Frequently Asked Questions

1. GRAV's warehouse is in a very industrial part of Austin and not amenable to tours at the moment. After the pandemic, a lot of our team works from home or even out of state. Our dream is to one day have a flagship store in Austin where you can buy GRAV products from GRAV people. When that day comes, we'll shout the grand opening to the rooftops. Until then, you’ll have to content yourself with exploring our site and, if you’re lucky, the beautiful city we call home.

1. GRAV has a limited selection of carrying cases - The GRAV Smell-proof Pouch. Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates when we launch new products, including new bags and cases. In the meantime, check out our friends at 420science.com for a larger assortment of cases and bags.

GRAV currently doesn’t offer customization on any products. We’re still a relatively small company, and keeping up with the demand for our current catalog is a hefty task. We look forward to growing to a point that customization can be part of our product offering.

1. GRAV doesn't currently offer repairs due to the high cost to our customers. In most cases, a replacement piece is less expensive than a repair, if a repair is even possible. If you think the issue needing repair is a produt defect, please reach out to [email protected].

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   The most common issues with downstems are issues with fit. Sometimes the bulb of a downstem might not fit through the opening of the ground joint. Sometimes the downstem is too long, and its tip hits the base of the water pipe. In either of these cases, please reach out to our Support Team for a replacement at [email protected].

   
   Downstems can get clogged, limiting airflow through the pipe. If the downstem is removable, simply take it out and clean it. You can refer to the cleaning section of our FAQ list for guidance. If the downstem is fixed inside the pipe, you’ll need to clean the entire pipe to unclog it.

   
   Downstems can get stuck inside a ground joint, such that it feels like they can’t be removed for cleaning. In this case, try heating the joint with a lighter or torch to loosen the seal. If this doesn’t work, try taking something that vibrates - such as an electric toothbrush - and hold it against the side of the joint. The vibrations should loosen the seal between the downstem and joint, allowing you to retrieve the downstem.

1. Be mindful of sharp edges when handling our grinders as their teeth are very sharp, intended for shredding raw plant matter. Occasionally, our colored grinders can lose some of their superficial dye coating during the grinding process. This material is non-toxic but can affect the flavor of your plant matter. We recommend you twist the grinder several times before the first use to shed any excess coating.
   
   If your grinder becomes stuck, use a jar opener (the rubber variety) to help loosen it. If this continues to happen, consider cleaning your grinder referring to the cleaning section of our FAQ list for guidance.

Our Helix Multi Kit is excellent for smokers who want versatility from their hand pipe. The kit can be converted from a simple hand pipe to a bubbler or vapor straw for use with wax and concentrates. Assembling and reassembling your multi isn’t too tricky, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

The Helix Multi’s mouthpiece is the characteristic Helix Venturi chamber. The mouthpiece can be used with any of the three accompanying heads, but only one head at a time can be used.

The mouthpiece and head are secured by a joint clamp. To remove the clamp, simply pull it off with your thumb and forefinger. The clamp requires moderate pressure to snap the clamp on and off of the joint, but if for whatever reason you’re experiencing difficulty getting a clamp on, please don’t force it. Excess pressure can break the joint, and it’s possible the clamp is too small. Reach out to our Support Team at [email protected] and we’ll help you resolve the issue safely.

1. The most common issue with Helix™ products is the airflow. If you don’t think your Helix™ is spinning the smoke properly, test its function using a small piece of paper about the size of a BB. Place the ball of paper in the Venturi chamber mouthpiece. If you’re testing a hand pipe, cover the carb with your finger. If you’re testing a water pipe, make sure the bowl is in place. Inhale from the mouthpiece as you would during use, steadily but firmly pulling air through the Venturi chamber. The ball of paper should spin around inside the chamber in a consistent clockwise motion. If it doesn’t, please reach out to [email protected] for guidance.
   
   
   The purpose of the Helix™ design is to aerate and cool smoke. However, this can sometimes result in hits that are too light for veteran smokers. Please be aware of a product’s intended use before purchasing anything from GRAV®. If you have a Helix™ but want to occasionally take more traditional hits, you can cover one or more of the air intake holes temporarily with a small segment of clear tape. The more holes you cover, the denser the hits will become. Be advised: doing this will disrupt the spinning action until the tape is removed.

We have partnered with Sezzle to give you the ability to Buy Now and Pay Later.

No interest or fees: As long as you don't pay late, you only pay the original product price with Sezzle.
Your order is shipped right away: We ship your order on the same timeline as other payment methods we accept.
Easy, automatic payments: Sezzle splits your purchase into 4 payments, automatically deducted from your debit or credit card every two weeks.

