Downstem … What Is It Exactly? See Here

Downstem

Downstem

ˈdau̇n-stem | Noun

An elongated piece of glass that connects the bowl and the body of a bong or water pipe. This part of the bong facilitates a suction pressure that pulls the smoke down through the mouthpiece as the user inhales. Downstems can be removable or fixed to the glass piece. A diffused one comes with a diffuser that aerates the smoke and gives a smoother hit

“The downstem I bought for my bong is really cool; it comes with a diffuser.” 

 “How do I know what size downstem I need?”

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is It?

It’s a long glass tube that connects the bowl to the water source in a bong or water pipe. Downstems generally come in standard sizes for glass joints, including 10mm, 14mm, 18mm. 

How Does It Work? 

A downstem enables the smoke from blazing cannabis to travel smoothly from the bowl to the bong base (or a water pipe). When it gets there, the water starts to bubble as the user inhales the hit. 

What’s a Downstem Diffuser? 

It’s a modified type of downstem attachment that contains open slits on one end. The role of the slits is to break up the smoke differently than with a regular downstem. As a result, it produces smaller bubbles and a cooling effect for a smoother hit.

Where to Buy a Downstem? 

With the rising popularity of dabbing, dab rigs and other attachments (like downstem) are more and more common on the market. They can be purchased online or any place that sells cannabis accessories.  

How To Loosen A Stuck Downstem? 

You can try several things to loosen a stuck downstem, including:

  • First, flush it out with cold water. 
  • If the first step fails, use rubbing alcohol and a set of tweezers. 
  • Pour the alcohol down the tube. 
  • Grip the downstem with the tweezers to pull out. 

How to Clean It? 

Alcohol comes in handy for cleaning a downstem bowl that’s clogged or needs freshening. Follow these steps to clean it:

  • Remove the downstem bowl and fill with alcohol and a spoonful of salt. 
  • Put the downstem bowl in a plastic bag, completely immersing it with alcohol.
  • Seal the bag.
  • Let it sit for a couple of hours. 
  • Rinse and dry thoroughly. 
  • Voila! You’ve got a fresh and ready-to-use downstem bowl.

Final Thoughts

An essential glass piece that fits into a water pipe joint, assisting the bong in achieving its purpose.