Though not always easy to find, Kyle Camyre of Blingin Beads is open for business
If Kyle Camyre toiled in his glass lab twenty-four-seven three-sixty-five, breaking only to pee, sleep, and smoke weed, he’d still have one of the rarest, most elusive products in the cannabis community.
It takes about a week of flamework to complete one of his Blingin Beads. Ornate custom wearable art, each glass link is a unique and mesmerizing masterpiece. Worn by everyone from musicians to cannabis executives, they’re a tasteful subtle counterculture flex among people who value homeblown beauty over corporate branding.
Camyre is somewhat elusive, and has been known to have long wait lists for new sets of beads. So upon hearing that he’s taking orders, I asked about the origin of Blingin hype, his artisan ancestry, and how people customize their ropes. His responses follow …
Dirtbike, Glassachusetts
I’m a third-generation glass worker. The first generation were stained-glass workers. My dad and grandfather had a stained-glass company called Sunday Sunshine in Palmer, Mass. But I grew up racing BMX bikes. I’m a four-time national champion. I was fully factory sponsored by Cannondale by age 11. They even flew me to Bogota, Colombia for the world championships. I crashed and got eighth.
A boy and his beads …
I got into glass when I started smoking bud. My dad took me to my friend Nick’s glass shop in Mount Snow, Vermont when I was 15 or 16. I really wanted to learn how to make a pipe or do something and he asked if I wanted to make beads or glass ornaments, and I just chose beads. I found the torch in the basement and he saw me starting to fumble around with it. And so I started just fucking around making one for myself.
From bead try to bead guy …
It took me the better part of a decade to figure out how to train myself. It’s about making sure the dots and the layers don’t smudge or shift. That’s what gives it the unique uniform look all throughout—really, it’s just the flame control.
The collectibles …
The first ones ever went to friends in high school. I’ve been doing this since I was a senior and I have no idea how many I’ve done since. I couldn’t tell you if I had to.
The customizations …
There’s a standard [color], or you can substitute any of these other colors. Those colors are a different stick of glass that is more difficult to work with, so it costs a little more. And if someone has a logo, I can make beads to match your logo colors. It takes about a week to do one necklace. Every bead is made by these hands.
