Glass Bongs – The Smoker’s Favourite

Nowadays, many tobacco smokers prefer to purchase a glass bong. There are several reasons that encourage them to use it. One is that glass bongs appear to have a more attractive shape than those created from other materials. Their colours can change in various light conditions. Aside from these, the glass has a temperature conductivity that maintains the coolness of the water longer than that of other substances. This provides the smokers with a cool touch and a more natural feel on their lips. Another reason why glass bongs are most preferred by smokers is because of the quality. In addition, the glass, being transparent, gives useful and pleasant smoke visibility.

Historically, the bong was the most famous and favourite tool used in smoking tobacco. The term “bong” was taken from “baung,” a Tai word meaning a cylindrical wooden pipe, container, or tube that is cut from a bamboo stem. At the time of the Vietnam War, U.S. armed forces bases were found in Thailand. This is when the Thailand word was adapted. The word “baung” was changed to “bong” and taken back to the U.S. The bong was neither invented in Asia nor in Thailand, but in Africa instead.

The bong is a relatively simple device. It can be constructed from anything that is semi-rigid. This includes soda-pop cans, bamboo, cans, buckets, plastic bottles, glasses, hollow plastics, beer bottles, as well as potatoes and apples. Some bongs are made of metal bowls and stems, which are very economical. Among these, the safest bongs to use are those made of glass.

However, using glass bongs is sometimes a disadvantage. Since glass bongs are heavier than the others, they are more difficult to carry. Glass bongs are also highly breakable and are commonly left in the living room or bedroom.

Posted in Bongs, Smoking at May 31st, 2009. No Comments.

Cleaning a Hookah Pipe

Several hookah smokers clean their pipes after each smoking session, while some do not change the water inside the pipe for a few weeks. Cleaning the hookah pipes often reflects on the smoker’s personal preference. When these are properly cleaned, the quality of the hookah will last for many years.

There are things that you will need in cleaning hookah pipes: toothpick, test-tube brush, rock salt, and rubbing alcohol. First, slowly dismantle the hookah into pieces. Wash the bowl and get a toothpick and carefully get rid of the dry and burnt tobacco hidden in the holes of the bowl. Rinse all the particles in the pipe, using the test-tube brush to easily clean spaces that are hard to reach.

Another way is to pour a cup of salt and water inside the hookah. Leave it for a few minutes, and then start shaking it, so that the rock salt will remove tobacco grime inside it. After this, you can now remove the water and salt by rinsing the base thoroughly. Introducing air forcefully will completely remove built-up ashes inside the hookah hoses. Warm water can be used by running it through these tubes. The mouthpiece must be cleaned using alcohol and warm water before using it again. Finally, before reassembling the parts make sure that all are completely dry.

Always remember that the best way of cleaning hookah pipes is by placing potable water in the pipe’s base prior to a smoking session. The water filters the smoke, which is why it quickly becomes dirty. Never try to use any kind of soap on the hookah because it can contaminate the flavour of the smoke. If rock salt is preferred to be used, it is advised to rinse the hookah a couple of times.

Posted in Hookah Pipes at May 29th, 2009. 2 Comments.

A Crash Course on Chillums

A chillum is cone-shaped pipe used as smoking paraphernalia. For those who are interested in purchasing a chillum, here is the lowdown on this important accessory.

Chillums are made from a cow’s horn and are used by people who want to have a smoother, mellower smoking experience. Its body is short, ensuring that all smoke you inhale is still hot. Hot smoke doesn’t adhere as much to the lungs, thereby lessening the effects of whatever you smoke on your brain.

Chillums were used in the past during rituals where herbal highs were attained for relaxation and meditation purposes. Indian Sadhus and Rastas used them particularly to eliminate the harmful side effects brought on by the herb’s strength in their raw form.

Materials like herbal mixtures or tobacco – or even a mixture of both – are ground and placed in the bowl. The chillum’s mouthpiece is gripped by both hands so that it acts as an extension of the pipe. A person inhales in a way that his mouth doesn’t touch the mouthpiece and instead he breathes using his cupped hands. Though etiquette in smoking through a chillum is not practiced these days, it used to be an important part of ancient Indian and South American cultures wherein violating etiquette resulted in clan wars.

The first man-made chillums were made of wood, stone, and fired clay. The earliest evidence of their existence was found in South America as well as in India.

Posted in Chillums, Smoking at May 29th, 2009. No Comments.

The Rolling Machine

The rolling machine is one of the most essential smoking accessories and is intended to roll your tobacco and herbal mixtures into cigarettes or joints. It is possible to roll a cigarette with your chosen herbs by breaking up the leaves with a grinder as well as getting rid of stems so that they will not puncture the rolling paper. However, rolling tobacco into a cigarette is easier as it does not need any preparatory work because the leaf has been already shredded.

