How To Get A Stuck Downstem Out

CAUSES & SOLUTIONS FOR A STUCK DOWNSTEM IN A Bell OR BUBBLER

Ok, let's be honest. How many of you really clean your bong afterwards each and every sesh?

Ok, now how many of you remove the downstem completely each fourth dimension you clean your tube or chalice bong?

If you lot've still got your hand raised, that'southward great! But sadly, you are probably one of the few. Nigh bongs, bubblers, pipes, and heady dab rigs might get thoroughly cleaned once every five, or ten, or fifty seshes.

Even when downstems are removable, they are frequently ignored as long as they work. Only long before the buildup of resin causes a problem with percolation, it may accept already created an issue further up the stem.

MY DOWNSTEM IS STUCK – HOW DID THAT HAPPEN

It doesn't take much sticky remainder buildup betwixt the joint on your glass bong and the glass downstem seated inside of it to crusade the downstem to become stuck.

During regular utilize of your bong or bubbler there is a certain degree of heat transfer between your drinking glass bowl or slide and the glass joint and the glass downstem. That heat can activate and re-activate resin buildup in the area creating a dangerously tight seal that tin forestall you from being able to remove the downstem without fearfulness of breaking any of the drinking glass parts.

Another common cause for a stuck or jammed glass downstem, ironically, frequently occurs simply subsequently doing the right thing by cleaning your drinking glass bell or bubbler oftentimes and removing the downstem to clean it separately.

What can cause a problem is if the drinking glass joint on the bong or bubbler and the outside surface of the glass downstem are non thoroughly dried earlier reinsertion. Even if they are both perfectly clean, the residuum wet tin course a difficult seal making removal a nervus-wracking event.

The third most common cause for a stuck downstem is when information technology becomes jammed downwardly by some incidental contact with a table, or elbow, lighter, or anything you lot tin recall of actually.

DOWNSTEM IS Notwithstanding STUCK – NOW WHAT

Nosotros asked around on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and more on what to do and here are a handful of methods that we came up with for freeing up a stuck downstem on your favorite glass bell or bubbler.

METHOD 1: Pipage HOT Water

Start by trying to run the hottest tap water from your sink direct over the area where the downstem enters the bong or bubbler. If your hand can stand the temperature of the water momentarily, reach in and firmly (but cautiously) pinch the sides of the exposed portion of the downstem and gently effort to twist and pull. With whatsoever luck, that combination of heat and h2o lubrication volition do the pull a fast one on.

METHOD two: Impale IT WITH Burn

If that downstem is still stuck due to resin, you can try your dab torch or a triple flame torch. Just quickly utilize moving heat to the affected surface area with the very tip of the flame of your torch. You practice non want to agree the flame to the glass for long as you lot could damage the glass. If there is visible resin or reclaim buildup, you will come across it begin to activate from the heat.

Knowing that the drinking glass downstem will be hot from the torch, use a pot holder or heat resistant gloves to try the aforementioned technique as higher up, gently trying to twist and pull the downstem up and out of the bell while the buildup is still boiling a scrap.

METHOD 3: SCIENCE!

If the gunk has caked upwards and so bad that those two methods didn't even make a paring, don't requite up notwithstanding! There are some dandy glass cleaners on the market place these days, like Dark Crystal, Grunge Off, or Formula 420. Merely fill the water chamber of your bong enough that the downstem and joint are in contact with the cleaning solution and let everything soak.

With any luck the muck volition break downwardly and within 24-48 hours you should exist able to gently twist and pull your downstem to freedom.

METHOD iv: TAP, TAP, TAP

When your stalk is stuck from moisture being trapped between 2 glass pieces, the ideas above (hot h2o, tip of the torch) may come in handy. But another option gets brought upward often enough by those who know such things that we think you ought to know too.

It sounds a bit strange at first merely carry with us. You'll want a big spoon, preferably wooden. Some folks wrap the spoon in a towel, some apply it bare, merely the idea is to gently tap-tap-tap the caput of the spoon all around the joint where the downstem is stuck.

Surprisingly enough, the subtle vibration from the spoon'southward impact can be just plenty to shake loose a seemingly stuck stalk and this simple yet effective technique has saved many heady bongs and daily driver bubblers from being scrapped.

METHOD 5: Concluding RESORT

One final pull a fast one on that cames in especially handy when a downstem is just jammed a bit is to find a pair of pliers with the rubber coated handles. You do not want to apply metal to glass with whatsoever corporeality of strength, simply using the soft grip rubber handles you lot may be able to grip the neck of the downstem just where it meets the glass joint of the bell or bubbler. If so, slowly and carefully tilt the head of the pliers downward creating a lever activeness to (hopefully) raise the downstem up/outward.

Of course, all of these methods require extreme circumspection so you do non harm your glass or yourself.

Not every situation has an like shooting fish in a barrel solution, but based on the causes that we discussed to a higher place these tips and tricks might just go that downstem unstuck.

If you managed to loosen things upwardly enough to get your downstem out, congratulations, not everyone is then fortunate. If not, hopefully it will continue to function until, well, it doesn't. Just clean information technology up the all-time you tin can with the stem in and go along on rippin!

Thoroughly cleaning and drying your downstem and your bong, bubbler, or dab rig often tin go a long manner towards prevention.

At The Dab Lab we deport a great variety of scientific glass bongs and bubblers besides as some really heady and affordable glass pieces also, many of which have the useful option of the removable downstem.

If you recently had to retire a piece due to a jammed upward joint we're sure you can find a new favorite at TheDabLab.com – your one terminate store for all smoking and toking needs.