HotBreath Magazine Issue 5 by HotBreath Magazine

VOLUME 5

Glass Artist Profile

MERC Information Highway Tour

EVOLUTION OF VAPORIZATION Staples Of The Industry

MASTER OF YOUR DOMAIN Let's Get Technical

FALL 2012

SUMMER TRADE SHOws CHAMPS AGE BIG Galleria

GLASS MOGULS Who Buys a $7,000 Glass Pipe?

from my cold dead hands Political Smoke & Mirrors $8.95 US

Glass Moguls

Lifting The Fog That Surrounds Degenerate Arts' Lifeblood pg. 16 by Kiki Box. Photography by Davis James, Tallulah Gordon. Glass by Salt, Snic, R. Mickelson, Joe Peters & Elbo.

Glass Artist Profile pg. 24 by Glass Otaku. Photography by Markushio, N8 (aka Nathan Miers). Jeremy Derks, & Glass Otaku. Glass by N8 & Laceface* (collaboration).

CURRENT PHOTO: CHAMPS Glass Demolition Information HighwayDerby Tour Photography by DashWith Carlisle Hitting The Pavement Merc & Friends pg. 34 by Babs Arama. Photography by Glass Otaku and Carol Slininger.

master of your domain Let's Get Technical pg. 42

CURRENT PHOTO: CHAMPS Glass Demolition Derby Photography by Dash Carlisle COVER PHOTO: Glass Art by N8 Photography by Markushio

by Matt LaPrairie. COVER PHOTO:

Glass Art by N8 EvolutionbyofMarkushio Vaporization Part 2 Photography The New Testament of Vaporization pg. 46 by Vape World.

The Get Go

The views and opinions

by Andy Solanis.

expressed in HotBreath

Music And Culture From The Underground pg. 52

Small Business Saturday

Magazine are solely and

Maximize Your Efforts This Holiday Season pg. 58 by Misty Miss Demeanor.

Vigilante Justice

Reunited And It Feels So Good pg. 60 by Andy Solanis.

From My Cold Dead Hands

History, Hypocrisy, and Horticulture pg. 64

respectively those of the individual contributors. HB Publishing and our staff will not be held responsible

by Joshua Kessleman.

or liable for any claim, loss,

Glass Art 101

I Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Feel Tardy pg. 68

Big Galleria SUMMER 2012 Fine Art Showcase pg. 70 Photography by Michael Guerrini

Product Reviews

RYOT Smell Safe Hardshell Kit pg. 78 Big Pipe Make-Your-Own-Kits pg. 79 Magic-Flight Launch Box pg. 80 Kleen Green Gold Cleanser pg. 81 Kannastor Jar + Grinder pg. 83

CHAMPS SUMMER 2012 The Name Says It All pg. 86

Photography by Dash Carlisle, George Zip, and Glass Otaku.

AGE SUMMER 2012

damage or inconvenience arising from the content of any authors' materials featured in HotBreath Magazine, related publications, or communications, nor for any error or inaccuracy contained in any such information.

Made in America pg. 100 Photography by Jeff Bellesiles.

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ADVERTISING INDEX

420 Science

4, 5

Kannastor

108

AFG

40, 41

Kasher

Armilon

Lucky Kratom

BIG/ Galleria

54, 55

Mary Jane Smokewear

Big Pipe

MGW

Buddy Cleaner

103

MPP.org

Blazing Blue Glass

Natural Emphasis

Cannon Carrier

No Puff Pipes

Celebration Pipe

Pokeys

CHAMPS

2, 3

PULSE Glass

Chesterfield Glass

Pure DTX

6, 7

Cornerstone Glass

RYOT

Dab Essentials

36, 37, 65 75, 84

Digger

Silika

Dime Bags

43 66

Doob Tube

Glassphemy

Glass Warfare

GLOW

106, 107

Gourmet Innovations

Graffix Glass

Gravitron

12, 13

HBI

Head Choice

Hello Neighbor

Honey Bee Extractors

Iolite

I-TAL Hempwick

JM Plastics

Journey Pipe

correction from vol. 4 HotBreath Magazine would like to apologize and give proper credit to Sarah Bobowick and Maxwell Tubman for their photographic contributions in Volume 4. Sarah and Maxwell were responsible for all of the images featured in the Treat Yourself Expo (pg108 &109). Maxwell also provided select images from the BIG Summer Show recap (pg 85).

Starbuzz Tobacco

Thank you Sarah and Maxwell for sharing your work with the HotBreath community! For more info, check 104, 105 out Sarah’s smoke shop, “Stash N’ Stowe”, and Maxwell’s Philadelphia 11 based production company “Steam Machine Video Production”. 23

Steele Concept

SYNCHE Enterprises

TightVac

TPE

Transformer Tubes

Unbroken Glass

Vape Tool

Vape World

9, 46

Vapor Brothers

Vapor Outlet

V Syndicate

102

SI Pipes Skeye Wholesale Sky-Tubes

www.facebook.com/stashnstowe www.steammachinevideo.com HotBreath Magazine would also like to apologize and give proper credit to Boro Brain for writing the Goosefire Gallery feature (pg 66) in Volume 4. Arik Krunk aka AK’s work was pictured in this article (top right image pg 67) mislabeled as work by Jason Lee. Lastly, in the photo spread of the AGE Expo in Volume 4, we improperly credited the image of the tall pipe cover in marbles (pg 82 top row 3rd image from left to right). Jahnny Rise and Abe Fleishman should have been the only 2 artist credited for this piece.

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PUBLISHER

MARCO VOLO ADVERTISING

By now, the US has elected a new president Romney or re-elected Obama. As far as our

MARCO VOLO KELLEY FRANZMANN CREATIVE DIRECTOR

industry goes though, our only true horse in the race was former New Mexico Governor

TY LOOKWELL

Gary Johnson. Hopefully you read about him in volume 3 and even voted for him! Rest

PHOTOGRAPHY

assured, he’s in it for the long haul, so get to know him if you don’t already, as 2016 will be here before you can say “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.” Meanwhile, against a still slow economy, our industry continues to provide a source of hope and livelihood to the hundreds of thousands that work in it, including shop owners, glass blowers, distributors and other smoketrepreneurs. Demand for the best products in our industry continues to grow. Speaking of high demand, the holidays are finally here and your customers are eager to buy the best new smoking accessories to give to their loved ones and friends. Lucky for you my reader, we have many articles and advertisers in this issue that showcase the best products and glass available, including informative and in-depth product reviews of the best new smoke and vape gear. And last but not least, this will be the final quarterly issue of HotBreath magazine. But don’t fret... Starting in January 2013, HB will go to a bi-monthly schedule! This means 50% more articles, photos, artists and everything else you need to stay on top of the latest our industry has to offer. Next year is looking better already!

