How to Keep Your Glass Pipes Safe
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There are few things as devastating as watching your glass pipe, bubbler, or another glassware product shatter into a million pieces. It might have been with you through thick and thin, and it might have been your favourite tool of the trade.
While you can’t take back what has already happened, you can put steps in place to reduce the risk of that devastating tragedy happening again. As you recover from your loss, educate yourself on keeping your glass pipes safe below.
Buy High-Quality Glassware
It goes without saying that you get what you pay for in many situations. If you spend very little on glassware like glass pipes, water pipes, and bubblers, you may find that your chosen product is far more susceptible to breaking than something made with better quality glass.
Always purchase glassware made with scientific-grade borosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass is less prone to chemical attack, more resistant to thermal shock, and more tolerant of uneven heating. It’s also thicker, which undoubtedly makes it more robust compared to soda glass, for example.
If you find a product you like but you’re unsure what it’s made of, don’t be afraid to ask the NZ dispensary you’re purchasing it from. You’ll likely find that the most reputable businesses like Greenstone Dispensary are more than happy to answer your glass-related questions – and others!
Buy Glassware With Wide Bases
As much as you might like the style, colour, or price tag of a particular glass pipe, there’s value in putting your preferences aside for a moment to consider one other important factor – the base.
The breadth of a water pipe’s base can often determine how stable it is on a surface. The narrower it is, the easier it might be for you to tip it over accidentally. The wider it is, the less likely it might become unstable on a surface and fall to its death.
Fortunately, most glass pipe manufacturers take this into account. Therefore, when you shop with reputable stockists, you can generally find a wide range of glass pipes in NZ with wide bases to suit your needs.
Clean Your Glassware Regularly
You might not immediately draw a connection between the cleanliness of your glass pipe and its propensity to break, but the two can actually be linked. The more frequently you clean your glassware, the easier it is to clean, and the less you have to handle it.
What’s more, If you have to shake your pipe to get any residue out or use sharp tools to scrape at gunk, there’s a chance you might crack the glass or drop your pipe.
Don’t Keep It In Your Pocket
Glass pipes come in a range of sizes, and you can now also purchase pocket-sized ones. While they’re convenient and portable, you shouldn’t actually store them in your pocket if you want to keep them safe.
It’s easy to forget they’re there and sit down on something that puts it at risk of breaking, and you might even knock them against something accidentally. The stakes are higher than you think, so consider alternative storage methods.
Invest in a Case
Speaking of alternative storage methods… Have you considered the value of a case or pouch for your glassware? A hard case can reduce the risk of your pipe being broken in transit, while a soft case can prevent it from being scratched.
Even if you’re simply storing your pipe in a drawer or on a shelf, there can be value in adding a layer of protection to keep it as safe as possible.
Remove Removable Components
If there’s any part of your glass pipe you can remove, such as a downstem or bowl, it might be worth removing them when you’re finished using your pipe. As inconvenient as it might be to disassemble any tools you use often, it can be a good idea if you or others in your home are like bulls in a china shop.
Sometimes, those external components can blend in, and it can be all too easy to knock them as you pass by, causing your pipe to fall to the floor and meet its tragic end.
Share With Caution
If you like sharing your favourite glass pipe or water pipe with your friends, you likely think nothing of passing it to them with one hand. However, for the sake of keeping your pipe safe, consider changing how you share.
You might encourage your friends to be careful with your kit and lead by example by passing it around with both hands. As silly as you might look and feel for being cautious, these simple actions might save you from having to buy a new pipe after breaking your favourite one.