Ash Catchers FAQ: Keep Pipes Clean, Add Diffusion

What They Are

Ash catchers are portable attachments can be added to or removed from water pipes. The key focus of an ash catcher is to help you to keep your favorite water pipe clean by keeping herb ash and residue out of the main chamber. They can ensure that you're not continually cleaning your beautiful glass piece.

In many cases, they feature different kinds of percolators to help diffuse and filter your smoke before it hits the main chamber and percolator of your pipe.  The following three items will help you decide what kind of ash catcher to purchase.

• Joint size and angle
• Joint gender
• Type Of Perc

 

Joint Angles

Ash catchers come in four different standard glass joint angles:

• 45-degree ash catcher – 90 degree joint
• 45-degree ash catcher – 45-degree joint
• 90-degree ash catcher – 45-degree joint
• 90-degree ash catcher – 90-degree joint

 

Joint Sizes

While there are certainly custom sizes, your main ash catcher sizes are 10mm, 14mm and 18mm.

 

What Ash Catchers Are Used For

Ash catchers come in all shapes and sizes and feature all sorts of percolators. The core idea behind ash catchers is very simple. An ash catcher is going to act as a removable barrier and an extra layer of diffusion for your water pipe. Without the use of an ash catcher, the ashes would fall into your piece. With the use of an ash catcher, the ashes are going to fall into the ash catcher.

After you are finished smoking, you can simple remove the ash catcher from your pipe. Cleaning an ash catcher is quite easy, and can be done extremely quickly.

 

Talking Percolators

There are different percolators that are going to further diffuse your smoke, making each hit that you smoke much smoother. This is a serious advantage for people who use perc-less water pipes.

Ash catchers, with the use of adapters, may also provide a change in joint size or gender, can have the addition of a reclaimer for your concentrates and can act as a sidecar. In fact, with the proper adapter setup, it can drop down when using a nail as it makes sure your piece is not going to be exposed as much to the heat from your torch.

Before you pick out your ash catcher, it is super critical to consider the joint size of the piece you want to put it on. You should also consider the type of bowl or nail you plan to put on it. As for percolators and other add-ons, it is really up to you. You simply choose your favorite type of percolator, slap it on your piece and you are on your way to real enjoyment.

 

Cleanliness and The Negatives Of An Ash Catcher

An ash catcher can work wonders for your piece. Ash catchers are inexpensive and will deliver an extra level of filtration. They also help to keep bongs and pipes cleaner and easier to maintain.

If there is one single downside, it is that you should also remember that the percolator within the catcher will need to be cleaned as well. As a result, we would not recommend using a fritted disc ash catcher for smoking herbs. This form of perc can be very tough to clean.

This is why we always suggest people who purchase fritted disc water pipes also purchase an ash catcher.

A second, and decidedly smaller negative is that an ash catcher may cause additional drag, which basically means it can increase the amount of suction necessary to get your smoke from the bowl to the mouthpiece of your pipe. Fortunately for most people, the amount of drag most ash catchers add is practically negligible, and can't really be felt anyway.

 

Standard Clear Glass Ash Catcher with Honeycomb Percolator

If you are looking for a good ash catcher that is cheaper in price, you should go with the Standard Clear Glass Ash Catcher with Honeycomb Percolator like this one: https://www.thickassglass.com/collections/ash-catchers-1/products/interior-honeycomb-ashcatcher-18mm

This ash catcher doubles the filtering power of any water pipe. Water and smoke will pass through the disc before going through the regular water chamber. This is a pretty standard ash catcher, but also features a water recycler for concentrate users. It's a winner in anyone's book!

 

8 Arm Tree Ash Catcher

Another killer ash catcher is TAG's 8 arm tree ash catcher, as seen here. This is a very low priced catcher, and pretty fantastic when added to any pipe. The diffusion is remarkable, and makes a huge difference.

 

An Excellent Investment

Ash catchers are a worthwhile investment for anyone who enjoys smoking no matter if you smoke everyday or just on special occasions. If you own a nice glass water pipe, consider it an investment. People who know smoking know that they should never go without a decent ash catcher.

There is nothing out there that will lessen your pipe maintenance more than an Ash Catcher. If you don't have one, get one today!

 

source https://www.thickassglass.com/blogs/enlightenment/ash-catchers-faq-keep-pipes-clean-add-diffusion