DASH CARLISLE GEORGE ZIP TALLULAH GORDON DAVIS JAMES THE GLASS OTAKU CAROL SLININGER JEFF BELLESILES MICHAEL GUERRINI NATHAN MIERS JEREMY DERKS MARKUSHIO EDITORS

DASH CARLISLE OLIVE POLLY MISTY MISS DEMEANOR ADRIANNA PUFFINGTON ROB SUEDE JAMIE COULTER DESIGNERS

TY LOOKWELL THRASH TONIC OLIVE POLLY CONTRIBUTORS

MARK STAIANO DASH CARLISLE THE GLASS OTAKU MATT LAPRAIRIE JOSHUA KESSLEMAN VAPE WORLD MISTY MISS DEMEANOR TROY OLIVE POLLY ANDY SOLANAS FC PAKALOLO BABS ARAMA KIKI BO

HOTBREATHMAGAZINE.COM advertising@hotbreathmagazine.com art@hotbreathmagazine.com editor@hotbreathmagazine.com publisher@hotbreathmagazine.com 800.375.2005 fax: 706.613.9089 P.O. Box 8043 Athens, GA 30603

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For information and digital back issues please visit HotBreath Magazine online

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￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭ generated at BeQRious.com ￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭http://w￭ww.youtube.com/watch?v=EQk8tdV7YeI hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭￭

www.420.mx/vortex

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Alianne #2. Collaboration piece by N8 & Laceface. Photography by Jeremy Derks

Article by Glass Otaku Photography by Markushio, Nathan Miers, Jeremy Derks, and Glass Otaku

pend five minutes in the workshop with Nathan Miers (aka N8) and it becomes clear why he’s one of the most in-demand glass artisans on the scene today. Miers’ work represents a culmination of meticulous detail, machine-like workmanship and an exquisitely tasteful creative palette; he has taken simple inspiration and, in turn, transformed it into one of the most complex and sought-after styles in the glass industry today. His work has an individualistic quality that has garnered much attention and praise, whether for his hypnotic marble designs or his phenomenal ‘space’ themed glassware. We were lucky enough to catch the man in action at Shackman Studios (Denver, CO) and found ourselves transfixed as we witnessed the orchestration of three brilliant bubblers, whilst simultaneously getting up to speed with the Nathan Miers story so far. “I use glass as my canvas”, he explained as he worked, “to me it represents personal freedom. I can create whatever I feel, from a pipe to a pendant to a marble. Working with glass allows me to express myself creatively.”

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Nathan was artistic from an early age, his first success story coming in early teenage years when his very own comic strip was published in the local newspaper. His interest in graphic design grew as he progressed through school and was an obvious choice of discipline as he entered college, working all the while at a local print shop. It was in the summer of 2002 that he discovered the art of glassblowing, embroiling himself quickly in this exciting new world and, after experimenting with scrap glass and borrowed opportunities, securing his own basic torch setup before the year was through. Needless to say, he was hooked. Nathan immersed himself, finding solace and escape in the heat of molten glass as he dedicated hour upon hour to learning the craft. This trial-and-error approach began to yield results, and as his work took shape Nate’s life swerved towards a new and very exciting direction. He obviously had no time for college or a job anymore, and sold just about everything he owned in order to blow glass full-time; working out of an old drafty garage and barely making enough money to make ends meet. He was paying his dues and living the dream!

Bracing the mouthpiece to the bubbler. N8 in the studio series. Photography by Glass Otaku

Preparing the hammer pipe. N8 in the studio series. Photography by Glass Otaku

His new path was diverted with the onset of “Operation Pipe Dreams” in early 2003; like most pipe makers Nathan was forced underground, taking down his website and turning his focus to local level sales to get by. Around a year after the widespread nightmare that was OPD, Nate packed everything into his SUV and set off on a new journey, traveling across the country with no fixed destination.

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Intergalactic Sherlock w/Dichro Marble Cluster

To begin with, he paid his way through production of ‘inside-out’ orders under the name “NoDFX”. Nathan would stop somewhere for a couple of weeks, crank out an order of ‘insideout’ styled pipes, then move along to the next destination. Though far from an ideal situation, this presented the opportunity to work in a number of shops with a variety of artists, taking in a wide range of styles and techniques in a very short time.

Nathan sustained his nomadic lifestyle for a while before settling in Oregon to pursue a new project: the exciting world of marbles! Soon he was producing amazing pieces under the brand “Eye Candy Arts”. During his “marble madness” years Nathan produced some truly breathtaking pieces of work. The intricate folds and spirals of his

“Window” and “Vortex” series draw the eye of the observer further into their depths with promises of galaxies and wormholes to be explored, a taste of things to come. He even revisited his love of graphic design through experimentation with the “Graal” technique. These new ventures and increased level of individual expression bear all the hallmarks of an artist finding his own voice, flexing new found creative muscle. With marbles as his main focus he had little time for any great developments in pipe making, though it was during this period that he built his first ‘space’ themed pipe. The idea lay dormant for some time, but when the inevitable moment came for Nate to move forward, this rather unassuming design was the catalyst to send him spiraling into the stratosphere.

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Nathan left Oregon and set up shop in Garberville, CA. One night, returning home mildly frustrated after another day of making the same colorful wigwag items, he sat star-gazing and pondering another change in his creative direction. Looking up at the

blanket of stars, the pieces fell into place and BAM! The Intergalactic series was reborn. This expansive new theme has been the inspiration for some of Nate’s finest work, pipes that tell stories of deep space exploration and paint pictures akin to the Hubble Space Telescope. Having spent the last three years almost exclusively developing his space theme, he is constantly inventing new ‘space-bling’ to add to his scenery. He now has so many tricks that they couldn’t possibly fit them all into one piece.

The style itself has evolved at hyperspeed from its basic beginnings to the complex layering process that is featured in his current work. In the words of Nate himself; “I like using Fumey and striking colors... Amazon Night, Blue Moon and Caramel tend to work best with the space theme, but I like to add a layer of Stardust (transparent sparkle) over just about everything I use to give it extra bling.” Bling indeed, the rich texture of these designs is truly remarkable. The re-birth of the Intergalactic style has brought new and exciting opportunities for Nathan. With an ability to mesh with such a wide

Intergalactic Sherlock w/ Dichro Tubing Accents

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Stand back or you may get sucked into this Black Hole Mouthpiece! Preparing Space Sections N8 in the studio series. Photography by Glass Otaku.

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Almost Done. N8 in the studio series. Photography by Glass Otaku.

Intergalactic Peace Pipe

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Intergalactic Double Bubbler

Silver Fume Honeycomb Murrine Marble

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variety of styles within the borosilicate palate, he has successfully collaborated with artists such as Hitman, Worm, Jolex, Robin Moore, Sovereignty, Cowboy and LaceFace. Nathan currently resides in the mountains above Evergreen, Colorado yet he makes the trek each day to the “Shack Mansion” Studio in Denver, where he works alongside talented artists such as Burtoni, Shackman, and Adam Graifus to name but a few. Not content with restricting his output to satisfy the demands of individual retailers, Nathan prefers to spread his work far and wide, making sure his art can be found throughout the country.

Getting up close and personal with The Universe

He attributes the popularity of the Intergalactic series to a shared human fascination with outer-space, urging admirers of his work to recognize the message behind the glass; “We’re just a small speck of dust in a huge universe, given a short time in which to experience life, so enjoy it doing what you love to do...” Before we left the studio we asked, what’s next for “N8” Miers? “I have some loose ideas of where I may go next, but I’m still having fun exploring space right now...” We’re right behind you, Nate. Thanks to Glass Otaku for writing this aritcle. Also, thanks to Markushio, Nathan Miers, Jeremy Derks, and Glass Otaku for their photography contributions.

