China Import Glass vs Domestic

pipesdaddy

Member
Swirl Flower Glass Hand Pipe - Blue
About 4 Inches Long with Blue & White Swirls.
Features
  • Length: 4 Inches Approx.
  • Bowl Size: Deep
  • Thickness: High
  • Carb Size: Large
  • Fumed/Color Changing: No
  • Dichoric/Glittering: No
 

SmokenToke1

New Member
I got a smokewire bong, and I don't know where it's from, but it has served me well for a year now. The thing is that I tend to be wary of both sides - the "buy local" saying that Chinese(or foreign-made) stuff is terrible, will get tiny glass shards into your throat, etc. And then the other side saying that their stuff is best quality, just cheaper because it ain't a brand name, and so on. Best to check reviews and ask around before buying, and come to your own conclusion. That way, you're responsible for what you're using to blaze it up. ;)
 

copious_lbs

New Member
I had a cheap bong I bought from my headshop that ended up breaking in two weeks. I asked the dude who worked there what the deal was and he said "Oh yeah those are made in China..." Thanks dude, would have saved myself the headache if I knew that up-front.

Bought a custom piece made the next town over and haven't looked back since.

 

IRON-EYES

Well-Known Member
Got a drilld popper bottle made out of the Lucky Buddha Beer bottle roughly 5-7mm drilld it maself had it for years it's the shape of a laughing Buddha so I drilled the mouth out and barely let the bitch go through thus a wee conical one hitter bowl and then ~5/8 inch hole in the center of the bottom of the bottle thus one hitter steamroller chamber pipe goodness

So yes Chinese import ie they brew the beer and indeed tis a drilld pipe but this bad boy don't break dropped it off half Dome in Yosemite Valley fell all the way down to not break and be recovered with nary a crack and happily smoked out of further

tiny pieces of pot=massive lung bursting rips

image.jpg
 
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codyscafe

New Member
If you sacrifice quality for 100 bucks off a bong or 10 off a bowl for that matter, how much do you really love yourself? Domestic glass all the way I don't even see how it is a discussion. Also I believe its mostly our smokers under 18 that tend to go with the cheap glass
 

bluntmassa1

Well-Known Member
If you sacrifice quality for 100 bucks off a bong or 10 off a bowl for that matter, how much do you really love yourself? Domestic glass all the way I don't even see how it is a discussion. Also I believe its mostly our smokers under 18 that tend to go with the cheap glass
I don't give a fuck it's just glass it all breaks. I had a $60 spoon shatter in my pocket I was like 18 when I was still dumb enough to buy expensive glass. I got better shit to buy then replace expensive glass with expensive glass and some wonder why they can't afford a home. :bigjoint: But I usually buy domestic cause the one guy I go to is really cheap.
 
It all depends on the quality imo, you can get a lot of shit glass from china, but there are also some good glass you can get. Generally you get whatyy you pay for, buying a cheap piece that's thin a shit will break on you.
 

SmokeCartel

Member
I would agree that it is very harsh to say that all china glass is crap. We carry a lot of glass that is american made and a lot of glass that is made in China. The manufacturers we use have been given strict guidelines and we have revised the versions we expect to receive from them multiple times, we return anything we think is not up to par and using these methods we have been able to lock down some great quality glass coming from China. I personally am a huge fan of supporting local art and have about 5 american made water pipes, but I do own two China pieces I purchased from our store and they both are just as nice as the american made pieces I have. It varies greatly depending on your manufacturer and to say ALL Chinese glass is crap is very unfair.
 

Mctracy

New Member
Snuden hasnt said anything poor regarding his workers or their conditions, and in fact the opposite. But lets keep bashing him anyway, right?

There's a ton of American glass that looks just as poor as the glass people are comparing it to. Its all about the glassblower MAKING the item. Not about what nationality the individual making it is. Most import glass isnt even from China, its from India and California.

Next time you want to rag on china, call me on your iPhone or Skype me on your laptop. Both of which, were made in china.............
yes, l think so
 
It's not just China production glass that is a problem; but American artists who use Chinese glass supplies because they are cheaper. There are a few very famous artists who use a few chinese colors, but as for any Chinese clear production pieces made by american artists.... it's still Chinese glass. lol
 

WinnyBoyBlue

Active Member
I'm not about to cut my glass in half ahaha, but I purchase chinese glass all the time..for friends and myself. I have never seen a drilled out bowl or ''glass dust''. I'm sure this isn't for all peices but if you stick with a reputable salesperson there is no reason to pay the stupid premium for labeled glass. Yes, some peices are great and worth the extra quality..but for almost all daily peices, chinese glass is absolutely the way to go. Only time I would pay premium is for a custom peice, or someone selling locally made glass to support them.
 

cannetix Inc

Well-Known Member
I know this thread is old but since its stickied, I thought I would say my two cents.

Some have pointed out that "expensive pieces" break just as easily, but I'd like to point out that just because you paid a high price for something doesn't mean you're getting quality. If your expensive glass is breaking just as easily as cheap, crappy glass, you're probably simply being overcharged for something that is in reality, cheap, crappy glass. As others have pointed out, just because its American made doesn't mean its quality made. Properly blown/made borosilicate glass is surprisingly tough - that's why its used in laboratory glassware. Quartz, which is pure Silica glass without any additives, is even tougher, hence its use in concentrate nails (and infrared patio heaters). Most cheap convenience store glass even borosilicate. If you're lucky, its just very thick soda-lime glass, and it might not even be that. I've seen some scary thin pieces, including one that was nearly paper thin and coated with a colored film to give it the appearance of colored glass.

I have a custom borosilicate piece I got directly from the blower 4 or 5 years ago for a great price. You don't need to spend an arm and a leg to get quality, you just need to do some shopping around. I've since dropped the piece many times, and have even kicked it across the room once and there's not even a single chip on it. I've had crappy convenience store glass randomly shatter for no apparent reason... most likely due to stress cracks from improper manufacturing.

Yes, China makes high-quality products, but most of that stuff isn't for the export market. The few skilled Chinese glassblowers making pipes, bongs, etc. in China sell to the local market, they're not pumping them out in mass quantities to be sold at your local K-Mart. That stuff is virtually all crap. Chinese glass blowers living in America? That's a different story. That's not Chinese made, its American made by someone who happens to be Chinese in nationality.

Also, I don't see how its "dumb" to spend more for something locally made that will likely last a lot longer. I think it's much less sensible to send your money overseas where its most likely supporting child labor instead of our own economy.
 

Killer Vanilla

Well-Known Member
I got a smokewire bong, and I don't know where it's from, but it has served me well for a year now. The thing is that I tend to be wary of both sides - the "buy local" saying that Chinese(or foreign-made) stuff is terrible, will get tiny glass shards into your throat, etc. And then the other side saying that their stuff is best quality, just cheaper because it ain't a brand name, and so on. Best to check reviews and ask around before buying, and come to your own conclusion. For a good bong shop see herb-tools.com That way, you're responsible for what you're using to blaze it up.
I've always used Chinese glass, people should really test it out before talking it down. Plenty of great Chinese manufacturers are producing high quality bongs and pipes, don't let a few crappy ones spoil the fun!
 

del taco lover

Well-Known Member
I know this is an old thread, but I love Chinese glass. I bought a knockoff flower piece that was retailing for $460 from a well known American glass company for $35 shipped straight from China. I want to support American glass, but when I can get nearly the same identical product for 1/10th of the price it's a no brainer.

BTW I compared my flower piece to the real one side by side and you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference. And people like to talk about the quality of glass...they're both made of glass, nuff said. And if I break my piece I'm out $35 instead of $460.
 
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