The Modern Spoon Pipe

We wanted a simple to use, everyday-carryable piece that looked like it belonged in our bag rather than the 60's.

Call us normies, but this is what modern times call for, and our love for enjoying an impromptu smoke while out for a walk was being stifled by the impracticality of glass spoon pipes for this routine.

The glass spoon was a trusted companion we had been toting around forever, but lacking considerations to make it something we truly wanted to carry out and about

• Smell emanating from the bowl. Taking the pipe with you meant wafting an ashtray aroma around as well.

• All glass design is bound to break. We drop things, and store them in the bottom of bags without much thought about how they're going to fare

• Cleaning is not a simple task. Need to soak in isopropyl alcohol to remove resin from the interior walls of the stem and underneath the bowl

• Whimsical looks, while fun for artists, didn't carry the vibe we're going for from a simple, practical piece that just gets the job done and minds it's own business

• Filters and screens not compatible, or at least not thought out in a way that makes using them convenient.

• A lighter, bag, grinder, and pipe is too much to carry in a pocket.  

We wanted to make enjoying a packed bowl as easy as taking coffee to go in a travel tumbler - take a sip then stow it away again without fumbling with a grinder or separate storage container.

 

The Cap

As we started to sketch and prototype capped bowl concepts to explore how taking a loaded bowl to go would work, we realized the cap would be helpful in other ways

• Plate for knocking ash into when the bowl is cleared

• Stand for the Handpipe while magnetically attached to the base of the bowl. Inspired by a teacup and saucer set.

The Cap makes taking a loaded bowl to go akin to packing a salad to go for lunch. But even just for daily smoking around the house, we came to enjoy how this piece kept the ashen smell contained and stored a half-smoked bowl to come to later.

The silicone material securely seals in the contents of the bowl, while a magnet inside insures it doesn't come off when the pipe is bouncing around in a bag or pocket.
 


 

The Body

When we think of glass spoon pipes, simplicity doesn't often come to mind. Colorful glass adorned with swirls are the trademark of glass artisans, whose craft we respect immensely. Our approach to beauty is different. Honesty is at the heart of our design process.

Rather than drawing dramatic curves and embellishing the pipe with "premium" looking materials, we sought out an expression of what a modern pipe "should" look like. Ubiquitous is a word that could describe what we envisioned, a minimalist version of the classic spoon pipe form. 

We iterated upon countless physical models to get to something that felt appropriately sized for holding in hand yet still compact enough to be stashed in a bag or pocket. The end result is a pipe that is amply sized for a half-gram bowl, not overly cumbersome at 115mm overall in length, and wouldn't raise many eyebrows even in an office.

The Mouthpiece

We borrowed inspiration from traditional "sherlock" style smoking pipes, which often have a removable mouthpiece that can accept a filter inside. Making a flower pipe with a removable mouthpiece was an a-ha moment, because it provides cleaning access inside whereas glass spoons keep this resin difficultly locked away. 

To finish the update, we made the end the same bulbous style for pursed-lip smoking that most enjoy from a flower pipe.

Screens are commonly used in pipes to block particulates from falling through the bowl, which then ending up as flaming hot little snacks in your mouth. We weren't satisfied with how these never fit that well inside the bowl, and wanted to couple this function of filtering particulates with a solution that could also cool smoke and make it more enjoyable.

After trialing ideas like screw shaped inserts in the mouthpiece, we landed on Carbon Filters as the best way to block particulates inside the pipe while also smoothing out the harsh-heat of a hit. Inside each Carbon Filter is a medium of bamboo charcoal pellets, which attract and bind to carcinogens in smoke, resulting in less tar overall but without impacting the taste of the final hit.

Everyday Carryable

Glass is the predominant material used in pipes today for good reason, it is inert and tasteless. We weren't satisfied with the fact that glass would inevitably meet an untimely end from being dropped though. We selected zirconia ceramic to make the bowl of the Handpipe, because it is akin to steel in strength but provides the very same clean, tasteless smoking experience as glass.

To complete the drop-proof design we made the outer portion of the bowl in Stainless Steel. Together with zirconia ceramic, these materials offer lifetime durability while preserving the taste-free quality of the pipe. Similarly, the mouthpiece is made in PPSU Resin (a plastic used commonly in medical devices) for it's health compatability, durability, and also low surface friction which makes cleaning resin from it even easier.

The Smoke Tool and Lanyard were added to complete the carry-friendliness of the Handpipe. The smoke tool caps into the mouthpiece, and together with the bowl cap creates a completely smell-contained pipe that can you can go about your day discretely with. The smoke tool is also a handy pick for clearing ash from the bowl, as well as removes the Inner Bowl when it's time to clean.



 
We're excited to be releasing some additional lanyard attachments soon which help consolidate all of your on-the-go session essentials into a tidy package.