A bong is a pipe, usually made of glass, that’s commonly used for smoking cannabis. This article will explore the history and use of the bong and how it works. The bong consists of an airtight chamber and a stem where smoke is pulled through water before inhalation. It cools the smoke and makes it easier to inhale without burning your throat (or lungs).
There are many different types of Bong, but they all have one thing in common: they’re named after the shape of their body. These include straight tubes, beaker bongs, ice bongs, bucket bongs, and more. Read on as we take you through everything you need to know about this handy piece.
The Origin of the Bong
It’s hard to say exactly where the idea of a bong originated, but it is known to have been used as early as the 1950s. In the movie the Sting, Steve McQueen smokes a bong called a Mamba.
The Mamba bong was made of tin and had a removable glass piece so it could be cleaned. While this did get the job done, its glass would often break, so it wasn’t a great choice for smoking over a long period.
In 1968, Howard Hughes bought this small wood bong from a department store in Australia called Young & Boyd. He had it shipped back to the US, where he turned it into a vacuum tube bong called the Mojave. This was the first-ever commercial-made bong, and it was similar to the design of the glass you see in glass and plastic pipes.
Bong Use and Benefits
Of course, for the greatest bong experience, you want to use a type that is comfortable to hold. The most commonly used bongs are straight-stemmed beakers, and ice bongs tend to be wider and longer than beakers. Straight-stemmed beakers are usually rectangular and have a diameter of 3 inches to 5 inches.
These may be on the larger side, but you can usually comfortably grip them with your hands. They’re also larger and wider than beakers, which are smaller and narrower. Some also have a flared bottom where your mouth will rest, which is good for taking big hits from the bong, but not so good for inhaling hard through your nose. In any case, you should always try them on before buying them.
How a Bong Works
First, you inhale the smoke from the water. At the top of the chamber is a single hole, while another hole runs horizontally. This is where you place the bud you want to smoke. A water seal tightens around the stem of the bong, sealing the chamber to the body of the pipe.
The vape pen runs through the water before you inhale the smoke. A coil is attached to the vaporizer that’s inside the Bong. As you inhale, the vaporizer warms up the smoke. Then, it releases the vapor for inhalation. The mouthpiece you wear while vaping will be activated by the heat from the vaporizer.
The vapor from the vaporizer reaches the chamber of the bong. As it heats up, the smoke pulls into the chamber. Before it can enter, though, it passes through a small hole.
