When buying a glass piece, there are lots of important factors to consider. Oddly, one of the most important is the most overlooked; glass thickness and quality. Let’s talk about glass quality first...
Glass Quality
Glass quality is important in terms of clarity and strength. The higher quality of glass, the stronger and more pristine the glass will be. Glass quality is determined by the material of glass, and the skill level of the glass blower.
Most brand name pieces, will be made of high quality borosilicate glass (the material to make lab equipment, also called “German schott” or “schott duran); while certain tubes at your local head shop are most likely made of low quality Chinese- glass.
The higher quality glass will be much more durable than the lower. The skill level of the blower can be determined by simply looking at the piece-clean joint welds are signs of talented glass blowers.
Glass Thickness
Glass thickness affects the weight and durability of a piece. Glass thickness is counted in millimeters, usually ranging from 3mm to 9mm, with 9mm being the thicker of the two. Thicker glass means a more durable, heavier piece. The heaviness of the glass is more of a personal preference, but heavier pieces do have a sense of quality to them.