Glass technology and innovation go hand-in-hand and are continuously changing. New percolators and other similar components of water pipes are being invented and tweaked all the time. Scientific glass really has been built on the shoulders of giants. Take it from a Climax Expert, it can be overwhelming keeping up with modern glass tech. So in this post we are going to take a quick look at recyclers. We’ll focus on what they achieve as well as how they work alongside percolators and water to achieve those silky smooth rips.

        So what is a recycler? A recycler is a series of waterways and chambers that help disperse thermal energy and add what’s known as diffusion (diffusion is the interaction between smoke and water). This in turn cools off the smoke and aids in diffusion by — you guessed it — recycling the water. In order for a recycler to work, a water pipe must have at least 2 different chambers of varying height from the base of the pipe to the mouthpiece. These chambers are interconnected by “tunnels” that carry smoke and water between them. The smoke travels first class all the way to the top. There are many different types of recyclers and some glass blowers have really taken them to the next level by even adding multiple ones in a single piece!

        Let’s break down what is really happening inside: Keep in mind that water pipes work because of differences in the form of negative air pressure (a.k.a inhaling). Gotta love science, right? So starting out, the smoke is pulled into the bottom chamber from the bowl or nail. From the bottom chamber, the smoke diffuses and water helps deliver smoke bubbles onward. It is due to these pressure changes inside of the glass that the smoke and water are pulled into the top chamber, leading to the smoke rising to the mouthpiece and the water being pulled back to the bottom. The process of water carrying the smoke to the top repeats while this negative air pressure is occurring.

        This may be a summary, but it helps illustrate the how and why recyclers work. Also think about adding percolators to the mix. More diffusion? I’m all in. Check out the pics above to get a better idea; seeing is believing! And make sure to stop by your neighborhood Climax Smoke Shop and check out all of the awesome recycler pieces that we have in stock. There’s a piece out there for everybody. Let us help you find it!

- Climax Expert, FS