When your chosen smoking mixture is ready, open the rolling machine by simply sliding the roller up and over. Through this, it will expose a portion where the substance is loaded. Carefully load the smoking mixture into the rolling machine and when everything is set, the roller is slipped back into its original position and fastens into place. The substance is confined and cradled in a circular space and is rolled when one starts to turn a roller.

After several turns, a rolling paper is placed into the rear of the channel with the “ungummed” surface going in first. By rolling the paper carefully, it will make a total spin in the channel and will enfold around and below itself. The user licks the gummed portion of the paper and continuously rolls the rest of the paper. When the roller has been moved out of its position, a perfectly rolled joint or cigarette is made.

There are other types of rolling accessories that are manufactured by several companies. One type is called a rolling box. This places the rolling paper against the belt material, and as the box is carefully closed, it produces a tightly rolled cigarette that usually comes out of the top.

Posted in Rolling Accessories, Rolling Machines at May 22nd, 2009. No Comments.

Vaporisers versus traditional smoking methods

It is difficult to maintain a good balance between enjoying vices and taking care of your health. Smoking is one of the vices which, while enjoyable, is damaging to a person’s health. Recently, smokers have found an alternative that maximises their smoking enjoyment with the least effect on their health: the vaporiser.

A vaporiser is an invention geared towards health conscious individuals who can’t or don’t want to give up smoking. Aside from different varieties of tobacco, the vaporiser is also used for other materials that can be smoked, like herbal mixtures. Studies have shown that in a single cigarette, a person breathes in not only nicotine, but other harmful and dangerous chemicals like tar. Tar is an ingredient in smoked materials that adheres to the lungs and causes several respiratory problems, such as lung cancer. The vaporiser eliminates all these secondary chemicals so that when people use the vaporiser, they inhale the active ingredients of the plant, which also increases the satisfaction gained from smoking. The vaporiser also contains several different flavours to add variety.

A vaporiser brand that has been getting excellent reviews in the market is the Vapir vaporiser. The Vapir is very practical because it is rechargeable as well as portable. It is considered revolutionary because it utilises modern microchip technology to track temperature to keep it from overheating. It also uses new technology which hastens the heating of herbs without compromising their quality.

Studies have shown that people using vaporisers experience less respiratory problems compared to people who use traditional smoking methods.

Posted in Smoking, Vaporizers at May 19th, 2009. No Comments.

Facts about Bongs

A bong, also known as a water pipe, is a smoking accessory in which water is used to cool the smoke. Bongs vary in colours, sizes, and shapes, and there is also a “Bong with ice twist” in which ice can be added to your bong. Bongs typically have a cone or head that can be filled with the selected herbs. In order to inhale the smoke, which has moved down the down-pipe, the mouth piece is used.

As compared to other smoking methods, bongs allow a large volume of smoked herbs be inhaled to the lungs. The smoker enjoys a cleaner and bigger hit when the smoke from the bong is cooled and filtered. In order to give the smoke a different taste, herbal teas and lime water are often used. To toke a bong, first, you must take in the smoke into the chamber. Then, take a deep breath and pull the smoke into the bong consistently. Deeply inhale as you hold the smoke down to maximise the hit. After a heavy smoking session, keeping the bong dry and clean is a secret to a lasting bong. If you decide to make a bong derived from household waste, try to get a copper down pipe. Before copper releases dangerous fumes, a high temperature is required and standard lighters can never reach that temperature. Dangerous fumes are given off by some materials like plastic, if inhaled, so try to avoid them.

Often, bongs can be found on the Internet and in head shops. In the U.S., it is illegal to sell or export drugs but the selling of bongs is not prohibited as they are considered general purpose smoking tools.

Posted in Bongs at May 16th, 2009. No Comments.

Rolling Papers

Before learning how to roll a joint, a person must obtain the correct equipment to make the finest most pleasurable joints. Rolling papers are one of the rolling accessories that are very important. The person’s choice will surely affect the outcome of the joint rolling attempt.

The standard smoke store offers a plethora of selections and a person might be enticed to choose the first ones seen or the cheapest ones. This can potentially be a fault that will affect the joint’s quality.

The need for rolling accessories such as rolling papers has increased dramatically, especially since cigarette prices have made several people start rolling tobacco. The rolling papers used for tobacco cigarettes are not the same as those used for herbal smoking substances. A favourite smoke store is expected to have more options than the standard convenience store. The best options are harder to find, but are worth the extra effort.

