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Don’t drop your piece. We have all heard the stories of the bouncing glass pipes. This is not an urban myth. The pipes are made of Pyrex and are extremely strong when well annealed. Some drops are perilous and you do not get a second opportunity. However, over time, each bounce leaves residual stress that will accumulate and lead to the eventual crack or breakage. Don’t drop your piece.
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There are several commercially available cleaners (Formula 420, Orange Chronic, Dr. Green’s and Grunge Off to name a few) available from most tobacconists and smoke related products stores that will do an excellent job cleaning your glass pipe. A note of caution however; internally fumed pipes, typically referred to as inside out or double blown are susceptible to fume “wash out” when cleaned with a strong cleaner that includes solvents. Surface fume is melted into the glass and will not wash out, while internal fume cannot be adequately melted in due the inability to really get the flame inside the piece at a 90 degree angle for optimum melt. If the fume is washed out, the pipe will no longer color change. Check the label. Any alcohol based cleaner (more than 50% alcohol content), or cleaners that include petro-chemical based ingredients (gasoline, diesel fuel, lighter fluid to name a few) will probably wash out the internal fume.
If you are unable to find a commercially based cleaner, create your own. Mix 4 parts very warm, (yet, not hot) water with one part dish detergent and one part salt. Very hot (boiling) water will cause uneven thermal expansion and will probably break your piece. Submerge your piece in this home brew overnight. Rinse thoroughly in very warm water. This home brew will eliminate the majority (not all!) of the tobacco particulate from your pipe. If you have a stubborn area that refuses to clean up, fill the pipe with home brew cleaner and add a teaspoon of coarse grind salt, then shake vigorously. The course salt will act as a gentle abrasive and help to clean the stubborn spots. Pipe cleaners, Buddy Systemz and small nylon brushes also help to eliminate observable residue.
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