How to Use a Glass Tip for Joints, and How to Clean It

Quick answer: To use a glass tip, set it at one end of the paper with a few millimeters sticking out, fill and shape as usual, then tuck tightly at the tip end. Glass is slick, so lightly dampen the paper where it wraps the tip, pinch and twist it until it creases onto the glass, and seal the rest. Afterward, let the tip cool, twist it out of the roach, and clean it: shake it in isopropyl alcohol with coarse salt, run a pipe cleaner through, rinse well with warm water and let it dry fully.

Still weighing glass against disposable tips? Read glass vs paper filter tips first. This page assumes you already have a glass tip.

What you need

• A glass tip that fits your paper (see the filter tip size guide)
• 1 1/4 or king size papers
• Ground flower, medium grind
• For cleaning: isopropyl alcohol (91% or higher is the usual pick), coarse salt, a small zip bag or jar with a lid, pipe cleaners

Glass tips are most often sold in 8mm and up. If you roll single wide papers, a glass tip may simply be too wide.

How to roll a joint with a glass tip

The steps are the same as rolling a joint with any filter tip. Steps 3 and 4 are where glass is different.

1. Place the tip. Lay the paper glue strip up, on the far edge. Set the glass tip at one end, straight, with a few millimeters of glass sticking out past the paper so you have something to hold.
2. Fill and shape. Spread the flower evenly up to the tip, then pinch the paper and roll it back and forth to shape a cylinder about as wide as the tip.
3. Tuck tight at the tip end. Paper slides on glass instead of gripping it, so press the paper firmly against the tip as you tuck, starting at the tip and working along the roll.
4. Dampen, pinch and twist. Lightly wet the paper where it wraps the glass (not soaking). Pinch it and give it a small twist so it creases onto the tip. Some rollers wet only the tip end of the glue strip first, so they can still adjust the rest.
5. Seal the rest. Roll up, lick the glue strip, and press it down from the tip end outward.
6. Seat the tip. If the tip feels loose, push it in until it sits snug against the flower, but not so far that it packs the end shut. Pinch the paper around it again.
7. Pack and close. Tap the open end down, pack it lightly with a pen or packing stick, and twist it closed.
8. Test the draw. Draw through the tip before you light. If it's tight, the tip was pushed in too far or the flower is packed too hard at that end.

The paper stiffens again as it dries, so a damp seam around the tip should firm up within a minute or two.

How to get a glass tip out after

1. Let it cool. The glass near the burning end holds heat. Wait until the tip is cool to the touch.
2. Twist, don't pull. Hold the roach and gently twist the tip out. If the paper is stuck, a drop of water on the paper loosens it.
3. Rinse soon. A quick warm-water rinse right away keeps residue from drying on.

Toss the roach as you normally would.

How to clean a glass tip

These steps follow what glass makers and sellers commonly recommend. Pick the one that matches how dirty the tip is.

Light buildup: rinse and brush

1. Run warm (not boiling) water through the tip for about 20 seconds.
2. Push a damp pipe cleaner through both ends.
3. Rinse again and stand it on a paper towel to dry.

Normal buildup: alcohol and salt shake

1. Put the tip in a zip bag or small jar with about a tablespoon of coarse salt.
2. Add enough isopropyl alcohol to cover the tip.
3. Seal it and shake for 30 to 60 seconds. The salt scrubs while the alcohol loosens resin.
4. Run a pipe cleaner through to clear anything left.
5. Rinse thoroughly with warm water, inside and out.
6. Let it dry completely before you use it again. Blow through it to check nothing is left inside.

Heavy buildup: soak first

Let the tip soak in isopropyl alcohol for 15 to 30 minutes (longer for baked-on residue), then do the shake, scrub and rinse above.

What to avoid

• Boiling water or sudden temperature changes, which can crack glass.
• Knives, pins or metal picks, which can chip it.
• Open flames near the alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is flammable. Clean away from lighters and stoves.
• Skipping the rinse. Rinse until there's no alcohol smell before you roll with it again.

How often should you clean it?

Brands that sell glass tips commonly suggest after every session. At minimum, clean it when you can see buildup inside or the draw starts to feel tight. A quick rinse right after each use makes the deeper clean easier.

When to replace a glass tip

Stop using a glass tip that has a chip or crack, especially at the mouth end. A chipped edge can cut your lip, and a crack can break the rest of the way while you're rolling.

Glass tip problems and fixes

The tip slides out. The tuck at the tip end was loose. Re-pinch the paper around the glass, give it a twist, and let the seam dry for a minute.

The draw is tight. The tip was pushed too far into the flower, or the end is packed too hard. Pull the tip back slightly and loosen the end.

The paper tears at the tip. It was too wet. Use a damp fingertip, not a lick, on the paper around the glass.

The tip is too wide for the paper. The paper can't wrap and seal over it. Use a wider paper or a narrower tip; the rolling paper sizes chart lists widths.

Not into cleaning?

That's the main trade-off with glass. If you'd rather throw the tip away with the roach, disposable tips do the same structural job. Das makes them in 6mm, 7mm, 8mm and 12mm.

Products are for adults 21+.