Just select Sezzle at checkout.

Subject to approval. Only good for orders over $35. Estimated payment amount excludes taxes and shipping fees. Your actual installment payments will be presented for confirmation in your checkout with Sezzle.

1. Many replacement components are available through GRAV® in our Parts collection. If you’re having difficulty finding a specific piece, just reach out to [email protected] and we'll help you on finding the right component.

1. 1) Cleaning Glass with Soaker:
   
   We strongly encourage our glass customers to use a soaker, specifically our preferred aprtner, Grunge Off. Soaking your pipe in a cleaning solution is the simplest and most thorough cleaning method. We recommend Grunge Off, both for safety and efficacy. Grunge Off is citric acid-based and can be found at most head shops and several online retailers. Whichever cleaning solution you decide to use, just make sure it’s intended for use with glass pipes or stemware. Depending on the strength of the solution, it may be powerful enough to fade the label on the outside of your pipe. To protect your label, simply cover it with a strip of blue painter’s tape. Remove the tape when you’ve finished cleaning and rinsing your pipe. If you’re cleaning a hand pipe or bubbler, find a container that will fit your piece (e.g. a sandwich tuperware box). Place your pipe in the container and fill it with your chosen cleaning solution. Submerge the piece entirely and rotate it to allow any air bubbles to escape. Let the pipe soak anywhere between one hour and one day. The longer it soaks, the more tar will be dissolved and removed from your piece. Once you’ve finished soaking it, rinse your pipe over your kitchen sink with hot water. Most of the tar should have broken up and will be washed away. If there are any troublesome spots remaining, use a Q-Tip or pipe cleaner soaked in solution to scrub it manually. Rinse the piece again with cold water and let it dry before using it again. The same process applies to water pipes, except instead of filling a container with solution, simply fill the pipe itself. Block the pipe’s ground joint with a GRAV® Cleaning Plug (available in 14mm and 19mm), and use a funnel to fill it with solution.
   
   2) Cleaning Glass with Alcohol Solution:
   
   If you’d like to make your own pipe-cleaning solution from scratch, you’ll need salt and rubbing alcohol. A small bottle of isopropyl alcohol and coarse, kosher salt (used to brine) work best, and both should be available at your local grocery store. Mix equal parts of the alcohol and salt in a bowl or tupperware large enough to fit the piece you’d like to clean. Depending on the strength of the solution, it may be powerful enough to fade the label on the outside of your pipe. To protect your label, simply cover it with a strip of blue painter’s tape. Remove the tape when you’ve finished cleaning and rinsing your pipe. Let the piece soak in the saline mixture for anywhere between 1 hour and 1 day. The longer it soaks, the easier it will be to break up any tar and resin. Take the soaked pipe and fill it halfway with the solution using a funnel or measuring cup. If you’re cleaning a water pipe, consider blocking any joints with a GRAV® Cleaning Plug, available in 14mm and 19mm. If you’re cleaning a bubbler or hand pipe, simply block the necessary openings with your fingers. Shake the pipe vigorously but carefully. It’s best not to shake too close to any hard surfaces in order to avoid accidentally hitting the pipe against something and breaking it in your hand. Also, just in case your fingers slip and solution leaks out, you may want to avoid shaking near any fabrics or items that could be stained. As you shake the pipe, the solution should break up the tar and expose clean glass. Shake for 3 minutes, then empty the pipe down your kitchen sink while running hot water. You may need to refill the pipe and shake again multiple times until the piece is satisfactorily clean. If you find a particular spot is not getting clean, use a Q-Tip or pipe cleaner soaked in the solution to reach the spot and scrub it manually. When you’ve finished cleaning, rinse the pipe, first with hot water to remove any layer of remaining solution and then cold water to prevent the piece from fogging. Let it dry before using it again.
   

1. Curious what a certain glass term might mean? Check out the GRAV Glossary!

1. The Venturi chamber mouthpiece featured across the Helix line was developed by a Texan glassblower named Will Menzies. Will partnered with Dave Daily, GRAV’s founder, to rebrand the V-Tech hand pipe as the Helix Classic, and together they created several new designs to form the basis of the Helix family. As the popularity of Helix grew, Dave became more interested in production and development of new designs, while Will focused on artistic variation. They parted ways, and Will created a new company called American Helix. They make Helix pipes in a more heady style and only employ American glassblowers. Our two companies have different styles, audiences, and products, but we share a common origin story. GRAV pays royalties to American Helix to continue using our GRAV Helix designs, and we’re proud to support Will and all our amazing and talented collaborators.

