Brass Screens?

[jawnroot]

A friend of mine was given a Roor for his birthday, and just gave me a glass "steamroller" pipe that he had used prior. The hole in the bowl is so large that it basically requires the use of a screen, or you get a mega-hit of ash each time it's used.

He gave me a huge amount of brass screens to go with it, pretty much a lifetime supply. He says to flame each one prior to use, but other than that they're supposedly safe.

So long story short, are these things safe to use, or should I just get rid of this pipe? I mean it looks like it'd be nice to have around when I don't wanna roll a cone, but if I'm gonna get brain cancer or jungle rot from using these screens I'd just as soon throw it out.

 

[Space Ghost]

get a few glass screens

 

[RandyMarsh]

you'll be fine. I'm using one as I type this, and I'm pretty sure I'm free of jungle rot.

 

[jawnroot]

get a few glass screens

Glass screens are sweet, but without fail they end up missing sooner or later. It's typically not me that loses them, but whatever goofballs I invite over to smoke.

It goes something like: "Hey, what's this thing, man? ... Oh shit, where the fuck did it go?"

Either way, I figure that since I now have ten billion brass screens, if I can use them, I'll use them. But I def don't wanna put my health at risk if they vaporize into some type of metallic funk...

 

[blynx]

Brass screens are just kinda wimpy (easy to burn holes through) and clog up easily, but hell if ya got a million then use em, change em a lot and you'll be fine.

Steel screens from bathroom/kitch sinks are a lot tougher and will last you a lot longer than cheap thin brass screens from headshops.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Blynx, I hate to be the one to totally disagree, but I have studied how screens act for a long time...and you have it backwards.
The stainless screens will not take the cleanings that the brass ones will. A stainless screen will only take about 1 or 2 cleanings before it has a hole in it, while the brass ones will make it through many, if you are careful. No matter how careful you are with the stainless, it will tear after it is clogged once or twice.

No matter what metal is used, they need to be flamed to cherry red first. This gets off any of the coating that is there from the natural process of making the metal.

I have never used any window screen material or anything like that...you may come across some screen that is actually galvanized wire, which you do not want to smoke through...trust me on this one folks. If you have never experienced galvanize poisoning, then you have never experienced almost instantly sick as a dog yet.

 

[Papulz]

i too have found brass to be of significantly lower quality than stainless steel.

 

[jawnroot]

These brass ones came from a head shop, so if I butane torch them first I should be okay? As in, no plutonium vapors or anything?

 

[WoW maannnn]

brass has better airflow & takes longer to clogg....

 

[Lt. Herb]

These brass ones came from a head shop, so if I butane torch them first I should be okay? As in, no plutonium vapors or anything?

Yea, flame 'em 'til they glow for a second if you're nervous about it.
This will get rid of oils and coatings from manufacturing so that you don't inhale them. You may even see a little wisp of smoke when you get the screen to temp.

 

[Haps]

Much prefer brass to stainless, flexibility is good.