Chillums have existed for centuries, but they just became a popular hand pipe option in the recent past. There are so many reasons to love chillums – from their appealing look to their user-friendly structure. New to chillums and their many perks? Our head shop team is here to review the basics of chillums – to help you buy the right smoking device and enjoy your herb with ease.
What’s a Chillum?
Chillums are known for their thin, simplistic structure. Unlike other hand pipe options, chillums don’t have a carb hole on either side of their exterior. Carbs usually adjust the airflow to the mouthpiece while smoking.
Chillums are commonly known as “one hitters.” They’re also regularly called “bats” because their long, thin structure and rimmed mouthpiece make them visually similar to a baseball bat. While chillums aren’t the fanciest pieces, they’re also much more affordable than more intricately made pipes and heady glass water pipes. Unlike blunts or joints, chillums can be used again and again.
Nobody’s entirely certain as to where chillums got their start, but the earliest documented use of chillums traces back to the 1900s, where they were regularly enjoyed by Holy men of India and Monks of the Himalayan regions. It’s said that the phrase “boom Shankar” was first uttered by these holy men when they’d raise chillums to their foreheads after lighting them – a way of beckoning the gods to share in their enjoyment of hash.
Centuries later in the 1960s, chillums became a popular pipe among hippies in Western culture, in part due to its spiritual roots. It became a tradition to pass chillums around a circle of friends of the era, especially before the widespread availability of alternative hand pipe and water pipe options. While stoners and smokers who are newer to the scene may default to more recently developed alternatives, chillums still evoke nostalgia for many old school users, holding a place in their hearts as a tried-and-true favorite.
How Can I Use My Chillum?
Using a chillum is simple. To pack a chillum effectively, we recommend stacking roughly 0.5-1.5 grams loose legal herb on a rolling tray. Next, press the end of your chillum firmly into that pile. Pack the legal herb in further with your index finger to ensure that it stays in place. Next, put your mouth to the chillum’s mouthpiece and light the opposite end.
To avoid breathing in any ash, inhale slowly. If it’s still lit after your first hit, feel free to snag a second – but chillums are small, so you’re unlikely to get many more. To avoid contaminating the flavor and purity of your favorite herb, it’s essential to clean
How Do I Clean My Chillum?
To clear any loose ash and debris from your chillum’s interior, just blow into the mouthpiece. Looking for a more thorough method? Here are a few options to try.
- OPTION ONE: Fill a Ziploc baggie with rubbing alcohol and salt. Add your chillum to the baggie and seal it tightly. Then, shake the bag thoroughly until the chillum inside is visibly clean.
- OPTION TWO: Bring a pot of water to a boil, then drop your chillum inside. Remove the pot from the burner and let your chillum sit inside for twenty minutes. Then, use a cotton swab to scrub any hard-to-reach debris from the interior, which should be much easier to remove post-soak.
What Types of Chillums Are There?
Whether you’re shopping our online smoke shop or at the head shop down the road, there are so many types of hand pipes, water pipes and vaporizers to choose from. Different materials and structures appeal to each and every user’s aesthetic preferences. Still, there’s much more to consider about the makeup of chillums or other hand pipe options than their visual appeal. We’re proud to offer chillums made from multiple sought-after materials including glass and wood. Check out our ultimate buyer’s guide to learn more about the advantages to different popular materials used in hand pipes, rolling papers and more.
Our Online Smoke Shop Has Chillums and So Much More!
Online or on-site, 710 Pipes is here to sell you the best products on the market today. We offer a quality selection of smoke shop products and accessories including hand pipes, water pipes, quartz inserts and so much more! Stop by 710 Pipes smoke shop in Northglenn or in Denver any day of the week. Denver University students get 10% off at our D.U. smoke shop with a valid student ID!
Still staying indoors in the name of social distancing? If you’re over age 21 in Colorado or other legal U.S. states seeking quality pipe shop products, our online smoke shop has several options available for immediate purchase from the safety and comfort of your couch. You’ll also find exceptional prices on hundreds more of our popular products – all deliverable straight to your doorstep. Whether you’re shopping online or onsite, 710 Pipes is proud to provide you with the very best smoke shop products on the market today.