Here’s the short and sweet answer. If you receive a broken item, we’ll replace it. If something is missing from your order we’ll replace it. If you receive an incorrect item, we’ll replace it. And if a GRAV product is defective and you report that defect in the first 6 months of owning it, we'll either replace it or settle the issue with store credit. For a full explanation of our replacement policy, please visit the Replacement Policy Page. All claims questions can be sent to [email protected]

1. GRAV uses the finest borosilicate, a type of glass with a high silica content that’s heat-tolerant and chemically inert. These qualities make borosilicate perfect for pipes, as it can withstand and disperse heat from a lighter or torch and doesn’t pollute smoke in any way. Some of our components, namely our nails and bangers, are made from quartz. Quartz is 100% silica, making it even more durable than borosilicate. However, it’s more expensive than borosilicate, which is why we only use it for smaller pieces.

1. GRAV sources most of our finished products from a factory in China, with whom we’ve worked closely for years. We consider those artists there to be part of our team, and we’re deeply invested in their success and wellbeing. Members of our Product Development and Leadership teams visit Tianjin regularly to maintain an efficient flow of ideas and communication. We’re proud of the partnerships we’ve built overseas, and they’ve allowed us to more than triple our American team, support local glass artists, and bring exciting new products to market at an accessible price.
   
   Every piece we sell is designed, prototyped, inspected for quality, and shipped from our headquarters in Austin, Texas. The fact that most of our production is done overseas makes it possible for us to elevate our American staff into 21st-century careers, invest in new design techniques, and focus on our strengths - product design, thoughtful marketing, and impeccable customer service. We also stongly believe that the artisinal glass community in northern China makes some of the best finished glass goods in the world today.

1. GRAV is proud to ship to both the US and Canada, and we hope to service Mexico and other regions soon. If you're outside the US or Canada, there are a number of online retailers that ship our products internationally. Check out Smokecartel.com or Dankstop.com

No problem at all! Just drop us an email at [email protected] with your discount code, and if it's still valid, we'll apply it to your latest order.

You can stack up to two discount codes per order, as long as the total discount doesn't exceed 40% of the order value. Please bear in mind that the system won't allow you to use a free shipping discount code in combination with a regular discount code. Also, specific discount codes may not be applicable to certain products, like new releases.

No problem! We accept returns within 90 days of purchase, as long as the product remains unused and in its original packaging. Please contact us at [email protected] to request a return authorization number. If the product shows any signs of usage or is damaged, we regret to inform you that a refund for your order cannot be provided.

Typically, if you attempt to place an order and it is declined due to a billing address mismatch with your card, you may see a pre-authorization on your bank statement. However, rest assured that this pre-authorization will eventually be removed with in 3-5 buisness days. To prevent such occurrences, please ensure that all your billing information is accurate when making a purchase.

If it's been more than a week and you still see a preuathorization on your account, please reach out to [email protected] and we'll look into it.

Please note that our warehouse operates exclusively from Monday through Friday. Our regular order processing time is 2-4 business days, (not including the date of purchase) after which we'll ship your package. If you choose standard shipping, your package should typically arrive in 5-7 business days. Opt for 2-day shipping, and your package should reach you within 2 business days.

For example, if you order on a Monday the 1st and select ground shipping, your order may take 4 days to process (Thurs the 4th) and then 7 business days in transit (Monday the 15th) to be delivered. The majority of orders arrive more quickly than this, but during high volume periods and due to FedEx limitations that GRAV can't control, we can't guarantee a speedier delivery.

You can find these processing times on our Order Policy page. Please take a look at your convenience. We usually wait for the grace period to pass before taking further action. If your package doesn't arrive by the expected delivery date, please contact us at [email protected], and we'll promptly investigate.

We take great care to ensure that our packages are discreet and do not reveal any information about the contents inside. We use plain and unmarked packaging to maintain the privacy of our customers. Additionally, we do not include any branding or logos that may indicate the nature of the package. You can trust that your order will be delivered in a completely confidential and discreet manner.

While our products are primarily designed to function without a screen, some of our customers prefer using them.

Ideally, the only pieces of the GRAV 3-piece grinder that may need cleaning are the lid and the middle component. You can scrub the teeth under hot water using a spare toothbrush or other firm-bristled brush. Dry these components thoroughly before reassembling your grinder to avoid damaging the threading. The bottom-most component - the kief compartment - shouldn't need to be cleaned. Its purpose is to store the kief that accumulates from grinding plant matter, and it should only be emptied using the curved GRAV® Scraper included with the grinder.