Not only are glass pipes trendy and super-ultra-cool but your friends will think you're a winner just for owning one! Now that I've drawn you in with my previous statement full of obvious facts I would like to explore all of the reasons why glass pipes have long been a superior product compared to any other medium of smoking pipes on the market today. A glass pipe has many advantages over its competitors. Whether you're talking about the appearance or the functionality of a pipe, glass pipes always come out on top. In this article we will explore all of the ways in which glass has its advantages over the rest, including: True Flavor, Durability, Heat Exchange, Ease of Cleaning, Choice and of course, the Art Itself.
True Flavor- Glass pipes offer the true flavor of your tobacco or legal smoking blend. Wood and metal pipes can leave you tasting exactly that, wood or metal. While a nice wood pipe might add to the flavor of your smoking medium, it isn't the true flavor. Glass is as clean as it gets. Durability- "Glasspipes are durable you say?" Yes I do! All of the glass pipes that we offer are made from the highest quality borosilicate glass (similar to Pyrex) on the market.Borosilicate glass is extremely durable, able to resist extreme temperatures and temperature changes. All
of our pipes are carefully annealed to properly strengthen the glass
and add to its durability. Annealing is a process in which the
finished glass piece is placed inside of a kiln (super hot oven) at
1050F. As it sits at this temperature the glass will not be hot enough
to change shape. However, on the molecular level it is able to slowly
move and align itself. This process removes stress from the glass which
in turn makes for a strong and durable pipe. Our glass pipes are often able to survive serious falls or collisions. However, glass is glass,and should be treated as such. You probably wouldn't throw your wood or metal pipe around either now would you?
Heat Exchange- One very beneficial advantage that glass pipes have over the rest is their ability to cool the smoke as it passes through the pipe. Glass does not conduct heat very efficiently, therefore the majority of the pipe stays the same temperature throughout the smoking experience. And while wood pipes offer a similar ability to stay cool, glass can can hold a cold temperature much more efficiently. A glass pipe can be placed inside a refrigerator prior to use and will easily hold that cool temperature. While this may not seem like an important feature, recent health studies have shown that much of the throat and lung damage attributed to smoke and smoking is caused by heat. Glass pipes make for a cooler smoking experience.
Ease Of Cleaning- Compared to wood or metal pipes, glass pipes are an easier and more rewarding pipe to clean. Wood pipes are very hard to clean as you cannot use any type of solvent to clean them without seriously damaging and also infusing the wood with the solvent. Metal pipes are also tough to clean with their sharp angles and threads for particles to get stuck in. glass pipes have a nice smooth interior that allows for easy cleaning. Soaking you glass pipe in rubbing alcohol for 24 hours makes it very easy to get all of the resins and particles out in a short amount of time. And a glass pipe is as good as new after it has been cleaned. Often reminding you of the first day you laid eyes on it.
Choice- Glass pipes come in an infinite amount of shapes, sizes, colors and styles. Glass pipes are pieces of art which cannot be duplicated. Here at Sweet Pickle Glass we do our very best to create products that are virtually indistinguishable from the products you see pictured. However, it is impossible to make any two glass pipes exactly the same. This really is the best part about glass pipes. Nobody else will ever have one just like yours. You can find pipes ranging from $10 all the way up to over $10,000 if you can believe that! We at Sweet Pickle Glass offer pipes starting at $20 all the way up to a couple hundred dollars. Our shapes and styles are always being updated so take some time to look through what we have to offer. So whether it a classic Sherlock Holmes shape or an intricate custom piece we are sure to have a pipe that fits your style and your budget.
The Art- Hmm...what else can be said. Each and every piece of glass made is totally unique. Even if a piece is patterned after another, no two pieces can ever look the same. This is one of the most amazing things about glass art. Each and every artist puts their own "signature" on a piece just by the way they work and move while making it. Glass is a very unique medium, being very fluid yet having a "memory" at the same time. Each and every movement, whether intentional or unintentional, will be stored in the "memory" of a piece in its cooled and solid state, visible for all to see. Glass is a very reflective medium, not only in the way that it reflects light but also in the way that it reflects the personality of the artist behind it.
