Less Common Glass Types

Glass comes in other formulations, too. Some examples include:

Aluminosilicate Glass

Aluminosilicate is similar to borosilicate glass in that it is resistant to high temperatures. It's more impact-resistant than borosilicate, but it's much less pliable. As a result, it's often found in flat panel shapes like stove top surfaces.

Furthermore, aluminosilicate glass is expensive to produce and difficult to work with, making it impractical for smoking and dabbing. Borosilicate glass is nearly a century-old technology, meaning it's become very affordable to manufacture. Combined with an efficient design, this lets us build dab rigs that are functional, durable, and inexpensive all at the same time.

Lead Crystal

Lead crystal glass is typically made with lead oxide (PbO). This gives it high transparency but also makes it more expensive and fragile. Because of its lead composition, it’s also unsuitable for use in drinkware or other consumable applications.

There's simply no valid reason to use lead crystal dab rigs, nor is there ever likely to be. Not only are they expensive and impractical, but they're not safe for dabbing. Borosilicate is clean, clear glass—and it's easy for glassmakers to decorate it with colored rods and frit. So there's no need to risk your health with a lead crystal dab rig when you can have the best of both worlds with borosilicate.

It's worth noting that if you buy from a glassmaker that doesn't disclose what type of glass is used in their dab rigs, you can't be sure what you're getting.

While borosilicate is by far the most common glass type for dab rigs today, that's not always the case. It's well within reason that other types of glass might be used—even lead crystal—so it pays to do your homework and ask questions before buying.

Polycarbonate Glass

Polycarbonate glass is a tough, transparent material that's often used to make safety glass. It offers more impact resistance than other types of glass.

Many of us have probably seen polycarbonate glasses before, but they are most often found in protective eyewear or shatter-resistant sunglasses. This type of glass is nearly impossible to break with an everyday drop—but despite its toughness, it has a surprisingly low COE.

Heating up polycarbonate glass to dabbing temperatures softens it enough to cause it to warp and deform. It can even be molded at near-room temperature if it's been heated up enough to start melting.

Borosilicate glass might not stop bullets, but even if you're taking your dab rig to war, it won't do you any good if it softens under extreme heat. Borosilicate glass offers the best durability you can get in a piece of heat-resistant glass.

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet glass is clear quartz glass that has been specially treated with magnesium fluoride to block UV light. This glass can be used in fluorescence applications where UV light would damage or adversely affect the experiment.

What's neat about UV glass is that it glows under UV light, so you can still enjoy your rig even when it's dark outside. It makes beautiful decorative accents, like our limited edition Rigloo holiday dab rig and our Apollo Series (in collaboration with Northstar Glassworks).

MJ Arsenal

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