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Information Highway Tour 6 classes 5 states 7 weeks

Photography by: The Glass Otaku and Carol Slininger of Piece of Mind

When Merc set out on his vision to create the Information Highway Tour, we never dreamed it would go off like it did. The vision was to take a tour of the west coast to educate the glassblowing community. We wanted to hold 6 classes in 5 states including California, Arizona, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington. Merc and J-Red would Instruct along a three tiered curriculum including: Expansion of creative theory, originality in form and function, and introduction to new colors and tools. We started in Colorado and would make our way up through Cali, into Oregon, across Washington, back through Cali, and down through Arizona. What better vehicle than the 1976 Dodge Jamboree to call home and adventure across the country in. We bought the RV and got her ready for the ride. J-Red played a pivotal role in teaching on the tour. One of the strengths of the class offered was that students gained knowledge of both sculpting and line work techniques. J-Red and Merc have gained so much by working together, becoming well rounded in many aspects of glass applications. The idea was to share that type of growth with students on the Tour. Learning to work together with other glassblowers can

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One of the students, Tom Del Signore, showed us what he learned….. Isaac Wenglin - owner 6 5

4 1

2 8

really expand your repertoire. J-RED reflects on the tour, “It was great to meet everyone, pass on some of my glass knowledge, and learn some new tricks along the way. We have an awesome community of glass blowers out there and I’m stoked to be a part of its growth.” We also ended up taking along two unexpected but welcomed artists -Seath and ETZ. Both of these guys proved essential to the trip in unexpected ways. Seath shored up the business end and ETZ kept the Jamboree rolling when she acted up. We were fortunate to have these two amazing guys on board! 4/2-4/4 First Stop The Art Mind Collective, Boulder, CO. Merc and Seath’s home studio was the Tour kickoff class. J-Red flew in and we kicked it off with a studio party. We had students come in from all over the country. 4/11-17 Next stop was Los Angeles, California where Merc and J-Red taught 2 classes at Dub Glass and Wicked Sands. They chilled with Skillet Tools and Julio and needless to say the Shenanigans went down.

DUB Glassworks dubglassworks@gmail.com Facebook/dubglassworks 4/18-4/20 Next we journeyed on to San Francisco to put on a class at Nimby for Ernie’s Glass. I had the opportunity to jump on tour with the boys and Nimby was one of the most amazing shop spaces I’ve seen. Complete with a 25 ft. tall mechanical bicycle operated puppet, herds of burning man carnival installments, and a colorful school bus, we knew it was about to go down. Chuck at The Cave hooked us up with Ernie’s glass for this epic gathering. As a store owner, he felt that events like demos and classes in your hometown bring the glassblowers and store owners together and help build the community. Ernie Glass at NIMBY Oakland , CA emglassworks@yahoo.com, veniceglassworks.com. While we were in town we celebrated 4/20 at The Cave in San Mateo, CA, the heart of the San Francisco glass scene. It was such an honor to make an appearance at such a legendary store and hang with some of the kings of the game. Tony from Goodstash came to town. We blew glass in the Goodstash Trailer a with other talented artists and got to be a part of the store’s release of the Hitman Chess Pieces book.

4/21 Next stop was Millenium Smoke Shop in Roseville, CA. J-Red, ETZ, and Merc did a demo. Merc picked up the newest addition to the shop dog family, Fancy. Surely one day she’ll be a loyal road dog just like Flip. 4/25-27 The RV hobbled on to Eugene, OR and the Eugene Glass School where we were welcomed with open arms. In fact their arms were so open we were allowed to park the RV inside the building. We were extremely stoked to be a part of the school’s legendary line up of artists who have taught there in the past. We were able to drill out some sick pieces and meet some great students. Golden Gate Glass kicked the tour some awesome wag dichro tubing to bring home to the Colorado Project , which was a very nice way to say goodbye indeed. 5/2-4 It was time to leave California so the boys cruised into J-Red’s Hometown State of Washington and headed over to Piece of Mind in Spokane, WA.

It’s great holding an event like this at one of our locations because it gains exposure for the entire scene and makes customers feel a part of something bigger. Justin Wilson CEO Piece of Mind 4103 N Division Spokane WA 99207 pieceofmind@ comcast.net pieceofmind.net pieceofmindpdx.com J-Red then jumped off tour and back home to his wife who was due to deliver his brand new baby any day. It was sad to see him go.

things easier. Definitely a chill spot to say their goodbyes to the Cali Sunsets. This leg of the trip was definitely the most challenging. The RV Broke down three times, Flip the road dog got an abscess in his face and needed to be rushed to the vet, which set the tour back a couple days, but Edwin of Blue dot/Zong and the guys over at Franticus were extremely understanding. We’re happy to say that Flip is all healed up and back to his usual shop dog self.

“Expansion of creative theory, originality in form and function, introduction to new colors and tools. ”

5/5-6 The RV backtracked through Cali for the last Cali class at Broham in Sacramento, CA. This was a small class which was nice because the students were so engaged. Merc, Seath, and ETZ were getting pretty road burned and the relaxed atmosphere made

5/11-16 Last stop Arizona for Bluedot Zong, It’s All Goods, and Franticus Glass. The guys at Franticus were so eager to welcome us. Their positivity, motivation, and amazing facility were a breath of fresh air.

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Merc and his crew dazzled with their talented skills as well as their creative process. The hours flew by as technique after technique was demonstrated. Fueled by positive energy, black coffee, and BBQ by Chef Drake, we continued each session into the wee hours of the morning.

Pro-Duffle's padded wall design will fit your glass like a glove.

Photos by Colin “Crush Chrome” Miles. The class at Bluedot Zong’s private art studio was intentionally a smaller, more exclusive class. He really wanted to help his artists gain more techniques. The Blastshield hooked us up with these guys and we were thankful to gain that networking connection in Arizona. The demo at It’s All Goods was off the hook. Many local glassblowers and fans showed up to get in on watching Merc, ETZ, and Seath do their thing. They left behind some sick work, so if you’re ever in Arizona definitely check out It’s All Goods. Merc’s passion for the tour was inspiring and engaging for all involved. He shares his story. “When I was younger I always wanted to tour doing demos as a pro skater. I would go to the skate shops and watch my favorite rippers shred up the scene, throw out some product, sign a few autographs, and bounce. After the demo, every kid would go to the local spots and push themselves to raise their skill levels and try harder tricks. Over time my knees suffered and my dreams of pro stardom were crushed. At that point I discovered hip-hop, which seemed to soothe my nervous need to create. Entertaining and travelling as an MC for many years, allowed me to meet many creative artists and famous performers. I picked up glass blowing while following bigger bands’ tours and playing bars and clubs. As the years progressed so did my skills in glass and rap as well as my family. In 2007 though, I decided to give the bulk of my time to my wife, children and the glass world. After several years of hard work I found myself in the position of being a member of a unique generation of glass blowers. We went from obscurity to degenerate in a matter of seconds. Whether we realized it or not, we were part of

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Call 1.877.603.2035 • email: sales@volotrading.com something bigger than any of us knew at the time. We were there the day the government came down on the whole scene. For a moment we all felt hopeless. Some people turned their heads at us in shame, labeling us as criminals and claiming our actions as pipe makers were devaluing the art of glass itself. This is when something unexpected happened at the Annual Night with Boro in downtown Seattle. Pipes were being showcased as art! The art pipe movement had made its way into a gallery setting and the view of pipers has never been the same since. I feel as a whole we all have things we can learn from one another. In truth glass came into my life at a time I needed it, to say the least. It definitely saved me from some pretty bad choices. The presence and exposure to art pipe and its culture has changed me for the better as a human. I want to see that happen for others, and that’s why I did the tour. People blow glass for many different reasons. I love the whole experience it offers and I’m grateful for it. But, if we’re not careful our glass universe

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will be stolen out from under our feet. The American Pipe artists are the world leaders in our craft but some Pipers from America are selling our techniques to import companies, who then sell imitation products of your favorite artists for pennies on the dollar. What if import and copycat glass kill the whole vibe? I feel the future is important and if we don’t make an effort to continue this great American craft who will? We threw down 9000 miles in 7 weeks connecting with artists and shops making appearances and conducting classes in 5 five states with many artist and friends alike. The piper community will continue to make some of the planet’s most breath taking glass and advance the techniques that result in mind blowing work no one has ever seen.

