How to Repair a Broken Bong

Its inevitable that sometime at one point, you will suffer the horrible fate of breaking your bong! Not to fear, for there are quite a few creative fixes that can patch your glass up to basically good as new. The first and most important step: assessing the damage. After a fall, bump, or smack, the first and most important thing to check is the severity of your damage. A simple cosmetic chip is far easier and most assuredly fixes than a snapped stem. Any cracks, fractures, or general damage around parts like the mouthpiece , bowl joint, or downstem may compromise the structural integrity of the bong. Examine your piece in good lighting and check for any hairline fractures, missing pieces of glass, sometimes replacing a broken bong is easier than suffering another break when attempting to fix your piece.

Deep Cleaning & Surface Prep

Cleaning the piece is a key first step before attempting any sort of repair. Make sure the water chamber is empty, and any and all debris is cleared. Make sure to have gloves on in case of handling and splintered or broken glass, a cut on the hand off rip is no good for fixing your piece. For intact pieces, remove any residue with a cleaner and dry the glass.

Precise Adhesive Application

Picking out the right adhesive to use is crucial to glass repair. Some basic adhesive meant for decorative glass are not well suited to piece glass that’ll be exposed to heat. You want to find non-toxic adhesive too in case any excess is burned off in your piece and inhaled on accident. When using adhesive, you want ot be sure to avoid applying on certain parts like the inside of the water chamber, the mouthpiece, or downstem opening.

Clamping & Curing Time

After applying adhesive, the next step is to ensure the applied pieces are as stable in place for an extended period so that the bond can settle and the adhesive can work its magic. Curing can be a lengthy process, from several hours to several days. Use plenty of caution when handling, as a good looking repair does not fully necessitate a safe repair.

Sanding Down Sharp Edges

A big issue with broken glass is the sharp edges that can cause deep cuts, to try and smooth these out is a very precarious process. Depending on the severity of the glass and how much it would need to be sanded, it could be the difference between keeping your piece and tossing it. If you have to really get in there and sand down any edges, you could get microscopic glass particles sanded off into your piece as well. This is especially dangerous if the piece you're sanding is going to be exposed to airflow into your lungs. This is where a professional opinion would be highly regarded.

Different pieces will require different procedures, and totally different safety concerns. Sometimes it’s where the fracture is located and not how bad that has more importance.

Cracked Base or Beaker

A crack in the beaker of the bong can be brutal, since that's what supports the entire weight of the piece. A fracture here is very susceptible to spread throughout the rest of the piece. Make use of deliberate care when handling a cracked base, as adhesive applied to the outside can repair a crack but at the cost of the strength of the glass.

Chipped Mouthpiece Rim

It’s a tough call to decide whether a chipped mouthpiece is salvageable. Just a bit too much damage constitutes a total replacement to be safe. Taking a chipped mouthpiece to a professional glass blower is the best way to dictate if it is salvageable or it should be replace.

Broken Downstem or Joint Area

Damande to a downstem or joint are going to require a very precise fit to keep the bong in ideal functional capability. If the downstem is broken, then replacing it with a compatible glass piece is the best way to go rather than trying to jam the same piece back on. You can use adhesives on a cracked joint, but there is still the risk of creating weak points when doing so.

The right adhesive goes a long way in repairing your cracked or broken bong. Many adhesives are used for specific purposes for certain glasses and uses, the following are some examples of adhesives used for glass repairs.

Food-Grade Silicone Sealant

Food-grade silicone sealants are typically used in restoration for food related containers and seals. This makes it relatively safe to use in bong repair functions, but does not ensure that it will stand up to the application of heat, air, and smoke in the piece.

Non-Toxic Clear Epoxy Resin

This type of adhesive is popular in decorative glass repairs for it’s strength and durable finish. The bond with clear epoxy resin is especially aesthetically sufficient since it’s very visually unobtrusive. You will want to avoid using non-toxic clear epoxy resin on the inside of your glass however like inside the water chamber or mouthpiece.

UV Glass Adhesive Kits

Another option for glass boding, this adhesive hardens when exposed to UV light. Making them effective choices for specific precise applications of adhesive. However, deep structural damage is not as well repaired by UV glass adhesive.

Toxic Glues to Avoid

The most toxic glues to avoid include, hot glue, super glue, and any generalized decorative craft resins. All of these choices are one that might be highly toxic when a repaired bong is put back into use again.

Sometimes its good to know when to hold on to your piece, or when to replace it. A tough decision to be sure, but if your bong has suffered severe structural damage, multiple significant cracks or splits across the piece, or in general the repair is costlier in both time and price, then you’re much better off in finding a new piece to replace your beloved broken bong.

Luckily, your broken bong needing replacement can be a blessing in disguise. After all, there’s no time better suited for a glass upgrade than when your current glass doesn’t hold up anymore. Giggle Glass offers the best upgrade options to replace your broken glass piece. With a wide variety of highly durable bongs to choose from, Giggle Glass is an ideal choice to replace your current broken bong.