pinch, which is a tried and true method of cooling the smoke even more after it has passed through the water. Using ice is a wonderful way to cool hot smoke in order to make it condense and create a more powerful hit while also making it easier for you to inhale. This is especially true for smokers that have sensitive throats or lungs. TAG does sell some pretty cool water pipe ready ice cube molds here: There are also kits that are available that allow you to smoke out of a smoke piece of ice that is molded into a functioning water pipe. Ice is very nice when you are looking for a cool smoke but it is going to have a few drawbacks that you need to be aware of. When you use ice in an ice pinch, the melting is going to cause the water level to rise and this is very possible that it will cause a reduction in the functionality of the water pipe and it is also going to increase the chance of you getting water inside your mouth. Using Glycerol to Cool Down Your Smoke Glycerol (otherwise known as glycerin) is a simple compound that is made out of sugar alcohol and boasts a wide variety of useful attributes. Glycerin is useful to the functional glass industry because of the fact that it has an extremely high freezing point, which means that it can be cooled down to extreme temperatures without freezing and expanding. Water pipes that utilize glycerin are going to have a hollow cavity somewhere on the piece that can be filled with glycerin. It will then need to be sealed either with a rubber stopper or a small amount of molten glass that is will be melted over the hole. Water could not be used for this purpose because it would expand in the freezer and crack the glass that houses it. Beakers that have simple glycerin chambers with tubes going through the built in glycerin are going to provide you with more surface area available for cooling your smoke. There are many ways that glass blowers create more surface area for smoke to travel through glycerin chambers. One common way to increase the surface area that is affected by the cooling power of glycerin is by the use of a glycerin coil. There are a wide variety of water pipes that have these glycerin coils. To help save on freezer space, there are some glass blowers that include the glycerin chamber on a detachable portion of the piece. Beakers with a massive glycerin coil on a detachable neck can be kept in the freezer to cool while the beaker is filled with water and the bowl is filled. There are even some water pipes that can be modified to be a glycerin piece with the inclusion of an adapter. Conclusion Glycerin is a great option for cooling down your smoke. Remember, ice is nice to use in order to get your smoke cooled down but the best way to get your smoke cooled down is with the use of glycerin.
via https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/cooling-down-your-smoke Recyclers are a common style of concentrate water pipes that are made to recycle the smoke in a second chamber and bring it in a loop that goes back through the original chamber, which is then going to filter the smoke again. The diffusion here is remarkable, of course. Recyclers are made to better filter your smoke and allow you to pull in even more smoke. The wax rigs on recyclers have one major and crucial difference: an additional chamber that funnels water and smoke from the second chamber and back to the original chamber. Recyclers are made to keep smoke and water moving in a circle throughout your pipe, meaning that your smoke is going to be exceptionally filtered and you are going to be able to get bigger hits than you ever thought were ever possible. How Recycler Pipes Work Recycler pipes work when the smoke that is sucked from the perculator through a portion of the piece is then dumped into a larger section where the smoke in the bubbles will pop. The smoke then continues through the mouthpiece while the water will fall down back into the base water holding section of the pipe. This process means that the smoke is brought through a loop and filtered again. The smoke is essentially pulled through both sections of the pipe an infinite number of times. Well, infinite may be a bit strong, but the point is that the filtration is amazing. Check it out in action:
Main Points of Recyclers
Hits from a Recycler If you have not used a recycler, most people who own one are going to tell you that they love it. A recycler is going to provide you with hits that are:
Recyclers vs. Other Concentrate Rigs A recycler is an improvement over standard concentrate rigs because you get hits that are going to be smoother and cooler because in a recycler rig, your smoke has longer a contact with the water during recycling, which is going to allow it have an easier time in the cooling process. Recyclers are also going to give you more flavorful hits because the water is going to continue to percolate and bubble near the bottom of the neck, which is going to allow the natural flavors of the concentrate to bubble closer to your mouth. Recycler Maintenance You need to make sure to keep your recycler clean in order for it to last and you also want to keep it clean if you want it to function that way it should. You can easily keep the recycler clean by performing a salt and alcohol swish to get rid of any accumulation on your glass. There are certain styles of recyclers where you will need to purchase a slender pipe cleaning brush or scrubber in order to keep the recycler clean. Many times, a lot of the grime is going to go away as you smoke because of the motion and water flow in a recycler; you just need to make sure that you change your water out. Check out our recycler collection at: https://www.thickassglass.com/collections/recyclers
via https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/recyclers If you use a water pipe, whether you have a percolator or not, it is going to filter the tobacco and other legal substances that you put into the pipe, which in turn is going to make them healthier to smoke. Below we will talk about a few advantages you are going to get when you smoke with a water pipe compared to just smoking with a dry pipe: Advantages of Using Water Pipes
Water pipes are easy to use, even if you are new to smoking. The bubbles that the water pipe is going to produce when you inhale are going to make the smoke smoother on your throat than even the average cigarette or cigar. When you take shallower breaths for shorter time periods, it is going to help even a newcomer ease into the experience of smoking for the very first time.
Water pipes are used by so many smokers because they do not want to irritate their throat like when they smoke cigarettes, rolled up tobacco or cigars. The water that is in the pipe is going to kill off any bacteria in the smoke, which is going to offer you a cleaner inhalation while cool water will subsequently cool it. This is going to reduce exposure to common smoking-related conditions, such as bronchitis, when used in moderation. While passing through the water, the smoke is going to cool down to a large extent and become laced with some moisture which is going to be less harmful for you and is also going to reduce the chance of burning your mouth. Using A Glass Water Pipe A glass water pipe is going to help to reduce additional chemicals in your smoke. If you use plastic or aluminum water pipes, you are not going to get the same reduction of chemicals. It is always best to go with a glass water pipe. Some great tips for care include: Clean the Water Pipe After Each Use: You will want to clean your glass water pipe regularly. You do not want to reuse the dirty water or cleaning solutions because it is not healthy to do so. If you neglect to clean your glass water pipe it is going to cancel out part of the filtering effect that you are getting when you are going with a glass water pipe. If you are not going to clean your glass water pipe, you might as well go with a cheap alternative pipe. The best thing you can do for your glass water pipe is to make sure that you clean your pipe thoroughly and regularly.
Glass water pipes are great for casual use. Your glass water pipe filters out a number of carcinogens every time you inhale which is going to be very important. Glass water pipes are going to drive the smoke deeper and faster into your lungs, so you should always use your glass water pipe in moderation if you want to avoid canceling out these health benefits with overusing it. Conclusion Not everyone likes to use a glass water pipe but if you do, you are going to get a better smoke with less carcinogens. Glass water pipes are effective devices that can help filter out the toxic elements and leave you a clean vapor to inhale time and time again.
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