Brass Pipe Screens Vs. Stainless Steel Pipe Screens: Best Screens For Pipes
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Time to read 4 min
Smoking weed is an art, and it can get as complex as you decide to make it. There are many ways you can get high, some of them more eco-friendly than others, but if you really want to experiment with new tools and herb accessories, you might have heard about brass pipe screens and steel pipe screens. Well, we are here to tell you everything you need to know in this matter so you can choose between the two and get the best option.
You probably have heard the controversy towards brass as a material used to make pipes, but is it really dangerous to smoke from brass pipes? Brass is a material made out of copper and zinc, and it has been used for ages (since 500 BC, approximately). The main characteristic it has is the way it looks since it is gold and that makes it perfect for decorative purposes. Another aspect to take into consideration when choosing it as your to-go material in the case of you wanting a pipe made out of it is that it can become green and rusty with usage, so it can lose its shiny and gold aspect. Even though brass has these disadvantages, it is not particularly bad for your health, but if that's one of your big concerns when it comes to getting your new pipe.
In the other hand if you're looking for recommendations here about which material to choose when buying a weed pipe, take a look into this pipe made of anodized, recyclable aluminum, which includes 3 titanium-coated stainless steel filters. Using aluminum as the main material of a weed pipe reflects how good quality it has and it's not a bit harsh on your smoke and your health. But, talking about pipe screens and what are the best ones made of, just keep reading. You'll find quite important information related to the materials you're smoking through.
Table Of Contents
What are and how to use pipe screens?
A weed pipe screen, also called a pipe filter, is a tiny screen that you place inside your pipe or bong and acts as a barrier between your grinded weed and your pipe when smoking. Screens prevent your smoking device from clogging, accumulating resin, or getting too dirty. Using a screen or filter will help you maintain your smoking device cleaner, but most importantly, your smoking experience will improve by being way smoother. Some people have trouble with coughing during a pipe smoking session, well, pipe screens can help get rid of that terrible smoker's cough, making it a much more pleasant experience. In a few words, a pipe screen works as a filtration method, and that makes them ideal for regular stoners.
Another fact you need to know about them is that is not mandatory to use them, but of course they are helpful, but some devices have very small bowls and the hole is too small for weed to filter and go directly to your throat. But the real problem with them is that they can get clogged, something that we definitely want to avoid.
As you get more experienced when smoking weed you can try different types of pipe filters depending on how fine your grind your herb. Some weed pipes, such as KØL, include three different pipe screens with it, a fine, a medium, and a course. This high-end smoking devices often include extra pipe screens with them or you can even buy them separately in case you lost some or just want new pipe filters with you.
Difference Between Brass And Steel Pipe Screens
Let's get to the matter. Brass and steel are both metals but they have different compositions, and each one has its own properties. So we're going to talk about each one of those and how it works differently for a brass screen than for a steel pipe screen.
1. Durability
Time does not play that well in favor of brass pipe screens, since they get decolorized, sometimes a bit rusty with water, these brass screens can break more easily, and even melt at lower temperatures. On the other hand, steel screens have a high melting point and can resist higher temperatures. With stainless steel, your screen will never get rusty or change its smooth texture. This also makes the steel easier to clean, even with a wipe or water.
2. Corrosion resistance
Even though the last point was made, brass pipe screens are more resistant to corrosion. This is only relevant if the substance is acidic or corrosive. Something to highlight here is the importance of giving good care to your pipe and screens, whatever material they are made of. You don't want to waste your money on a lot of smoking devices, so avoid using corrosive acids on them.
3. Accessibility
As brass pipes are a classic, and sometimes used also as tobacco pipes you can find them in any regular tobacco shop, but on the other hand steel pipes are mostly all "weed pipes" which makes it a bit harder to find them in a brick-and-mortar store. Besides that, right now we're very used to purchasing everything online, so take a deep jump into the web you'll find a huge variety of stainless steel filters online and really high-quality ones.
Even though brass material is way more common and affordable than steel, if you make your research you can find different prices and qualities also on stainless steel pipe screens, as with everything in life.
So, which are the best pipe screens?
The short answer is... it depends. To make the right choice, you'll have to consider which characteristics are more important for you. If you need a cheap pipe screen that will be resistant to corrosion, the brass ones are for you. On the other hand, if you want more durability, you should probably invest in steel pipe screens that would last forever and are easier to take care of.
Hand holding KØL stainless steel filters packaging (HØJ Media)
Author: Rola
