I personally haven't used one, but it will work exactly the same way as a lightbulb vape with a straw to inhale through. Before I bought my i-inhale, I used to lightbulb vape. I actually enjoyed it. I still may buy one of these as a backup vaporizer. They take some time to use properly, but any vaporizer takes more time then smoking b/c you have to let it heat up. This one you just heat up manually.
So yes, these "bulb vapes" can do a decent job at vaporizing. You have to know how to use them though. Given that you control the flame and the heat (instead of a thermostat doing it scientifically), it is nearly impossible to avoid overcooking the weed. But still... I've found them to get me high and to be much easier on my lungs then smoking. That is what counts to me. And if you're careful, you can be very effective with them.
Tips I've learned are:
- Be where there is no wind at all, not even an indoor fan.
- hold the flame just so that it does not touch the glass (just barely away from it).
- shake the herb around in the bulb every few seconds, and inhale after a few shakes. At first it will seem like you're getting nothing. You won't see vapor at first. Just keep at it, be patient. You will get ripped and eventually will be getting plenty of visible vapor.
- the key is to start out barely heating and getting nothing on your inhales. This is because you have to be very gradual getting the temp up or you'll overcook the herb right away. Overcooked herb in a vaporizer tastes horrible... it doesn't taste like smoking, it just tastes *bad*.
So just be very gradual, keep lighting and shaking. Even when you see no vapor, trust that it is there. You can even hold the hits in early on b/c it is pretty much pure vapor. As the herb heats up even more you'll start to see actual vapor. At that point you can even lay off the flame or tone it down a bit b/c the glass is so hot it will vaporize the herb even without more flame.
When I can see the vapor I'll do a hit or two more where I hold it in. Then I start exhaling faster on the later hits, because there is more "smoke" and less "vapor" as the herb is pretty much almost finished. When you can see the crystals of THC are all gone and the herb is mostly brown (except for some green of the leaf... which isn't worth vaporizing b/c it is all chlorophyl), ditch and reload.
Another way to know when the bowl is done is to just taste it. When the taste goes from tasting like your herb smells to tasting like a chemical or chlorophyl or something... that is when it is spent.
Thanks for posting the link. I've been looking for a place to buy one of these actually. I've saw these pipes on eagle bill's old website a year or so ago, but couldn't find a store that actually sold them. I had heard pharmacy' sold them in Amsterdam, but I couldn't find any online. I'll probably buy one as a backup in case my current vaporizer breaks. I was going to buy a vapeman, but these are so much cheaper.
Well... haping toking.