Sponsors for the 2012 Information Highway Tour included: The Blastshield, Northstar, AGE, Whoopzip, EU Glass, Liquid-Sci Glass, Trev’s Glass, Grassroots, HotBreath Magazine, RYOT protection gear, IgniteMe.com, and Pure DTX -Story by Babs Arama Media, Sales, and Office Manager Art Mind Collective Boulder, CO Thanks to those of you who Contributed to the story: Seath, ETZ, J-Red, Merc, Isaac, Kevin, Ernie, Justin, Matt

Thank you to all of our sponsors and to all of you who participated. I look forward to reconnecting with everyone again next year!!!” -Merc

Master of Your Domain by: Matt LaPrairie

Are you master of your domain? By now everyone knows what a domain name is and most businesses own at least one. Hopefully you already have a website, but what about the other uses for your domain? My biggest pet peeve with small business owners is when they hand me a business card with their website on it (TheirStore.com) and an email address @gmail.com. It just looks amateur. Even worse is when the email address is @comcast.net or some other ISP. What happens when you change internet providers? You lose that email address!

Don’t get me wrong – gmail is great, but what if you could use the gmail interface with your own domain? You can. Google offers free email hosting through Google Apps for your domain. It’s basically a gmail account, but @YourBrand.com instead of @gmail.com. You can give all of your employees their own email accounts and you can even setup addresses that go to multiple people. For instance, office@ could go to everyone in the front office; shipping@ goes to everyone in the warehouse.

Google Apps is free for up to 10 users. If you need more accounts, it’s $5 per user, per month. You can forward your old gmail.com address to your new email or setup the multiple sign-in feature and use both accounts. What else can you do with your domain? Let’s look at some other free services from Google. How about a team calendar? Use it to keep everyone up to date with scheduled time off, birthdays, important events, advertising deadlines, bills and more. You can setup multiple calendars that can be shared with everyone, a select few or kept completely private. I recommend creating subdomains to make logging into your company email & calendar easy for your team. For example, mail.yourbrand. com goes to the email login page. And calendar.yourbrand.com goes to your team calendar. There’s a link at the end of this article with all the info you need to setup these services. Imagine a wiki for your store. Google makes it easy to build wiki. yourbrand.com where your team can document business processes like how to handle returns, how to close the register at the end of the day, etc. Stop answering the same questions over and over – use a wiki to create an online manual instead.

Another fun use for domains is a URL shortener, like bit.ly. It’s best for this domain to be different from your website and email; it should also be as short as possible. We use 420.mx to send short, memorable links via Twitter and use this domain in some of our print ads too. For instance, www.420.mx/710 redirects to www.420science. com/X-Small-UV-Concentrates. The short URL is much easier to type, especially on mobile devices. So why should you bother doing any of this? Two reasons: improving your branding and improving your business. Some entrepreneurs get to the point where their business is able to pay the bills and they’re satisfied. The problem with this mindset is that stagnation is fatal. If your business isn’t improving, it’s dying. Take action today and visit 420.mx/domain for step-by-step instructions to implement these services for your business.

Matt LaPrairie is the co-founder & CEO of 420 Science. You can read his previous articles at www.420CEO.com. Email your thoughts to CEO@420Science.com.

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Evolution of VaporizationPart 2 By: Vape World Twenty years ago there was no vaporization industry. Today, there are dozens of vaporizer manufacturers, ranging from small shops turning out handcrafted vaporizers to established e-cigarette manufacturers looking to expand their product line. You know the industry has arrived when you can go to eBay and easily find cheap Chinese knock-offs of many vaporizer designs. Yet vaporizing, the concept of heating to release active components without reaching combustion, is still almost unknown. The introduction of e-cigs has raised awareness of the idea, however. Today, when you stroll into your local shop, there’s probably a section devoted to vaporizers. Because vaporizing isn’t yet mainstream, most likely you will find it stocked with just a few different models. There will probably be one of each type that we’ll call staples of the industry. We use this term because the industry has evolved into distinct varieties. Each has its positives and negatives, and choosing the right type depends on your needs. Certain brands have come to be the icon for each type, meaning that they are the brands you are likely to see in shops. That doesn’t mean these brands are the best—that’s a subjective term after all—just that right now they have the dominant market presence. One staple of the industry that you might see on the shelf gained its position solely from being the first. The type is called the BC Vaporizer, but that is actually a specific brand name that has become generic.

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been in movies, featured in TV shows, mentioned on talk shows, shown in music videos... it’s even been advertised on TV.

The original BC Vaporizer was developed in the mid 90s in British Columbia. It was the first commercially marketed design. The original is still sold, and there are many knockoff variations. The design is essentially a glass dome over a heated metal plate, so it uses conduction to transfer heat. A temperature regulator is supposed to keep the plate from getting hot enough to cause combustion, but these devices gained a reputation for being unreliable. Shops still carry them because they’re cheap and they’ve been around a long time. If the fate of vaporizing depended on the BC Vaporizer and its clones, however, you wouldn’t be reading this article. The credit for the rise of vaporizing belongs to the most prominent staple of the industry, the bag-blowing vaporizer. The icon for this type is the Volcano. It’s mentioned second here only because it was the second commercially successful design, but if you’ve heard of just one vaporizer, it’s almost certain that it is the Volcano. It’s

The Volcano concept uses a pump to blow hot air through a heating chamber, where convection heating releases vapor that is blown into a food grade plastic bag. Although newer designs have imitated or even improved on the mechanics of the Volcano, it remains the best known vaporizer and the one you are most likely to see in a shop.

