Custom Glass Only in the Bay Area
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RETAILER & CONSUMER READ THIS! Because the bowl has no hole upon entry, the importer then DRILLS a hole in the bottom of the bowl. Most of the importers care so little for the end consumer that the NOXIOUS GLASS DUST from the drilling process is LEFT INSIDE the pipe, only to be INHALED BY THE CONSUMER during first use of the pipe! Glass dust is 100X MORE DANGEROUS THAN ASBESTOS!
Not only is the dust a horrible leftover of the drilling process, drilling leaves permanent stress in the glass surrounding the new hole. Residual stress is the number one reason for failure (cracking/breaking) of Glass Pipes over time. It is exponentially more prone to failure where the glass is constantly expanded and contracted by heat, most notably this occurs at the bottom of the bowl where heat is concentrated during the lighting of tobacco, and is precisely where importers drill and impart enormous amounts of residual stress. Most importers also do not anneal the glass. Annealing ovens are expensive and are often not available in the third world countries where they manufacture the pipes. Ovens also draw enormous amounts of electricity, again, often not available in these countries.
Annealing is the same process used in the production of Steel to allow the molecules to flow back into re-alignment after the steel has been shaped and formed. In much the same way, glass flows back into it’s polarized alignment and strongest state once properly annealed over the course of several hours in a specialized glass-annealing oven.
YOU PAY A LOT for your glass pipe whether it is imported or domestic. Shouldn’t it last a good long time? Imports don’t. Imported Glass fails 100X more often than domestically produced products simply because of the drilling process and the fact that the finished product is not annealed properly.
As an aside: Always wanted a glass sex toy but could never afford it? Ohh, but now there is one in your price range? Guess what, it’s probably imported and was most probably not annealed. The same truth of glasswork in pipes is even truer for sex toys due to the thickness of the glass. Sex toys average a requirement of 3X the annealing time of pipes. So, buyers beware! There are no limitations or restrictions on the country of origin of sex toys! Be careful where you put that thing, and while its there, if it is a cheap imitation, don’t push the limits too far, you may be surprised at how brittle solid thick glass can be!
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This is from another article:
Does imported glass smokeware present a danger?
When someone says, “Dude, that first pull was rough,” it may be due to the fact that they’re using drill-outs, which are typical of import pipes. US Customs considers any tobacco accessory with more than two holes to be paraphernalia—it falls into the category of contraband, allowing the cargo to be seized and destroyed. To avoid seizure, importers “sink” the bowl but do not blow a bowl hole, leaving the piece with two holes—a mouthpiece and a carb. String is then passed through the two holes on pipes and one-hitters to give credence to the falsified manifest, which describes the contraband cargo as a necklace or some kind of glass handicraft.
Later, the bowl hole is drilled out, which severely weakens the pipe at precisely the point that it needs to be at its strongest, due to the constant heating and cooling of the bowl, which causes its expansion and contraction. Drilling ruins pipe strength and leaves glass shards and powder for the user to inhale. The shards and powder, similar to asbestos, cause silicosis—a permanent and debilitating disease similar to mesothelioma. But don’t call your injury lawyer: Unlike a domestic company, importers disappear into thin air as soon as the container is empty.
We’re also concerned because importers don’t trouble themselves with innovative ideas or products—they copy everything. Did importers come up with double perks? No. Did importers use scientific techniques to incorporate ground joints instead of rubber grommets? No. Did importers invest any time and effort to develop techniques that allow the incorporation of dichromatic materials into glass? No. These are all domestic innovations
What can consumers do to protect themselves?
First, look at that bowl hole closely. If the sidewall of the bowl hole looks rough or frosted, it’s a drill-out—and that first pull is gonna be ugly. A flame-worked bowl hole is tapered, shiny and smooth, whether it comes from a retailer or your local guy.
Second, research reputable domestic manufacturers and buy that brand at your brick-and-mortar retailer. Internet e-tailers are famous for fakes and imports.
Imports are often referred to as “India glass.” Is India the main culprit?
Actually, India mainly produces true art glass—vases, lighting fixtures and the like—which sells for more money than pipes. Most of the so-called “India glass” pipes are actually produced in Pakistan at government-sponsored, indentured-child-labor camps. Do you really want to be sending your cash to Pakistan? Do you really want to support child slavery?
