What is a Spoon Pipe
Spoon Pipe Introduction
There are two types of smokers in this world. To one type, any smoke is a good smoke. For these people, any opportunity to smoke is an opportunity to be taken advantage of. What could be better than a good puff on some tobacco or herb? Others are slightly more discerning. To them, it is all about quality. When these people smoke, the product must be first rate, the pull strong and smooth, an of instrument of the highest caliber. To these people, the pipe is not just a piece of material, it is a finely honed piece of art, constructed with the finest of precision, resulting in color combinations and designs that defy the imagination, designed to be appreciated. One of the most popular pipes for toking on the go is the spoon pipe.
The Spoon Pipe
A spoon pipe is a type of smoking pipe used for smoking herbs, flowers and tobacco. Like most smoking pipes, the spoon style has the mouthpiece, a small tube and the bowl head at the end. The users pack the smoking material into the bowl head piece and then with a lighter, they can smoke and enjoy. Most spoons also come with a carburetor, also known as a carb hole, which is a simple hole in the side of the bowl head. While smoking, when the hole is covered the smoke is drawn in through the burning herb and gathers inside bowl. When the carb hole is uncovered, air comes in allowing the smoke to be inhaled rapidly, resulting in fresher smoke than you would expect from less sophisticated pipes, without a carb.
Silicone vs Glass – Smoking Pipe Comparison
The silicone pipe comes in a few types of smoking pipes, the spoon pipe included. An alternative to glass pipes, the heat resistant silicone makes for a lighter weight pipe which won't ever break or tear unless you decide to take scissors or something else to it. Some silicone pipes come with a removable bowl cap, which makes them really convenient and portable, allowing you to pre-pack and cover the top without worrying about spillage. You can find them for $19.99 in a bunch of different colors.
However, if you're going to go for the silicone pipe, consider everything. What it offers in durability and portability may be sacrificed in smoking experience. The hit with a silicone piece is more harsh than what you get with glass pieces. With the newly cultivated more complex herbs and tobacco blends on the market, you may better enjoy glass pipes, which better isolate the flavors of the smoke for a purer inhale. Of course, with a silicone pipe, you're also sacrificing the artistry of the glass blown pipes too. The silicone pipes are often available in cool colors, but they do lack the handmade authenticity and artistry of the glass. Other varieties of materials used for spoon pipes include metal, acrylic, and plastic.
Cleaning Your Spoon Pipe
Now that you have own a cool spoon pipe, you want to keep it in shape. Of course, if what you put in the spoon has relaxing properties, you may often find yourself a bit too relaxed to clean the pipe. However, you will soon realize that the quality of your smoke will suffer if you do not keep your pipe clean. You don't want to come to a moment when you're all set to smoke, only to find that your spoon is clogged.
When residue gets stuck in a spoon pipe, it happens at a part of the neck that you can't reach with a typical pipe cleaner, or paper clip, therefore dislodging the sludge means cleaning the whole pipe. The most popular option for pipe cleaning is an alcohol salt combination; however, vinegar, denture tablets, and other 420 cleaner solutions will work equally as well.
If you choose to go with alcohol, get a bottle of isopropyl alcohol that's at least 91 percent alcohol. The higher the concentration, the better the cleanse. Put your spoon in a plastic container deep enough to fit the entire the pipe in. Line the bottom of the container in salt and pour the isopropyl alcohol so that the whole pipe is submerged. Shake vigorously and let sit for at least 15 minutes, letting the alcohol go to work on the funky residue. Rinse the spoon with hot water, and voila, your pipe is ready for some heavy duty smoking.
You can follow the same procedure with other cleaners and some may even have scrubbers already within the solution. If you're using denture tablets, dissolve two tablets in water instead of the alcohol salt combo.
Using the Herb Grinder with Your Spoon Pipe
You may be familiar with a weed grinder, you may own one already, and you may be one of those people still going on without the benefits of an herb grinder. There may be a ton of useless smoking paraphernalia out there, but the herb grinder is NOT one of them. You can find these for under $20, so if you don’t already own one, get on it.
An herb grinder, as the name suggests, grinds various herbs and tobacco. Most come as a 2, 3 or 4 piece grinder, but you can find some with 5 pieces, such as the vibrating grinder which has the fifth compartment to hold a small battery needed to power the vibrations. The various grinders will multiple compartments first and foremost have a level for storing the ground herb or cannabis and some even have a kief catcher. The storage chamber makes the grinding process much more convenient, but all grinders will at least do the job of chopping up buds.
There are so many benefits of the grinder. Grinding up the larger buds into smaller pieces creates more surface area so you get a smoother more consistent burn. Another perk, when you break up weed with your hands, you absorb some of the precious buzz - creating enzymes in your fingers, and while that may make your fingers happy, those particles could instead be on the herb or in the kief catcher. Also, grinders will cut the prep time for your smoke in at least half, probably more if you consider how long it can take to break up buds, especially when they are dense.
Pros
1. Portable
Spoon pipes are small and portable, easily concealable, and great for use outside the house.
2. Lies Flat
Spoon pipes lie flat on surfaces without tilting which makes them easy to pack without losing herb, as opposed to a Sherlock Pipe which may tip and spill
3. Hand Friendly
The spoon pipe has the ideal rounded bowl that fits in your hand comfortably. Many glass pipes have marbles positioned throughout the piece to maximize grip.
4. Attractive
Many of the glass spoon pipes for sale are artistically designed and hand crafted with care.
Cons
1. Smoke Quality
The hit you get is limited because of the average spoon size. A bong on the other hand can create a much bigger smoke cloud.
2. Heat up Quickly
Glass spoons can heat up if it is being used a bunch. This can make it hard to hold the pipe and get good coverage on the carburetor without scorching your fingers.
3. Breakable
Glass spoonscan be broken if dropped onto a hard surface. Even the double blown, thick glass pipes will likely at least chip when dropped.
Selecting Your Spoon Pipe
Surely, you must be thinking: what a great invention; where can I get such a thing? When it comes to buying there are so many options to choose from. There is a wide range of models to choose between, from really basic and inexpensive models to more intricate and upscale types, so whether you are a novice or a more advanced smoker, you're likely to find something that suits your needs.
Very Cool Pipe – a Real Butterfly, Spoon Pipe
Designed by Cherry Glass Art, this unique glass pipe electroforms a real butterfly into an amazing piece of art, adding some Swarovski crystals " eyes" to bring a little extra bling to your smoke, without sacrificing smoking pleasure. The 5 and half inch pipe has a deep bowl for a healthy pack, a nice wide airway and a comfortably placed carb hole on the right side go the bowl. This is a great smoking pipe that is not for the average smoker but more for someone looking for that artistic piece that looks as good on a desk as it does while being smoked.
Conclusion
It has been said that when cleaning out your home, you should decide what to keep and what to throw out by asking yourself two questions: Is it useful? and Is it beautiful? The spoon pipe is both. The wonderful artistry and familiar design of this smoking pipe has given it a distinct place in the world of smoking for decades, and the fact that it serves its purpose well is undeniable. While it is not without its drawbacks, the spoon pipe provides the smoker with a great opportunity to enjoy herb in any setting, enhance his or her experiences, and is and will continue to be a welcome sight at any social gathering. Yes, it is useful; yes, it is beautiful. Yes, it is a worthy investment for the seasoned smoker.