subject: History Of Glass Pipes [print this page] Glass pipes have become extremely popular with tobacco smokers and medical marijuana smokers because of their easy care, stunning hues, shapes and clean taste. Glass pipes are individually hand blown by glass blowers all over the world, which makes every glass piece as individual as a snowflake. Glass artists are able to work the glass into a deal of shapes offering a wide variety of shapes, sizes, styles, and colors.
Glass pipes have been used for thousands of years. Glass vessels, found in Egypt and Mesopotamia, date back to around 1500 BC. At that time, glass objects were formed by pouring a molten mixture of sand, ashes, and lime, over a core or mold made of clay and dung. Once cooled, the core could be dug out, leaving the glass vessel.
The way glass was formed was revolutionized within the Roman Empire in 50BC, when it was discovered that the molten glass could be shaped by blowing into it causing it to expand. This was accomplished through the use of a long clay tube, called a blowpipe. Although modern blowpipes are made of metal, the process of glass blowing essentially remains the same.
Glass blowing stayed in a relatively small communities of artisans and behind what was referred to as the "glass Curtin" until the 1960s when glass blowing spread in America. Glass blowing moved from the commercial setting, as artists teaching other artists how to blow glass in small studios. Glass blowers across the US created a wide variety of glass objects, including glass smoking pipes. Unlike in centuries past, when specially made glass pipes were reserved for the wealthy, today's smoker has easy access to glass pipes in a vast assortment of styles.
Modern glass pipe makers begin their piece with a long glass tube, which varies in thickness and diameter according to the size and shape of the finished piece. The glass blower uses a torch to heat the glass tube until it is the consistency of honey. From here he can roll, pull, blow, and bend the glass into whatever shape he desires.
Color is added to the glass piece by melting colored glass sticks over the outside of the pipe, which is then worked into the main body of the piece in various designs. Color changing glass pipes are made by fusing special elements into the colored glass, allowing the color to change, with use, over time.
One of the most popular types of glass pipe is the inside out pipe. Inside out pipes are made by a method in which the decorative colors on the glass are put on the inside of the pipe. This causes a three dimensional pattern to appear when looked at from the outside. This requires considerably more skill and patience on the part of the glass blower, but the beautiful patterns magnified through the thick outside layer are well worth it.
Pyrex glass pipes are made with a special type of glass that is mixed to be stronger than average glass. The benefits of having a glass pipe made of Pyrex should be immediately evident to anyone who has ever dropped their pipe. Pyrex is virtually unbreakable, and is also much lighter that ordinary glass, making it an excellent medium to make larger pieces with. Pyrex glass is the glass that is used for glass cooking and baking pans because of its extreme durability.
Glass bats are great for caring around because they are stylish and compact. Glass bats are a straight pipe without a bend. Glass bats have the advantages of glass Pipes, such as flavor and its ability to not become hot, yet they can be carried easily. They are crafted using Pyrex glass and they can be single blown or Inside out glass. Despite the straightness of the bowl and the fact that the tobacco is vertical when the pipe is brought to the mouth, the tobacco does not fall out if it is packed tightly.
