The Story Behind your Glass Pipes
THE PROCESS & THE CHALLENGES
SSALG NOELEMAHC
Hand Blown Glass Pipes
Benefits of Hand Blown Glass Pipes
Glass does not easily stain, chip or damage, making it one of the best choices for smoking pipes. Glass pipes don’t absorb tastes and odours over time unlike wooden pipes. They are easy to keep clean. When blown properly, these glass items last many years. Handmade pipes let you have a full and pleasant draw.
History of Hand Blown Glass Pipes
Glass blowing started in 3000 BCE for ornamental purposes. But until the 1st century BCE, it had nothing to do with pipes. Earlier clay, wood, stone, Sepiolite were used to make smoking pipes. Though wood is still being used, they have their own limitations. The first glass pipe was patented in 1977. But they became popular in the late 1990s.
The Process of Hand Blowing Glass Pipes Pre-heat glass in a kiln to 1100 degrees to make it malleable but not liquid. Insert a blowpipe into the furnace into a round ball of glass, which is the material to be blown. Once collected, roll the glass on a graphite slab (marver). Coloring if required can be done at this stage by dipping it into colored fragments of glass ‘frit’ to give the desired design. Blow air into a hose while rolling the glass and giving it the right shape and size.
The Process (cont.)
Remove glass from the point and return to the hot kiln for Annealing. This is an important step and should be done with care, as glass can shatter if it’s cooled either too fast or too unevenly. Glass is slowly lowered in temperature and held at specific important temperature plateaus (1050 & 960 F) for specific amounts of time. Though this allows the glass matrix to reform, many small and domestic companies skip this most important step.
Importance of the glassblowers
Every artisan eventually develops their own techniques which make each piece unique and individual. Often, there are hallmarks of who has created each piece. Branding, whether by individual name or company, helps in identifying these artisanal innovations and creativity. At every stage, the glassblower has to remain conscientious about the form of the glass — gently guiding it into its final shape and size. This is not true of machine-made/blow molded/stamped glass.
Challenges faced by the glassblowers Hand-blown glass pipe requires an expert artisan to create as there is only one chance to form a piece. The technique used on one model to achieve the desired effect, may not work on a different model. The glass reacts differently to conditions, which means the artisan needs to improvise continuously. If it’s blown improperly, there are fewer chances that the piece can be recovered. Losing a piece is a huge waste of time and materials. Glass is also dangerous to work with. Molten glass is very hot and leaves a nasty burn. It cuts the skin, sometimes without the artist even feeling it until later. Safety protocols in place in the United States via OSHA help ensure the health and safety of artists.
Where to Buy?
For pipes that are hand blown by some of the most talented glassblowers of the USA, you can visit our website. All the pipes are unique in their way and gives consistent and smooth experience to the blazers like you.