Did you know that bongs have been around for centuries and it is believed that the word comes from the Thai word “baung,” which is a bamboo tube that is used for smoking cannabis? Whether you are new to the cannabis world or are a veteran but are now considering using a glass bong for smoking weed, we are here to share a few things that every marijuana user should know about this smoking apparatus.
Keep reading to learn the ins and outs of a glass bong.
How Does a Bong Work?
Usually, there is one opening at the end of the tube where you put your mouth to inhale the smoke from the cannabis. There is also a small hole near the bowl that you cover and uncover as needed to fill and empty the chamber with smoke. Next to the small hole, there is a bowl which is where you put the cannabis herbs that you will burn.
You will want to put some water in the chamber (the amount depends on how big the chamber is) and then place your herbs into the bowl. Next, place your mouth over the large opening at the end of the tube and at the same time cover the small hole while you use a lighter to burn the herbs in the bowl. This will fill the bong chamber with smoke until there is enough smoke for you to inhale.
When you are happy with the amount of smoke in the chamber, stop burning the cannabis and uncover the small hole while you inhale the smoke through the top of the bong. Keep in mind that you will more than likely cough when you first start using your bong and the more smoke you inhale the more you will cough.
Cleaning a Bong
When you invest in one of the best dab rigs in the market you want to make sure that you take care of it. Before cleaning the bong make sure you dump any used water inside of it because if you don’t, you will end up spreading the nasty bong water around.
One ingredient that you will need on hand is isopropyl alcohol. In order to kill any bacteria found in the bong, you will want to mix alcohol with hot water and then pour the mixture into your bong.
You can then take a few paper towels and crumble them up to cover the mouthpiece and the opening where the bowl sits. Then, shake your bong vigorously to get the mixture to go all over the inside of the bong. There are also rubber caps that you can invest in if you prefer something that will cover the openings better than paper towels.
Another solution that you can mix is vinegar with coarse salt and shake it around. It is important to clean your bong at least once per week to get rid of any harmful bacteria that accumulates in it but preferably you want to clean it daily if possible.
Appreciate Your Art Piece
While a glass bong can easily break or shatter if you drop it you want to appreciate it and treat it with care when you are handling it. The professional glass blowers that make it put a lot of work into crafting your piece and it is important to appreciate your bong as such.
Take into consideration the number of years it probably took for the glass blower to learn their craft well enough to make such a piece. Glass bongs are a work of art and this is probably the best way to approach it every time you use it and even when you are searching for the perfect bong for you.
Glass Thickness
How thick the glass is on the bong you choose will affect how long your bong lasts and the weight of the bong. The thickness is usually counted in millimeters (mm). The average range of thickness varies between 3 mm to 9 mm.
A 9 mm piece will be thicker, more durable, and heavier. Usually, a piece that is under 2 mm is a lot more delicate and more prone to breaking or even shattering because of how thin they are. The most standard glass thickness for bongs is a 3 mm piece which seems to work for most people.
Medium and larger bongs tend to have 4 mm thick glass and the standard for a thick glass bong is 5 mm. Anything that is over 5 mm is more common on much larger glass bong pieces.
At the end of the day, thickness is not the only thing that counts you also want to make sure that you have higher quality glass. Because if you have a piece that is 9 mm thick but has poor glass quality it is more likely to break than a piece that is thinner but made with higher quality glass.
Improve Filtration
A major advantage of using a glass bong is that it helps improve the filtration because the water inside the bong will filter the toxins present. This is important to keep in mind because when we light things on fire there is always a production of carcinogens that are toxic to humans. When we use a bong the device will help filter the ash and tar that can lead to severe conditions.
Ready to Use a Glass Bong?
We hope that now that you learned the ins and outs of using a glass bong, you are feeling more knowledgeable and ready to try this next time you partake in either recreational marijuana or medical marijuana.
If our blog post helped you out today please continue browsing our cannabis section to stay up to date with all of the latest tips and tricks.