You may be, unwittingly. Importers typically only accept cash from retailers. Then they funnel it back to the country of origin: no taxes paid, no roads paved, no hospitals built, no new teachers. Think about that the next time you spend four hours waiting in the ER after two hospitals closer to your house were shuttered due to budgetary shortfalls.
Not only is the dust a horrible leftover of the drilling process, drilling leaves permanent stress in the glass surrounding the new hole. Residual stress is the number one reason for failure (cracking/breaking) of Glass Pipes over time. It is exponentially more prone to failure where the glass is constantly expanded and contracted by heat, most notably this occurs at the bottom of the bowl where heat is concentrated during the lighting of tobacco, and is precisely where importers drill and impart enormous amounts of residual stress. Most importers also do not anneal the glass. Annealing ovens are expensive and are often not available in the third world countries where they manufacture the pipes. Ovens also draw enormous amounts of electricity, again, often not available in these countries.
Annealing is the same process used in the production of Steel to allow the molecules to flow back into re-alignment after the steel has been shaped and formed. In much the same way, glass flows back into it’s polarized alignment and strongest state once properly annealed over the course of several hours in a specialized glass-annealing oven.
YOU PAY A LOT for your glass pipe whether it is imported or domestic. Shouldn’t it last a good long time? Imports don’t. Imported Glass fails 100X more often than domestically produced products simply because of the drilling process and the fact that the finished product is not annealed properly.
As an aside: Always wanted a glass sex toy but could never afford it? Ohh, but now there is one in your price range? Guess what, it’s probably imported and was most probably not annealed. The same truth of glasswork in pipes is even truer for sex toys due to the thickness of the glass. Sex toys average a requirement of 3X the annealing time of pipes. So, buyers beware! There are no limitations or restrictions on the country of origin of sex toys! Be careful where you put that thing, and while its there, if it is a cheap imitation, don’t push the limits too far, you may be surprised at how brittle solid thick glass can be!
--------
This is from another article:
Does imported glass smokeware present a danger?
When someone says, “Dude, that first pull was rough,” it may be due to the fact that they’re using drill-outs, which are typical of import pipes. US Customs considers any tobacco accessory with more than two holes to be paraphernalia—it falls into the category of contraband, allowing the cargo to be seized and destroyed. To avoid seizure, importers “sink” the bowl but do not blow a bowl hole, leaving the piece with two holes—a mouthpiece and a carb. String is then passed through the two holes on pipes and one-hitters to give credence to the falsified manifest, which describes the contraband cargo as a necklace or some kind of glass handicraft.
Later, the bowl hole is drilled out, which severely weakens the pipe at precisely the point that it needs to be at its strongest, due to the constant heating and cooling of the bowl, which causes its expansion and contraction. Drilling ruins pipe strength and leaves glass shards and powder for the user to inhale. The shards and powder, similar to asbestos, cause silicosis—a permanent and debilitating disease similar to mesothelioma. But don’t call your injury lawyer: Unlike a domestic company, importers disappear into thin air as soon as the container is empty.
We’re also concerned because importers don’t trouble themselves with innovative ideas or products—they copy everything. Did importers come up with double perks? No. Did importers use scientific techniques to incorporate ground joints instead of rubber grommets? No. Did importers invest any time and effort to develop techniques that allow the incorporation of dichromatic materials into glass? No. These are all domestic innovations
What can consumers do to protect themselves?
First, look at that bowl hole closely. If the sidewall of the bowl hole looks rough or frosted, it’s a drill-out—and that first pull is gonna be ugly. A flame-worked bowl hole is tapered, shiny and smooth, whether it comes from a retailer or your local guy.
Second, research reputable domestic manufacturers and buy that brand at your brick-and-mortar retailer. Internet e-tailers are famous for fakes and imports.
Imports are often referred to as “India glass.” Is India the main culprit?
Actually, India mainly produces true art glass—vases, lighting fixtures and the like—which sells for more money than pipes. Most of the so-called “India glass” pipes are actually produced in Pakistan at government-sponsored, indentured-child-labor camps. Do you really want to be sending your cash to Pakistan? Do you really want to support child slavery?
You may be, unwittingly. Importers typically only accept cash from retailers. Then they funnel it back to the country of origin: no taxes paid, no roads paved, no hospitals built, no new teachers. Think about that the next time you spend four hours waiting in the ER after two hospitals closer to your house were shuttered due to budgetary shortfalls.
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