Despite a hefty price tag, when the Volcano was introduced in 2000 it found a good market. It’s easy to use, reliable, and effective. Partly because of the price, people noticed it and vaporizing began to gain public awareness. Designers started thinking about cheaper ways to exploit convection heating. Soon, box style vaporizers emerged on the scene and became the next staple of the industry. A basic box style vaporizer is essentially a heater enclosed in a box, often with a temperature control. The heating chamber is usually a glass tube (called a wand) which is only attached to the heater when vaporizing. The other end of the wand connects to a length of PVC or silicone tubing,

“Since awareness of vaporizing is increasing, it seem plausible that no single icon will emerge.”

called a whip. You draw through the whip, using lungpower to create the hot airflow for convection. This method works extremely well, and until recently most new designs used some variation on this idea. One reason is that convection is more efficient and easier to control, but it’s also because box style vaporizer designs are simple and cheap to build. There are far more variations and brands than any other type, so you might see two or three varieties at your shop. They don’t even necessarily look like boxes. Good examples of interesting design at the high end of this type are the 7th Floor models, the Silver Surfer and Da Buddha vaporizers, which use the principles of a box style vaporizer without looking like them. These models have a welldeserved reputation for delivering the thick clouds of vapor that many people making the transition from smoking want. Additionally, 7th Floor is a company firmly grounded in the glass world and this shows in their designs. They want to appeal to glass users who are thinking about vaporizing. The next style that became an industry staple was the obvious progression: a combination device that includes

both a fan for filling bags and a wand plus whip for people who prefer direct draw. The design that you encounter most often for this type is the Arizer Extreme, which uses a “cyclone bowl” and a glass elbow instead of a wand. You can attach a whip to the elbow, or you can attach a bag and use the

Extreme’s remote to turn on the fan. (Yes, the Extreme has a remote!) The Extreme is a moderately priced versatile performer. This all-round style is often a good choice for a first vaporizer because it is easy to use and it gives the novice a chance to decide which type of vaporizer works best, bags or whips.

Another style of vaporizer that has become a staple of the industry is the flame-based pipe, which are obviously an attempt to present the smoker with a familiar device. Some of these designs are as simple as a glass pipe that you heat carefully with a butane torch so that combustion temperatures are never reached. Others use a ceramic heat exchanger or filter so that the flame does not ignite the material. The best known example of a pipe design, and the one you are likely to see in a shop, is the VaporGenie. This design comes in several models, including all glass, all aluminum, stainless steel, classic wood, and hand carved wood. They are all small, easily pocketed, and just require a common butane lighter. The technique requires practice, however, and combustion is

common for new users. Pipe designs are often attractive and affordable, but they do require that you master the technique.

The pipe style was the first attempt at producing a truly portable vaporizer. For a long time, it was the only choice, which is how it became a staple. Interest in vaporization is rising, however, and with this comes new interest in producing portable vaporization technology. The result is the arrival of a number of new alternatives, some from the e-cig industry and others that are based on entirely new development. One of the consequences has been the revival of conduction heating for vaporization. There is tremendous variety in the portable vaporizer selection today, but the sector is still changing too fast to establish a definitive new staple of the industry. Since awareness of vaporizing is increasing, it seem plausible that no single icon will emerge. Shops might well expand the range of vaporizers that they carry to include more than one model for each type. A comprehensive discussion of current portables deserves its own article, so we will reserve that for the next in this series. “Staples of the Industry” is the second article in a four part series highlighting various aspects of the vaporization industry brought to you by VapeWorld.com… Be sure to follow us next time as we discuss “The Evolution of the Portable. Contributions to this article were made by FC Pakalolo.”

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Music and Culture from the Underground Reviews by Andy Solanas

Jahtari

Victor Rice

This is the newest musical biscuit coming direct from German based label Jahtari. Place the needle on the record and be beamed up to a world of bleeps and bloops as you navigate through a deep bass dub landscape. Jahtari is known for utilizing 8bit sounds that can be found in video games to achieve both a classic digital reggae feel while breathing new life into the style. Volume 3 pulls no punches when it comes to the sound Jahtari is known for. Although you will get a heaping helping of instrumental dubs from this record it is also stock piled with great vocalists as well.

For those of you unfamiliar with the extensive work of the one and only Victor Rice it’s fair to say you have been missing out. Originally cutting his teeth playing bass for Ska bands such as The Scofflaws and The Stubborn All Stars he is also known for his vivid and colorful dub style and his most recent release is no exception. On ‘Dub Discoveries From Version City’Vic revisits previously recorded reggae and ska tunes from a variety of different Version City artists and takes control behind the mixing board. Dust off that reel to reel player and listen as Victor Rice brings you to the deepest caverns of Version City.

Jahtarian Dubbers Vol. 3

The album opens up with London based Unity Sound System veteran Mikey Murka with a great tune entitled “Sweeter”. Mikey Murka sounds great on this laid back track simply explaining that his sound is the sweetest. Simple, classic, and directly to the point delivered in a way only a veteran can. If for whatever reason Mikey Murka doesn’t wet your proverbial reggae whistle there is no denying the awesomeness of the legendary UPSETTER Lee “Scratch” Perry who is also featured on this album in a song with Dub Syndicate entitled “Secret Laboratory”. The UPSETTER chats the mic in his signature style connecting words in a way that may sound cryptic to those who aren’t paying attention. Take the time to dissect each line and you will enjoy the subtle tongue and cheek cleverness that Lee Perry (a self proclaimed alien from outer space) telepathically forces into your mind. Disrupts song “Asteroid Dub Force” is chock full of the aforementioned bleeps and bloops. This track is dripping with dub and invokes imagery of Frogger battling his way through space dodging UFO’s. Among the innovative dubbing techniques of Jahtari you will also feel you are about to find out that the princess is in another castle or that Donkey Kong is about to fuck up your day. I highly suggest Jahtarian Dubbers Vol. 3 for fans of the digital reggae genre. The dubs are great and the singers are creative and actual break into some uncharted territory. It’s fresh and new but still maintains a familiarity that will be appreciated by purists. Two ‘Nintendo Power Glove’ thumbs up. For more info on Jahtari please visit their website at www.jahtari.org

Dub Discoveries From Version City

I find the song “Brother” which was originally featured on Victor’s 1999 release “At Version City” to be interesting mostly because of it’s use of a Ska style beat versus a traditional “reggae” beat. I find this particularly interesting due to the infrequency of people attempting to dub Ska. However, our good friend Victor does it, and he does it well. The horns, drums and guitar chop are all victims of Vic’s dubbing which both seems busy yet delightfully simple some how. In “I-Story Dub” singer Rocker-T explains to you that he would not call this a “HIStory lesson” as “His story is always leaving out his momma momma Africa Mount Zion”. This track was built to be dubbed. The dubbing ads new space to the song and still includes lots of Rocker-T dropping some knowledge. I feel the most stand out track on this record is the dub of King Django’s ‘Nex Seson”. Perhaps it stands out because it has a slightly more modern sound than the other tracks on the CD or perhaps it stands out because of it’s infectious organ line or the interjections of Django alluding to Althena and Donnas “Uptown Top Ranking”. Whatever the reason it’s all about the Nex Season, throw on your khaki suit and ting and bring on the love.

www.ridebikesdrinkbeergetawesome.com

Julian Fulton and The Zombie Gospel Heart and Arms

This is the debut EP from singer song writer Julian Fulton and his undead cohorts the Zombie Gospel. I suppose one could describe this as “indy rock” although with the way people choose to define their music these days I would say that “indy rock” would be selling Julian a bit short. Heart and Arms opens up with a spacey “prelude” which appears to be a variety of instruments being played, people singing and other overlapping noises creating a soundscape that makes you want to call up your main home girl Alice and jump down the rabbit hole. The song “Lie” opens up with the line “You know everything”. This line is perfect for this song, it’s simple, honest and actually makes sense. All of Julian’s songs seem to have a diamond in the rough type of feel. Although, the production and style is raw in nature the use of vocal harmonies, percussion and horns ads an element to the songs that enhance them without being overused or gimmicky. I feel that Julian Fulton and The Zombie Gospel Heart and Arms EP is refreshing. It’s well done, well written and a fun listen. If you are a fan of indy rock (whatever that is) and good honest music give Julian Fulton a listen. This EP however has nothing to do with zombies. So, if you picked this up to hear some zombies getting down like it’s Sunday morning at a Baptist church you are going to have to look elsewhere. Although it is unconfirmed I believe that the band are just regular old living people and not undead in the slightest (although I could be wrong). For more info on Julian Fulton and The Zombie Gospel please visit his website www. julianfulton.com. On his website there are also links to his facebook, bandcamp, youtube, twitter, friendster, etc etc.

