A chillum is traditionally a conical or tubular tube with a mouthpiece and an attached container. Although designs and shapes may vary, most chillums have a pointed mouthpiece and a larger bowl on the end to load your weed into for smoking. Chillums usually do not contain a carburetor like spoons, which limits airflow if they are not properly filled. Despite this limitation, a single batter provides users with a fun and classic way to enjoy cannabis.
The History of the Chillum Pipe
Today's chillums are made of glass, wood, and other special heat-resistant materials, but the ancient pipes were made of clay, bone, and other readily available materials. The use of chillum dates back at least to the 18th century when Hindu monks used cilams or Sadhu pipes for spiritual rituals. The Indians and Rastafarians also used chillum tubes to smoke cannabis for religious purposes. These simple tubes are becoming more and more popular as consumers look for portable pipes.
How To Use A Chillum Pipe
If a chillum doesn't have a built-in filter, you can add a screen made of metal or even a glass filter. Either of these can help protect your lungs from debris. Follow these steps when using a chillum pipe:
Step 1
Grind your cannabis and place it into the bowl of your chillum. Don't pack it too loose or too tight.
Step 2
Hold your mouthpiece to your lips and light the cannabis at the other end with a lighter while gently pulling with your lungs. You should try to place the bowl at an angle and focus on the lighting on one side of the bowl. Breathe and draw the flame into the bowl to slowly ignite the material.
Step 3
Pull the smoke in slowly and be careful not to take in too much. Be careful when approaching the bottom of the material so as not to pull the ashes into your mouth.
Step 4
When everything is free, you can empty the box by pressing on the end or by blowing at the end of the mouth to remove the ashes.
Benefits of Using A Chillum Pipe
Chillums are great if you want to keep it simple. They have stood the test of time because they are very reliable and often inexpensive pieces that you can take anywhere. Specially designed chillums can also help reduce the quantity of the inhaled unwanted debris. Some contain a filter built into the mouthpiece for a clean hit. It is also a useful tool for use in smoking small quantities. It has to be cleaned like any other piece of glass, but it's relatively easy.
How to Clean A Chillum Pipe?
Just like cleaning your favorite glass water pipe or spoon tube, the tube can be cleaned in different ways, depending on your personal preference. The simplest and most effective way to clean a glass tube is to use a proven cleaning solution for glass tubes, such as Grunge Off or Formula 420 Cleaner. Nevertheless, a common method by which many people use household utensils to clean their coolers is boiling water, a paperclip, isopropyl alcohol, or by combining the three of them.
Paper Clip or Pipe Cleaner
Firstly, take out a lighter for heating the tube and loosen the accumulated resin. You can then use an open paperclip or a tube cleaner to scrape the inside of the bowl. The resin must accumulate on the cleaning part at the start. You may want to run your cleaning tools several times to get everything or run the water on either side to remove any residue.
Boiling Water
Alternatively, you can clean the chillum cup with boiling water. You should place your pipe into a boiling pan that has sufficient water covering the glass for about a half of an inch. Then allow the water to come to a low level to start. This will remove the resin from the glass. You only have to boil it for a few seconds to remove all the resin. When finished, allow the glass to cool thoroughly before attempting to rinse it. This is important. Never place a hot piece of glass under lukewarm or cold water. The sudden change in temperature can and probably will break it.
Isopropyl Alcohol
Perhaps the easiest way to clean a cup of chillum is to use rubbing alcohol, available at almost any supermarket. The alcohol removes all the resin from the glass. Let it sit for an hour or two, after which the glass should be resin-free. After cleaning with alcohol, wash the part thoroughly with water. This will remove residual cleaning alcohol and loosen stubborn resin from the pill walls.