Monday, October 7, 2013

This is my job- fake crack pipes

We all know that Google keeps track of our searches in order to try to create a detailed profile of who we are, and what are preferences are. I often wonder what they must think of me (I also wonder if I am on any government watch lists based on some of the things I have researched). 
For this show, I needed crack pipes. A fairly easy search sent me to several websites detailing how they could be made. One sent me to ask for a "straight shooter" at a liquor store. It is apparently a narrow glass tube, that I guess is used to mix up some types of cocktails, the liquor store had no idea what I was talking about, and I felt very awkward trying to explain why I needed this thing even though I didn't know what it was used for. 
 Next I went to a smoke shop/head shop. I explained that I wanted a narrow glass tube that would be the type that crack smokers would use to turn into a crack pipe. 
The conversation involved lots of verbal gymnastics as the clerk at the store tried to help me while still saying over and over that he didn't know what I was talking about. "I would hope that no one would use anything I sell for such a thing. We only sell items intended for smoking LEGAL tobacco products. These small glass tubes over here look a bit like what you are describing, but see how they are meant to fit into this PERFECTLY LEGAL hookah?"
I filled the glass tubes with steel wool (the website I found suggested copper brillo pads that would turn a silver-grey color when heated) and used a lighter to burn the end of the tube. 
 It turned out pretty well (maybe a bit too much steel wool after looking for more 
research images). But totally believable in the moment. 

3 comments:

  1. I was thinking the same thing about Google. I was just searching fake crack pipe, fake crack pipe smoke, etc. I'll try what you did for our upcoming film. I have to figure out how the talent can smoke it with smoke coming out. I might try an e-cigarette hack.

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  2. Omigosh. THANK YOU! I've been searching for forever looking for a fake one to buy or a how to for making one for a play I'm in. So glad I found this! :)

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  3. This is super helpful, thanks! I need one for a movie project and I got into a long conversation with the owner of my local head shop about why they won’t sell crack pipes: “You sell one crackhead a pipe and they all come swarming like cockroaches”. I ended up with a plain glass one-hit pot pipe that will look fine once I age it. Thanks again!

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