how to judge the quality of glass pieces

[OsoGreen]

There are several main points to look for when determining the quality of glass:

1. No cracks! When buying a piece of glass, check it carefully for cracks. Hold it up to the light, and rotate slowly while meticulously examining for cracks. Any pipe that has a crack you can consider virtually worthless, as it will almost surely break there at some point in the not-so-distant future.

2. Thickness consistency. While thicker glass is stronger, and generally better, it is of more importance that glass be evenly thick (NOT overly thick on one side, and thin on the other). To understand why this is so important, you have to understand a little bit about how glass stresses as it cools. You can imagine that glass, like other materials, expands when heated, and contracts when cooled. When two areas of the same piece of glass have different thicknesses, a stress occurs between the areas, as they cool with different contraction rates. (This is because the thicker part retains more heat, thus contracting at a slower rate) This stress diminishes the structural strength of the glass causing it to crack and break more easily upon impact. This stress can be seen using a device called a polariscope. Firing a piece at 1040 degrees, and allowing it to cool slowly and evenly in the kiln (known as 'annealing'), helps eliminate this stress.

3. Structurally sound shape. Beware if your pipe is stretched out, blown out too thin, or narrow in any one spot. Can you visualize where the pipe would break if it fell on a hard surface (obvious weak spots)? As a general rule, convex shapes are sounder than concave shapes. Round is strong. You can take a perfectly round (Pyrex) glass marble, and repeatedly (and forcefully) bounce it off the concrete with no detectable damage. This is because the round shape of the marble is so structurally sound. If you took that marble, heated and stretched it out to a thin rod, you would find that it no longer bounces, but instead breaks. This is an exaggerated example, but it makes an important point: shape matters. Does the pipe you're viewing look like it has an overall stout shape, like it could withstand some impact, or does it have a more fragile appearance?

4. Flow. All the glass should 'flow' together, that is, you shouldn't be able to detect any seams or texture on the pipe by running your fingers across it, it should feel perfectly smooth everywhere.

5. Seals or 'welds'. If your pipe or bubbler is a 'two piece' (meaning that two pieces have been fused together), examine where the pieces come together (called a 'seal'). Seals are one of the more difficult operations facing a glassblower, with much opportunity for error. Look closely at the seal, is it smooth? Do you notice any thickness inconsistency or 'ripples' on the inside of the seal? These are tell-tale signs of a poorly done seal. If the seal is done well, it will not be easy to see where the two pieces actually come together, and you will have to pay close attention to where the color pattern breaks in order to see it.

6. Marbles, decorations. Any marbles or other added glass decorations need to be fully melted in with the rest of the pipe. Look at the seams where the marbles connect to the pipe. Are they consistent looking, or are there 'breaks' in the continuity of the seam? The seams themselves should not be pronounced, but instead should flow 'seamlessly' into the rest of the glass. The more of a seam there is between the marble and the pipe, the more likely it is to break off or cause a crack. Also, in general, a marbles widest point should be where it connects to the pipe. Marbles that 'get wider as they go' (like an upside-down pyramid or cone) tend to break off easily.

7. Aesthetics. Does the placement of the carb allow you to hold it comfortably in your hand? Does it stand up stable without spilling a loaded bowl? Is the carb large and placed well enough to allow the smoke to clear efficiently? How big is the bowl hole? It should ideally be between 1.5 and 2.5 mm. Anything smaller clogs too frequently, anything larger pulls the chunks into the pipe before full combustion. If it's a bubbler, do you end up with stinky-water on your carb finger?
These are just general guidelines that I recommend. If you see an artful piece that seems to violate these principles, don't necessarily knock it. For instance, marbles violate the principle of thickness consistency, as the glass gets thicker where the marbles are, yet there are many marbles that are worth having on a pipe because of the beauty they add. Almost all rules have an appropriate time to be broken, so keep and open mind, using common sense and your best judgment (all things considered) when making decisions. <!-- END CONTENT --><!-- END CONTENT AREA -->
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[OsoGreen]

I'm really interested in glass pipes. To me, it's an art. I love to think that someone took the time out of their day and blew a pipe by hand, putting their individual touch to it. Each one is special and unique.

But how do you judge quality of a piece? I read an article in the shop section of grass city but I can't find it anymore.

So I have a few questions?

What is a "frit design"? Can you show me clearly with a photo?

What is "strawberry style"? Is that in reference to a funnel shaped bowl?

What is "dichro"?

What is gold or silver fuming? How is it more attractive?

What is "inside out"work?

What is a magnifier? What is a "maria on the stem" and a horn?

What is the advantage of a flattened mouth-piece?

Is Pyrex less attractive than true glass?

How does glass change colors? I have a theory but I want to be sure?

Is there an advantage to bubblers? I hear people say they get higher with bubblers and bongs?

What's a "bridge" on a spoon or something? And why would I want it?

Is a hammer really any different from a spoon?

What is "dry colored"?

