kimble from abr, review

[Riley]

i picked up a few cases to try out 2 each of: 60x5 and 75x5.

at first inspection, it looked visually good. a friend of mine told me it would have alot of lines in it, like chinex, but i told him i wouldn't be blowing any of it out so it would be less of a problem even if it did.


upon further inspection i have found sections with glass globs on the inside. i had to remove these pieces from the tubing as i used them. time wasted.


also what i am noticing, as i am using it with schott, is that they don't like each other very much. the kimble is more stiff, and just pulling off glass to clean it up is more of a pain than schott. it doesn't seem to like to pull off evenly, which is a huge pain on the larger diam. stuff.


i am getting funky seams between the schott and the kimble, almost like a rippling. i have tried to work it just about any way possible. changing pressures, as well as working time. nothing works.


maybe the kimble/gersheimer folks are still working kinks out of their production. i have no idea, but would love to hear anyone's thoughts as well as further review.

[Riley]

anyhow i have more in the works with it so this review is a tad pre-emptive. i was just hoping to hear from anyone else on it. i will post up more results as i go. riskier manipulation ahead that i am quite reluctant to try with this glass.


the only reason i tried it out was at the time i couldn't get schott in the sizes i needed. i won't be ordering anymore kimble until they figure out what they are doing wrong.

[hashmasta-kut]

im gonna try simax for the first time soon, still waiting for the box. i always used schott but some say its not great for striking colors.

[daveabr]

The larger sizes (anything over 50x5), is old overstock we bought. It is not the new style of draw they are doing for everything on the mainline. I would be willing to send you a piece to compare if you want.

The overstock sizes are listed differently on our website as Kimble New Sizes (KGxxxx) The section that is called, Kimble Glass Tubing, which have item numbers like 9028002002 (28x2), is the new stuff. This is the "mainline", or what is always in production. We are working with them on bringing new sizes into that. Hoping for 60x5 and 70x5

Sorry you had trouble with the overstock cases. They are priced accordingly though. If anyone has anymore questions about Kimble, just fire away. I will do my best to answer them. We have dozens of extremely stoked people, who are working the 50 x 5 on lathes, and love it. I've used the 32, and 25, and really liked them. I've used Simax exclusively for almost 12 years, and I can't say I wouldn't use the Kimble. Especially, at the pricing it's available at.

As we run out of these cheap, overstock cases, we are obsoleting them from our system.

[Bent]

I have been using kimble exclusively for 12 years now. It doesnt bubble as much and fuming is much better than simax, chinex or schott. If I cant get kimble I use pyrex, but prefer kimble. I agree, every now and then, you get some with boogers in it but, I just cut that section out. I also agree its a bit stiffer than others but not an issue for me. If you like honeycombs, this stuff is the shi1. All I can say is, I was stoked to see ABR with it. I had been getting it from mtn. glass, but theyve been out for years.

cheers
bent

[Riley]

dave,

the 60 worked much better. they both (60 -75) seem to be different batches or varying formulas. i have a bunch of work done from it, and will see if some of the more complex inner seals hold up with the schott over the next week or so.

not trying to bag the whole lot of kimble, but your response explains alot with it being old stock.

for bench work or any instance where it needed to be worked down more, i couldn't complain at that price. i was just bummed having been out of bigger diam. tube for a few weeks and really missing it.

i hope kimble does do a new run of the bigger stuff. i am more than down to support u.s. businesses, including you guys and your venture to bring american glass to the people.

i commend your efforts, and appreciate the response.

[daveabr]

Thanks Riley. We are really pushing for the large diameter, heavy wall to get made. With Simax stock on those sizes so in demand, availability is spotty. It's sold before it gets here.

So, we'll keep plugging away at that.


All of those mainline sizes though, are made with a new "down draw" system, that seems to have improved the glass, especially in tubing, leaps and bound.


Hopefully, the quality will continue to pull people into American glass use.

[Cornbread]

my experiences with working with different types of clear is a little limited. i've used pyrex, simax and kimble. they all seem pretty similar to me but i have noticed that the kimble is much less likely to boil during a flame cut if im fuming a pendant and trapping with clear.

the only tubing size i've used is 20x2 (as far as kimble is concerned) it's some pretty sweet stuff. is blows out nice and even and because it's a little stiffer, it makes pulling points much easier for the reason they stay on center easier.

Maybe there is a better clear out there, maybe there isn't. but at the price kimble comes in and its versatility and its made in USA...no brainer for me.

[LTD]

It is nice that there is glass being made in America. But I have not seen anyone point out that it is in fact being made by a German company. I may just be being picky, but wouldn't buying their glass be supporting a German company not supporting an American company? It is great that they are an employer of Americans. But calling it American glass is kind of like calling a Subaru an American car. Sure it is made in the U.S. by Americans, but it is still not an American company so....

I am not Bagging on Kimble at all just saying something that has popped into my head every time I have heard Kimble being discussed.

Sorry to sidetrack the thread.

[daveabr]

They are indeed a global company. They have locations for pharmaceutical, and many other divisions, on 4 continents. They are creating jobs in all sorts of places. The thing about the tubing we are buying, is it's all being made by American jobs, in an American city. So, I'd stick with it being made in the USA. But, it's not lost on me where you got to wondering who is really profiting. Money filters everywhere when you're talking about huge, global companies like that. But, there is a whole factory, divisions of sales, management, safety, all the way down to custodial, that is filled by American workers. So, I still say good for them.

[LTD]

Don't get me wrong, As I said above "It is great that they are an employer of Americans." I just had to point out that it is not American tubing, it it tubing made in America. Very little difference, but a difference none the less. I have no problem with this company. Although Germans do kind of freak me out

[frillcappa]

im down with the kimble.
are kimble and kimex the same thing?

[ALIEN!]

I just finished burning through my first tube of 50x5mm Kimble Artistic from ABR. First of all, it comes in 4 foot lengths which is great for me because I have a 5 foot wide workspace and flame cut every tube in the center first thing. The stuff is straight and clear with no lines or schmootz to speak of, I would imagine it to be good for water pipes. Im making big ass inside out spoons on it right now (5-6 inch slogs 50x5) and it does seem like it takes for fucking ever for the colors to melt in on the inside, maybe the glass is stiff, maybe its me, but I AM raging the piss outta the torch so heat isnt an issue.

So far been getting good effects from fuming, real hard to burn it out on I/O, been over-reducing on the bowl end of the pieces, but I think its cuz Im fuming too heavily.

Anyway, my review is its good glass. Being that this is the first time Ive bought Kimble Artistic OR 50x5 I cant give a perfectly comparative review, but all in all Im satisfied with what I got.

BTW ABR rocked the customer service, 2 day shipping on 2 orders placed 2 days apart, and actually got a phone call about an out-of-stock item instead of just opening a package to the dismay of half of it being there. ABR, give yourselves a pat on the back, this is 100% better service than what I was experiencing a year ago, thanks for the efforts!

[full_kiln]

i have to say theres nothing like schott