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What Is the Purpose of a Percolator, or “Perc,” in a Water Pipe? Bongs, bubblers, dab rigs, and other water pipes all rely on water percolation to cool smoke or vapor and capture some material as it passes through water. Percolators come in an incredible variety of shapes and sizes, but they all build on […]
The Craftsmanship Behind Handmade Glass Pipes Have you ever noticed that two glass pipes from the same artist or manufacturer aren’t quite identical? One might be slightly taller, another a little wider, or perhaps a decorative marble sits in a different position. Even pieces sold under the same model name can have subtle differences in […]
Headies from Tako, Beezy, Slob, Niko Cray, Dale Sommers, Ghost and Dosh! Tako Glass has lots of heady pieces available from these artists, and many more! If you have spent much time around functional glass, you have probably heard the word “heady.” But what is heady glass, exactly? There is no certification, minimum price, or […]
Getting the Best Results From Your Hash Hammer Hash hammers aren’t difficult to use, but they do take a little more technique than a conventional dry pipe. Instead of putting flame directly to the bowl, you’re heating a wand and using that stored heat to work the hash. If you’re completely new to the style, […]
Finding the Right E-Rig Takes a Little Research The Focus V CARTA vs Puffco Peak debate continues on. These brands have become two of the most recognizable e-rig platforms on the market. They solve the same basic problem—consistent concentrate heating without a torch—but they approach ownership and use a little differently. The current Puffco Peak […]
Why Boro Became the Standard for Glass Pipes Walk into almost any American glass shop today and the overwhelming majority of artist-made pipes, bongs, bubblers, and dab rigs will be made from borosilicate glass, usually just called boro. There are exceptions, but boro has become the standard material for modern functional glass. The biggest reason […]
If you’ve ever looked closely at a coil-potted piece, you’ve probably noticed that the color doesn’t look like it’s simply been added to the surface. The pattern is actually built into the glass itself. Coil potting is a borosilicate glassworking technique used to create custom glass tubing by winding molten glass into successive coils. Artists […]
For most people, picking up a glass pipe is straightforward. The mouthpiece is where it should be, the bowl is easy to reach, and the carb falls naturally beneath a finger or thumb. For left-handed users, however, the conventional design of a piece can sometimes make those interactions less intuitive. The glass industry has historically […]
Are They Real Opals? Opals are some of the most eye-catching inclusions found in handmade glass. Sealed beneath clear borosilicate, they appear to float inside the piece, flashing green, blue, orange and red as the viewing angle changes. But are the opals inside glass pipes real gemstones? How can a glass artist place one inside […]
Previously in our Glass Joints Series, we explored the three standard joint sizes used throughout the functional glass industry: 10mm, 14mm, and 18mm. Knowing your joint size is the first step toward choosing compatible accessories, but it’s only part of the equation. Even if two pieces share the same diameter, they still need the correct […]