Whether these are dubs of your favorites from the Stubborn stall or a smorgasbord of brand new ear candy, Victor Rice’s Dub Discoveries From Version City will not disappoint. If you are a fan of Stubborn Records you will most likely appreciate Victor Rice’s spin on the old songs. Victor Rice - Dub Discoveries From Version City is available at www.stubbornrecords.com along with all types of great ska, reggae, rocksteady and beyond.

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Small Business Saturday

Donate $5.00 15% OFF Storewide

2012

Follow up to Volume 4 “Curb Appeal” By: Misty Miss Demeanor

Did you know that more than half of all workers in the United States either work for or own small businesses? Then why does it seem only the big guys (ie. Target, Walmart, etc) are reaping the benefits of Holiday shopping? 2010 marked the first year of Small Business Saturday (SBS) in response to big box retailers’ Black Friday and Cyber Monday’s online deals. Last year, over 100 million (one-third of the US population) participated! Consumers are highly motivated to find good deals, so get involved and drive sales to your store. Check out these tips to help your small business compete while also promoting growth in your local economy this Holiday Season. 1: Door Busters. Many times these deals are sold at a loss, purposefully. It’s essentially a marketing tool to get customers in your store and in a crazed frenzy! Limit the number of door busters available, so when

4 Clearance

y a d r 3 u t Sa 24, Novembe

NOW AVALIABLE

6 ACT FAST Limited number of door busters available

you run out, customers are likely to buy something else. Also, try a moderately priced item instead of a big ticket loss leader. Don’t lose money and deplete your customer’s funds so they can’t buy something else at full price. 2: Cause Marketing. Partner up with Toys for Tots, Adopt a Family, or something else in your area. People tend to be more generous around the Holidays, and appreciate the fact that you are trying to give back. Sweeten the deal by offering a discount if they donate, say $5.00 gets them 15% off storewide. 3: Sell Gift Certificates. It’s a great way to drive sales in the off season. Plus, it’s a chance to attract new buyers in your store. Check out vistaprints.com for very affordable and customizable options. 4: Stock up on Clearance and Off Price Merchandise. The end of the year is approaching, so ask your vendors about discontinued or discounted styles that may not be available at the first of the year. Pass the discount on to your

1 customers. It will give you a chance to quickly turn inventory, and keep your merchandise fresh. 5: Think Local. SBS is all about small, Mom and Pop shops-just like you. Consider doing a promotion or spotlight on local glass or jewelry. These artisans may be willing to offer things on consignment as well, which means you’re not fronting the cash. 6: Offer Great Customer Service. This is what sets you apart from the others and may be a reason you got into the business in the first place. Every customer should be welcomed with a smile and an offer to help. Also, ensure your staff is trained and educated. These are the steps to build lasting relationships and establish yourself as the go-to place in your community throughout the year. • Check out http://www. smallbusinesssaturday.com for free SBS marketing material including sample posters, press releases, and social media updates

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wholesale BUYERS Every shop gets one copy free, but if your shop caters to discerning buyers, now there is a great opportunity to be a distributor to retail enthusiasts! Please call 800-375-2005 or email sales@hotbreathmagazine.com to find out more!

hotbreath For information and digital back issues please visit HotBreath Magazine online

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From my cold dead hand by Joshua Kessleman Founder and CEO of HBI International Illustration by Thrash Tonic So my friend, who publishes HotBreath Magazine, asked me to write another article for this issue, and at ﬁrst, I wasn’t sure what to write. Then I realized I should write about something that means a LOT to me the plants on this beautiful planet of ours. Please forgive my rambling but I have to bring you through this story the long way. Open your mind, forget the present and remember that we humans are but a small spec on the life map of Earth. Imagine this; billions of years ago when our planet was ﬁrst experiencing life, some form of miracle happened and multi-celled organisms used photosynthesis to capture energy from the sun. They used this energy combined with nourishment from the soil below them to grow. Over millennia they adapted and improved themselves. The planet experienced many changes during this time, and yet somehow these amazing life forms continued to thrive. They provided fuel to other life forms and enabled

our furthest reaching ancestors to live. These amazing lifeforms are commonly known as plants. Plants are amazing; think of what they have gone through and remember that we would not exist without them. Now, imagine a plant whose very genus predates a very real scenario. What gives us mere humans the right to ban nature’s plants? Let’s talk about another plant that I’m particularly fond of. This plant managed to Darwin-like adapt to being attacked by insects. It formed a special substance inside itself that killed any insect that dared to take a bit of its leaves. Because of this adaptation it ﬂourished and helped to keep the insect population at bay. This amazing plant used to be commonly found bordering and mixed in with most American farms. It protected our crops and allowed us as humans to ﬂourish. The Native Americans consider this plant sacred, and use it during many ceremonies. Smoking its leaves give a slight feeling of euphoria and relaxation. Again, our government stepped in and began controlling and restricting this plant. They levied taxes on it and created control schemes.

They forget that without this plant our nation would not have been formed. This plant is known as Tobacco. Why did our government attack it? Well, certain large tobacco companies began Frankensteining nature’s plant. They added (and still ad) many chemicals to Tobacco in order to make its shelf life long and to make the cigarettes smoke smoother and controlled. The modern cigarette and most cigars are NOT what I consider to be tobacco. Instead they’re Frankentobacco; a mixture of actual tobacco, propylene Glycol and other toxic chemicals. So that is the real problem – Frankentobacco, not the beautiful natural earth plant Tobacco. There will come a day - and it won’t be long - when all tobacco will be banned. Some of you might think “good, I hate tobacco”. You’re wrong. This plant has been here since before mankind. We have no right to ban it or its use. If I choose to smoke, and understand the risks then you have no right to pull my hand-rolled RAW cigarette from my clenching ﬁst. Personally I only smoke tobacco that I have grown and cured myself. Sure my company HBI sells

“Well, certain

large tobacco

companies began Frankensteining nature’s plant. ”

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gazillions of pounds of processed Frankentobacco, and both I and the government profit from it. However I am trying to set an example, and (product plug) HBI sells RAW tobacco seeds. In fact I was the first American to mass market tobacco seeds (picture giant bull’s-eye on my head). If you grow your own tobacco you don’t pay any taxes on it. You get a truly chemical-free smoking experience. Tobacco is a natural plant that is easy to grow. You can even grow it as a houseplant! Once you see how easily it grows (and produces seeds for you to grow again for the next season), you’ll kick yourself for ever buying cigarettes. Think of it this way; if the US Government began taxing Zucchini at $100/lb., would you willingly pay them or just grow some Zucchini in your garden? That’s the situation we’re dealing with and it can all be solved if we would all just grow our own. I line my garden with Tobacco. This prevents insects from attacking my tomatoes and vegetables. Sometimes I will use a GW tobacco planting formation (called so because it was written about by George Washington) to protect my vegetables. Oh, did I mention that George Washington grew tobacco and that I grow tobacco from the same Burley strain that he grew in Monticello…. From my cold dead hands you can take my RAW home grown cigarette! PS. If I ever share some of my personal tobacco with you do NOT put a filter on the end of it. I grew that tobacco for 4 months and slow cured it for 6 months more! Filtering my handiwork is like putting ketchup on filet mignon.

