Glass Pipes

What exactly are glass pipes used for smoking made of? You've probably heard the terms "soft glass" and "borosilicate glass". These are the two types of glass used in making glass water pipes, bongs, hookahs, smoking pipes, whatever you want to call them. Now you'd think that the term "soft glass" would mean that the glass isn't sturdy or usable to smoke out of, but quite to the contrary, soft glass water pipes can be made into beautiful designs and have colors and designs that borosilicate (lab-glass or pyrex) bongs can't have.

Although all glass is tough and mostly inert by its nature, borosilicate glass used to make smoking pipes like hand pipes, steamrollers, bubblers, and bongs is typically much harder and more resistant to chemicals and breakage.

One site that is testing the limits of glassblowing in the borosilicate / pyrex arena is www.build-a-pipe.com. This site shows users the full extent of what can be accomplished with this type of glass by letting users design their own custom glass water pipes online.