What is a carb? How should it be used? Does size matter?

FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY OTHER QUESTIONS

[tokeiteasy]

I dont know all of that but heres what i do know, hope it helps, also, nice thread, thanks for posting this it was an interesting read.
1) Gold/Silver Fuming - this is when piece a gold or silver is held near the pipe, (inside or outside) and heated until the point of vaporization. When it vaporized is leaves a very this smokey looking coat of the metal on the glass. It looks kind of cool but does not add to the smoking experience, just appearance. Usually a this layer of glass is metled over the fumed portion as well to ensure a seal and keep it clean throughout smoking.

2) Insideout work - this is when the designs on the pipe are actually on the inside of the glass and a thick layer of clear or lightly colored glass is placed on top of them to magnify the design and keep the outside smoothe to the touch.

3) Magnifier - usually just a simply round or convex marble that makes the designs underneath it appear larger. No purpose other than decorative.

4) Flattened mouthpiece - This is just personal preference. Personally i think they are more comfortable and you can get a better seal on them with your lips to prevent pure air from coming in and thus minimizing your hit. But it is simlpy a comfort/personal preference thing.

5) Pyrex is simply a more heat resistant and stronger type of glass. It looks the same as regular glass ans can be colored/tinted/decorated in the same fassion. It is just more durable in general. The glass pans you bake in are made of pyrex to give you an example.

6) CCG - Glass itself does not shange colors. Color changing pipes are semi-transparent. Because of this you can see the resin on the inside of the glass after you smoke out of it. As this collects over time the pipe appears to change color because the background is a different color. This is why many glass sellers will display color changing glass on black backgrounds or a black pieve of felt to give an impression of what it will look like after it "changes color" However after you clean the pipe, it will be the same colors it was when it was origionally purchased.

7) Bubblers are awesome! The advantage is that they filter the smoke through water like a bong, but they are much more compact. They hit much harder than a spoon because there is more room in the chamber for the smoke to resinate and because it is filtered and cooled it is easy to take longer hits. This is also why you get higher from them. I have one and it is one of my favorite pieces.

8) Hammers - there are two types that i have encountered. Bubblers and dry happers. The hammers with downstems are bubblers, so see above. But the dry ones hit differently then a spoon because the smoke has more time to expand in the larget chanber, thus a larger hit. They tend to be more fragile, and larger, but they hit nicely from my experiences.

9) Dry colored - The desings on the glass are actually painted on the glass, then the glass is reheated and a thin layer is welded on top of the designs to seal them. This simply allows for a different appearance, and often more intricate details that cannot normally be achieved with glass alone.

10) Carbs - A carb needs to be about the size of a BB. Or the size of this smiley face , possibly a little larger. The purpose is to clear the chamber of smoke. It should be done when smoking with others before you pass the pipe, never pass a pipe with smoke in the chamber. Simply use it at the end of a hit to clear the chamber. A side note though, if you are trying to be discrete and hide the smell, when you use a carb you get a littel residual smoke off the bowl unless you continue to pull after the chamber has been cleared until the cherry is out. But typically, just use it at the end of a hit or when passing the bowl.


Hope this helped! Toke on

[Budzilla420]

What is gold or silver fuming? How is it more attractive?
Fuming is taking a peice of gold or silver, holding it to the torch and holding the pipe in progress behind that so the "fumes" go on the pipes and add color to it (silver fumes are a blue/green/purple color, gold is more orange/red)

What is "inside out"work?
Inside out work is when the colors and designs are added from the inside of the pipe before its closed and streched.

What is a magnifier? What is a "maria on the stem" and a horn?
A magnifier is a marble added with magnifing properties. And a maria referres to the ring around the stem.

What is the advantage of a flattened mouth-piece?
Better mouth feel and contours

Is Pyrex less attractive than true glass?
Matter of opinion

How does glass change colors? I have a theory but I want to be sure?
CCGs are fumed pipes. When you smoke, tar builds up blocking light from shining thru and making the fume more visible. If you hold a CCG piece up to a dark surface, you can see the colors.

What is a carb? How should it be used? Does size matter?
Carb is the small hole on the side of a pipe, its used by blocking it with your thumb, then toward the end of your hit, unplugging it. Size only matters in the fact tha you wouldnt want it so small air cant get thru easily and not big enough that you cant fully cover it.

[OsoGreen]

interestingg, ok i like silver fuming better.

[OsoGreen]

so is a larger chamber generally more desirable? it gives the smoke more time to expand? and thus, a larger hit?

and what do you guys think of ordering pieces online like Molino or United Glass Works?

[Still Smokin]

All this stuff is way to confusing .... and needless. any stoner should be able to pick out a quality piece of glass. I worry much more about what im going to name it then anything else

[OsoGreen]

crappy glass doesnt deserve names. i only name the TIT pieces. and no, i've come a long way in understanding good pieces. my first ones were ehh compared to ones i buy now. you gotta feel it, and appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a good piece.