A padded multi carry pipe case. The Piper features a hi-tech freshness pouch on one side and a secondary pocket on the other to store rolling papers, lighter or other accessories. The all new magnetically secured cover flap lays out to become a prep tray when and where you need one. Inside, you’ll appreciate the adjustable padded separator so your glass and metal grinder can be packed together in perfect harmony. Innovations by RYOT® help keep you packed and protected.

Designed and Produced by

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Coefficient of Expansion (C.O.E.): The fracticemal change in length, area, or volume per unit change in temperature of a solid, liquid, or gas at a given constant pressure. Photo “Uroborous Sample Strand” care of Sylvus the Mad Glass Scientist of Rejiquar

Image Source Unknown

Flaring: Making the open end of a tube larger in diameter most commenly with an octagonal reamer, or a arrowhead shaped flaring tool. Image Source Unknown Glass by Lotte’ of Happy Hollow Glass

Fuming: Using a piece of 0.999 silver or 24 Karat gold to impart a metallic coating on the glass, by heating it in the flame on the end

Glass by Kevin Cantile aka MKULTRA Photo by Local Smoke Domain

Millefiori by Galaxy Glass on Etsy

Millefiori: A type of ornamental glasswork created by fusing glass rods of various colors and diameters, typically in such a way as to form a floral pattern when the bundle is cut and displayed in cross sections.

Stump sucker: A tool used for the purpose of encasing small sculpture in a molten marble.

Stump Suckerpost by Muze the Pyrophiliac http://www.talkglass.com/forum/showthread. php?34975-2-Effetre-%28Morretti%29-amp-Stump-sucker

Glass Marble by Unknown Artist

GTT Mirage Torch Marver by customglasstools.com

Marver: A flat surface attached to a torch usually made of graphite, and used to shape hot glass.

CAP’N CRUNK ELBO GINGERELA August 13-15 Bally’s Hotel

JOP! KIND LACEFACE CHARLES LOWRIE SALT JAG EUSHEEN

Elbo & Whoobs Jeep (Left). Elbo Stegosaurus (Right)

Elbo & Zach Puchowitz

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Laceface & Big D

SALT

Joe Peters & Elbo

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JOP! & Coyle (Left) JOP! & Elbo (Right)

Kind, Coyle, & Snic

Kind & Calm

Eusheen Display Case

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Kind & Coyle

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I finally came

has to be the best feature for me

across the RYOT

though. It solved a problem I hadn’t

Hardshell Krypto

yet noticed. The space foil lining holds

Kit. This little

up to hot glass! I never realized how

package was the

many times I had to pick melted

one. A discreet hard shell case with ample storage,

product #1:

smell safe hardshell kit

a heavyweight zipper, and still pocketable. Fully loaded, the case holds my glass, a poker, a lighter, my

Four times. I've had glass snap in my

tobacco, and the interior pockets

pocket four times. Tired of losing

grab both my papers and a grinder

good art, not to mention good

card! I’ve been using this little

money, I had to find a solution for my

survival kit for roughly a month

“on the go” smoking system. Nearly

now, and it has become pocket

every available option had some

filling much the same as my phone;

deal breaker: too big, not enough

wherever I am, it is. The glass inside

protection, ugly as sin, and on and on...

has ridden safe in my pocket without fail - even through a fall! The pouch

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plastic bag off of my piece; now I can reload right away without worry. Also, much love is due for the Smell Safe technology. Despite being a smoker, I don’t want to reek of it every time I leave the house. The scent filtration on this case is truly remarkable. It doesn’t seem to matter how pungent my blend is or stinky my smoked bowl, I don’t catch a whiff until the zipper is cracked! Plus, I love the reaction when I pop it open and a fellow smoker sees how much I’m actually carrying. RYOT products are designed and distributed by Volo Trading. For more info, visit www.ryot.com. To purchase wholesale, call 877-603-2035 or email sales@ryot.com.

Spaceship Kits seek to solve this problem and many more when they catch the eye of creative smokers. Each kit contains up to 200 parts and arrives packaged with glossy colorful graphics and illustrated instructions. For the smoking enthusiast seeking more variety and less

Product #2

make-your-own-kits for Counter Culture Retailers & Smoke Shops Big Pipe has introduced a counter culture twist on the DIY hobby industry by creating a line of elaborate and brilliantly packaged Make Your Own Pipe Kits. Gone are the days of rummaging through parts at the counter only to wind up with a disheartened customer and an unappealing or dysfunctional pipe. Not to mention the slew of loose parts that are most certainly not going to

commitment, Big Pipe offers Make20 Kits in five colors as well as the heat-proof Cool Grip kit. These kits allow smokers to quickly configure and reconfigure the parts into any one of 20 or more pipe designs. To purchase this product, visit bigpipe.us or call 1.888.BIG.PIPE

end up back where they belong. The Smoke a Saurus Rex Smoking Dinosaur and Tar Wars Smoking

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product #3:

MagiC-flight launch box Alright, I’ll admit it, I’m what some may call a penny pincher, cheap, frugal, or even a tightwad. Given this, my options seemed rather limited while looking for a portable vaporizer. I spent hours upon hours alternating between reviews and my monthly budget. Eventually, this seemingly fruitless search brought me to the Magic Flight Launch Box. Having seen every other portable vaporizer with respectable reviews hit retail at $250 or higher, I approached this tiny device with the cautious eye of a lifetime skeptic. With a retail price tag in the mid $100 range, I was expecting a B grade product. Simply put, I was wrong, dead wrong. Since purchasing my MFLB, hardly any other smoking or vaporizing device has crossed my lips!

that it was packaged, I found the

what it can produce. For this little

Launch Box itself, two rechargeable

box, fast is an understatement. I’m

batteries, a charger, a cleaning brush,

yet to wait longer than four to five

velvet storage pouch, and a glass

seconds before being able to pull a

mouthpiece. The body of the MFLB is

distinct vapor with a strong flavor. On

made of solid maple with an acrylic

that note, this device produces the

lid that makes monitoring your

absolute best tasting vapor that I’ve

vapor quite easy. Given the sturdy

experienced. The output from this

construction and beautifully simple

device is comparatively thin while

design, I don’t foresee myself having

remaining potent. This lends itself

to cash in on the lifetime warranty any

to a relatively odor free experience.

time soon. I was initially concerned

After a little practice, I’m capable of

over the porous nature of raw woods,

vaporizing indoors without disturbing

but have been toting my Launch Box

anyone in the immediate vicinity.

faithfully for a while now, and the

Given the lighter weight of the vapor,

Upon bringing my Launch Box

wood is yet to pick up noticeable

I rarely cough and tend to use a more

home, I was quite pleased by its

grime or filth. Which, if it does begin to

precise volume of herbs than I would

initial presentation. It is the image

show its age, the end user is welcome

consume through a pipe. From that,

of practicality. Within the classy tin

to customize the box with any artwork

I have seen my overall consumption

they desire... without voiding the

drop considerably while my

warranty! (assuming the serial number

enjoyment has escalated notably!

has been left unaltered).

