Wisdoms of the Bong : PSA (Best Practices - Bong)
There are a variety of advantages that the Bong holds over the Joint. Observe just
how much dirt accumulates within one with use - and think of the amount consumed
in terms of ashes that remain. What's in the Bong by that amount ... that's also
somewhere ... thinking of the other side.
So yea - anti Smoking ad ... there you go.
And there's a Level two to that. The Chillum of a Bong has to be kept clean. In
ideal circumstances. There comes a point ... marked by what I call a spoiled head
... where a tipping point is reached. The zone prior to that can or should be
divided into three. There's the clean and optimal stage, then there's the
middle ground and then there's borderline.
To test this, one is to take a "Cold Hit". That is, just bubbling. While the
chillum is clean and the water fresh, there is nothing here. But at some point
it's no longer nice to take a cold hit. At some point it's even ... not
doable anymore. And making it hot doesn't really ... improve the situation. I mean,
it does ... in a way. But it doesn't improve the next one either.
Anyway.
It is to be noted that the water that's bubbling into the chillum also adds to what
ends up in the water and hence to the fumes that develop. And maybe more importantly:
The build-up of residue in the chillum is exponential. The rate at which it becomes
dirty is much slower than the rate at which it remains dirty. So, maybe that's a
good thing ... as this way 'more' is being filtered out - meaning: At the very least
replace the water. Well, I'll have to keep observing.
So, Level two in short: Add to what you thought was filtered out by the bong also
the fumes. Which, I'm not sure if I understand them correctly. However, I would
think that at least some of them are in and of themselves a hazard that is more so
unique to the Bong.
While the Joint is done when it's done - what ends up in the Chillum or so the
neck of the head or what to call it - is a repeated ... transfer of heat and
material. And whatever is gathering there seems to then react to heat in its own
way, creating a second grade byproduct, sotospeak - that the joint doesn't have.
So, yea. I wonder, is there a use for it? I mean - if we want to be civilized we need
to have practical solutions for these problems. First thought is to maybe process the
residue somehow and figure out a way to bind the chillums into the process. If the
alternative is that it's a waste product, we should try to focus on minimize the waste
while cutting chillum design towards that end, as with convenience in mind. If the best
way were to just wash it down the drain, option one is somehow back up on the table but
different.
While we're at it I might also note: If you plan on using a Bong, be prepared to clean
Bong Spillage. Keeping the water clean is one way to avoid having to clean bong sludge.
However ... I would think that spillage is inevitable. A good rule is to keep it out of
reach always - for the moment you think to pay attention to the Bong, if it is in reach,
you'll probably hit it.
It's really like it works that way!