Rolling papers are small sheets that contain smoking substances. These papers are rolled with the hands or a rolling machine to make a joint. The finest rolling papers are originally made of rice or hemp. There are lots of people who prefer hemp because of its raw material that is closely related to the smoking substances, which makes the smoke tastier. Paper sheets come in rectangular pieces with paste on the longer ends that will fix the joint after the process of rolling is completed.

To choose the finest rolling papers, look for the thinnest ones, so that the smoker will not breathe in the paper more than usual. Some smokers cut off the excess paper before lighting the joint. Rolling accessories make a difference, which is why rolling papers must be selected carefully.

Posted in Rolling Accessories, Smoking at May 14th, 2009. No Comments.

Types of Vaporizers and How They Work

Vaporizers work by applying mild heat rather than flame to let you inhale the active ingredients of your chosen herbal mixture. When smoking mixtures are heated to the temperature range of 180-200 degrees Celsius (356 – 392 degrees Fahrenheit), it will release the most potent parts of the plant without burning it; burning the herb is more damaging on your lungs because of harmful carcinogens. This vapour comes out as a thin mist and is ready to be inhaled. This mist tastes better and much safer than smoke.

The operation of a vaporizer hinges on the type of vaporiser being used. The BC Vaporizer, a classic vaporizer, has a ceramic tray inside a glass bulb. You loosen the glass top, place some mixture in the tray, tighten the top back on and turn it on. Wait until the mixture changes colour slightly, and then merely inhale the clean vapours.

The Volcano Digit, a digital vaporizer, is capable of heating your herbal mixture instantly. You won’t have to wait the normal 5 minutes before using. A digital vaporiser has a digital readout, as well, that you can view to make sure you are vaporising at the right temperature.

The Vapir One is a balloon style vaporizer. It works by pumping the vaporised mist into a special balloon and detaching it from the vaporizer and inhaling anytime you want. This special balloon can hold more vapour compared to the other styles stated above.

Posted in Plants and seeds, Smoking, Vaporizers at May 12th, 2009. No Comments.

What is a Chillum?

The smoking of herbal mixtures or tobacco can be done in several ways. Traditionally, these herbs are rolled into a piece of paper, but now there are several types of smoking paraphernalia available on the market. Vaporizers, pipes and chillums are examples of these types of paraphernalia that are distributed legally, especially on the Internet.

A chillum, also spelled as chilam, is basically a pipe used by the new religious movement, Rastafari, the holy Indian Sadhu, and by several recreational drug users in the smoking of herbal mixtures, tobacco and other substances. In the 18th century, Sadhus who practised yoga and aimed for ‘moksha’, or liberation, used chillums for smoking herbs during their meditation. They renounced the three basic goals in the life of a Hindu – karma, or enjoyment; arthma, or practical objectives; and dharma, or duty. The Rastafarians, on the other hand, use chillums as chalices for their ceremonies and reasoning sessions. Gratitude and praise are given to their God, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, before they consume the content of the chillum.

A chillum is a conical pipe, which is usually made out of a cow’s horn, glass, clay, wood, or stone. There is a ‘stone’ or stick that is placed inside the cone. The gap of the stone from the top is where the herb is placed. Chillums can be used in public where smoking of cannabis is legal.

There are several available designs and styles of chillums, which are made artistically and creatively. The Internet is the best way to get a chillum; different styles are offered at varying prices.

Posted in Chillums, Smoking at May 8th, 2009. No Comments.

Glass Bongs vs. Plastic Bongs

A bong, also known as a hookah or a water pipe, is one of the most common paraphernalia used mainly for smoking tobacco and other legal herbs. The main purpose of a bong is to make the smoke cooler before it enters the lungs of the smoker. In addition, it allows the smoke to accumulate so that the smoker will be able to inhale it faster. At present, several variations of bongs are available on the market and there are different materials that can be used to make a bong – like glass and plastic.

A glass bong is the favourite bong of many smokers because they can see the smoke inside, which they call the ‘milk’. In addition, glass has the quality of conducting temperature, which allows the water to stay cool for a longer period of time. However, glass bongs have some disadvantages. First, glass bongs usually weigh more than other bongs, which makes them hard to transport or move from one place to another. Another is that they can be broken easily; that is why they are just placed in a room.

The plastic bong is the choice of smokers who are always on the go. It is more portable and the bong user does not have to worry about breaking it. Furthermore, plastic bongs are easier to make and improvise. The negative side of it, though, is that it is more prone to emitting fumes, burning, and melting which can result in asthma or other respiratory problems.

Armed with these facts, it is for you to decide which bong can give a smoother and more satisfying smoking experience.

Posted in Bongs at May 7th, 2009. 1 Comment.