Admittedly, I am yet to find anything

Of course, a smooth appearance

in this life that is 100% perfect. Despite

is all fine and dandy, but the big

the high quality build materials and

question is “how does it vape?!?!”

design, this little wonder falls short

To which, the only appropriate

of scent proof. The vapor itself is light

response is “wonderfully!” Having

enough not to bother those nearby,

done my research beforehand, I did

but the box itself is known to release

not expect a Volcano like cloud of

a bit of odor. This is particularly true

vapor, but was quite pleased with

when my MFLB gets warm. If I’ve

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left it in my car or carry it for a long

oft be repeated.

while in my pocket, the scent of my

All in all, the Magic Flight Launch

tobacco can become a bit pervasive.

Box is unquestionably one of, the

Although this small downside can be

best purchases I have made in recent

remedied to an extent if the Launch

memory. There may be a slew of

Box is stored wrapped with a rubber

vaporizers on the market with more

band. Beyond that, the only other

features or flashier casing, but, for

noteworthy downside I came across

the practical shopper with an eye

was storing the unwrapped batteries.

on their budget, this device simply

The plastic caps that come with the

cannot be beat. If you don’t have this

complete kit are an absolute essential.

seemingly mystical apparatus holding

If the battery contacts metal without

your store’s shelves down, remedy this

the cap in place, it can overheat

immediately!

quickly and cause problems. This is nowhere near as large of an issue as it sounds; there is a very sharp learning

To purchase this product, visit vapeworld.com or call 1.877.865.2260

curve and it is not a problem that will

product #4:

attention was Kleen Green Gold. I

and I was greeted with nothing but

spoke with the creator and had a half-

the faintest of scents. Given the heavy

gallon mailed back for me.

alcohol or fragrances I was used to smelling, I was a little skeptical out of

Kleen green gold cleanser

Roughly a week later, my package

Iʼve been on a two week pipe cleaning

arrived safe and sound. Bottled rather

routine for roughly ﬁve years now.

inconspicuously when compared to

As was

Using a shake style cleaner across

its competitors, Kleen Green Gold

recommended, I cut

a dozen or so different glass pieces

stands out largely on what it doesn’t

the concentrate

was quite the exhaustive procedure.

have. This cleaning solution is not only

with 6 parts water

Heading into the show in Vegas a few

non-toxic, but actually non-hazardous.

and put this mix in

weeks back, I had my eyes peeled

In my limitless wisdom, I took a nice

a large Mason

for an easier option for keeping the

big whiff when I ﬁrst opened the cap.

jar. Next up,

ﬁlth at bay. What ﬁnally grabbed my

Thankfully, the safety claims held true

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the gate.

I packed that jar with all the glass it

coffee like sludge as it stripped and

claims with metals and ceramics. Next

could handle: two spoons, two tasters,

loosened everything. The moment

up to the plate was a titanium nail

and a couple of slides. All of these

of truth ﬁnally arrived and I pulled

that had seen less sticky days, and

were at the two week point and held

my favorite spoon out of the murky

a ceramic tray, stained black by the

plenty of grime for KGG to sink its

liquid about an hour and a half after it

butts of many cigarettes. I whipped

teeth into. With my kitchen counter

ﬁrst took a dive. Upon ﬁrst inspection,

up a new batch, reﬁlled the Mason jar,

science experiment prepped and

I noticed a large glob of leftover

and threw my test subjects in. After

running, I went about my day and

residue at the head of the spoon.

half an hour, I went ahead and pulled

checked back on my results every

Slightly disappointed, I decided to

both items back out, and gave them

thirty minutes or so. It was actually

rinse it off and give it another round.

the same hot water rinse... success!

entertaining to watch the concoction

When the hot tap water hit the inside

Disregarding the expected oxidation

slowly transmute from it’s subtle

of the pipe, that last nasty glob came

from repeated use, the titanium nail

honey coloring to a

free, leaving my spoon as clean as the

looked and felt as good as new. The

ﬁrst day I ﬁrst took it home!

tray had shed it’s black shroud and displayed its original bold blue color

Of course the best part of a

again!

sparkling, clean pipe is getting it good and dirty again! After

Overall, I consider my little experiment

wiping off the excess water, I

to be quite the success. Kleen Green

ﬁlled the spoon with my favorite

Gold is just as mild as promised and

blend and went to town. Lo and

over delivered on cleaning power.

behold, No leftover ﬂavor! That

Since getting my hands on a batch,

sealed the deal for me. Nearly

I’ve been using it to clean everything

every other option Iʼve used over

from my smoking accessories to

the years required an “air out” time

my kitchen sink. I cannot give high

if you didnʼt want to know exactly

enough recommendation for this

what your cleaner tasted like.

cleaner!

Having passed with ﬂying colors on the glass portion of this gauntlet, I decided to see just how well Kleen Green Gold held up its compatibility

To purchase this product, visit kleengreengold.com, email sales@kleengreengold or call 805.438.4444

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thrown in the towel. Keeping this in mind, my search for a replacement brought me to the land of Kannastor, where I was treated to a free sample of their new clear body, multi-chamber grinder. Constructed of hiqh quality aluminum and a super clear lucite body, this piece is beautiful, lightweight, and quite strong. These teeth at least match my prior grinder - shredding is nearly effortless through the toughest herbs, spices and tobacco. With a replaceable screen, I don’t see my Kannastor falling short of the five year mark laid out by my last grinder. When the screen accumulates build up, just remove with snap ring pliers and

product #5:

clean. But, the biggest game changer

kannastor JAR + grinder

of all is the new clear body. Once I

The retirement of my five-year veteran

got one in my hands I had to question

grinder was truly a sad day. He had

how it hadn’t been done before. There

served me well and still had some of

have been many a morning that I’ve

the sharpest teeth this side of Shark

popped my old friend open, only to

Week. Tragically, his screen had finally

find a seemingly bottomless void. Now

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that I don’t have to unscrew the top of my grinder to check what remains, I always know where I stand on my ground goods. In this hectic life, I’m all about saving a step! It may have been heart wrenching to see my old friend depart, but I feel my Kannastor has done much already to prove herself more than worthy. Kannastor grinders are designed and distributed by Volo Trading. For more info, visit www. kannastor.com. To purchase wholesale, call 877-603-2035 or email sales@kannastor.com.

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August 13-15

Alexis Park Hotel Photography by Jeff Bellesiles Coyle/Hops Jagito

Merc’s Minion Defizzler

100

Berzerker/ Calm UV Reactive Splat Rig

Dellene Peralta ‘Gangster Lene’ DFO Piece

JOP/Illadelph Chicken Tree Perc

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Burtoni Squid

Germ/Slinger Hepburn Bub

Seth B Dishes Burtoni Clownfish Sherlock

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Salt Rig

Adam G/T-Funk/Deppe Skull

101

The award winning Magnetic cleaning tool theorginalbuddy.com

all New colors!

Drop in the mini scrubber and control it with a patented magnetic handle.

Distributors Welcome Available from Volo Trading Call: 1 877 603 2035 or email: sales@volotrading.com

Super strong magnet!

Secret stash Glass scrubber

the future is clear

2.2” SOLID BLACK TOP

2.5” CLEAR TOP

GRINDER + JAR O n ly f ro m K anna s t ö r pat en t p ending

3.0” CLEAR CRANK TOP