Glass base pipe of 15 cm with a round chamber
The shape of this pipe is as plain as it is recognisable: a straight tube of clear glass that widens into a bulb at the end, with a small hole in the top of that bulb. At about fifteen centimetres this is the longer version, and the length matters in use, because the distance between the bulb and the mouthpiece keeps your hand and your face further from the flame and from the hot glass. There is no colour or decoration on it; you look straight through and see exactly what is happening inside the chamber.
There are two ways to use a pipe like this. For herbs you draw the flame into the bulb through the hole and pull the smoke down the tube towards you. For oils or extracts you put a small amount into the bulb and heat the glass from underneath, so that the vapour gathers in the chamber before you take it up. For that second method a windproof lighter with a focused flame works better than an ordinary one, since it lets you keep the heat on one spot.
Heating without damaging the glass
Heat gently and hold the flame in one place rather than sweeping it across in short fierce bursts. Glass expands as it warms, and it is precisely the sudden temperature swings that crack thin pipes like this. For the same reason, a warm pipe never goes under a cold tap. Let it cool first, and keep your fingers away from the heated side of the bulb while you are using it.
Cleaning and storage
Residue comes off with isopropyl alcohol and a pinch of coarse salt: leave it to soak, shake it through and rinse well with warm water. Let the pipe dry completely afterwards. Keep it in a case or a box, because loose in a bag glass is vulnerable. Elsewhere in the Avalon Magic Plants headshop you will find glass one hitters, bamboo pipes, corn cob pipes, grinders, screens and cleaning brushes.
