Back in the day it was all acrylic. I know you other old timers out there remember the days when if you didn't have a TokeMaster or similar (US Bongs was another), you were slacking! For those of you who don't remember, TokeMaster was a clear acrylic bong with a red or blue acrylic stem glued right in. There was a metal threaded insert you could screw a one hitter or party bowl on. And, the damned stems used to break on the inside constantly - leaving the whole thing worthless! Think I still might have one or two out in the garage stashed in a box - broken stems and all. Saved them thinking I could one day figure out how to glue the stem back on and hold it in place with a coat hanger pulled through it or something. Not that I (and everybody I knew) didn't try! It just never really worked and you'd be using nasty glues and .... well you get the picture. Even before the stem broke, they would get cruddy quickly and stay cloudy even when cleaned. Cleaning was a real chore and anything you could use to clean it would take almost as much re-cleaning to get the cleaner out as the bong crud did! Couple friends and I figured out Lestoil (Pinesol) worked best for cleaning, but try getting that taste out of plastic! Vinegar, hot water, air dry, leave in a sunny window.... after a few days you could put water in and use it again.
I made a few bamboo bongs of my own after tiring of that mess, but usually stuck with stone or very hard wood bowls and joints - just to get away from the nastiness and headaches of plastic. Still have a few friends that keep the old acrylics (and new cheap ones) going. Never take a hit at their place. About 15 years ago I bought my first glass spoon/bowl, and never looked back. If not glass, I'd make my own with soapstone bowl and a nice reed for a stem. All natural, cheap and disposable with 0 environmental impact.
Skip ahead to 5 or 6 years ago when I finally discovered glass bongs & bubblers and vaping. Many thanks again to FC!!!! DUDE!!!! It's a whole different world!
My opinion.... get the cheap Chinese glass over acrylic every time. Store it out of the cat's usual range and keep it within arm's reach while you're using it so you can grab if necessary. It does suck when you break a piece, but nowhere near as much as smoking through plastic. Glass has no taste and is simple to clean if you don't let it go too long. Bet you won't go back.
Allow me to share a quick story.... I just picked up a couple cheap Chinese bubblers I read about here on FC. Got one for myself, and one for a close friend who refused to consider anything but her cheap acrylic. It was very inexpensive with a discount for 2 or more, so picked it up for her as a Christmas gift. Just saw her the other night for the first time in a few weeks and had a chance to ask how she liked it. "OH MY GOD!!! Can't believe I didn't listen before and throw that other piece of shit out! Second night with the glass, got all stoned and ceremoniously broke that cheap, blue plastic tube into pieces before throwing it out. What glass do you think I should get next?" And, that's from a total combusting smoker.
Be careful, lock the cat out of the room while toking, tie the cat to a friggin chair if you have to - BUT GET OFF THE PLASTIC!!! You'll love it! Smoother, no taste, easy to clean, pretty, can see the vapor/smoke swirling around in there.... IMO the only way to fly!!
haha.
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