Shatter, buds, and wax — the world of cannabis concentrates is oh-so-fun to explore. To make the most from these potent and concentrated extracts you must learn to smoke just a dab.
In essence, smoking dabs will involve heating your concentrate until its vapor point, and then inhaling the vapors part in the interaction of cannabinoids and terpenes. So, as long as you adhere to a few basic guidelines, there are a variety of ways to enjoy a dab.
How do I smoke Dabs with Dab Rig?
Of all the ways to smoke dabs, dab equipment is the most popular method. You can pick either a standard dab rig setup or one with an e-nail (electric nail).
Standard Dab Rig
The most common method of smoking dabs is to use a traditional dab rig. You can locate a myriad of fancy configurations, but they typically have similar components including a water-filled chamber an inhaler mouthpiece an inhalation, a dome for encapsulating heat and vapors, and an instrument to heat the dab.
To make use of a dab rig eliminate the dome then heat the nail, then replace the dome, add your dab to the nail using a dabber or dab device, and then take a deep breath. Most people will use a carb cap to cover the dome to manage the temperature and flow of vapors even further.
Electric Dab Rig
The electric dab rig works similarly that a standard dab device but it has one distinct advantage it makes use of electricity to heat the metal nail so that you don’t need to heat it up manually. One advantage of an electric dab rig that has an electronic nail is you have more control over temperature.
When you are using some concentrates, for instance, THC oils, you’ll want to keep a consistent temperature to preserve the terpenes in the concentrate and prevent bad flavors. However, this precise control of the temperature of e-rigs makes them an ideal choice for concentrates such as live resin or terp sauce.
How to smoke Dabs without a Dab Rig
T-Wax (rolled in a joint)
T-waxing is a relatively common method to smoke dabs even though it’s messy. If you’ve got good bud and a good concentrate, you’re simply going to add a little of the concentrate you’ve chosen to the weed you’re rolling into a joint. This works best with some of the thicker concentrates, such as budder or sugar wax. Concentrates with thinner concentrations such as RSO oils are a challenge to get a good flame once you’ve started.
Vaping
Vaping concentrates is an easy task to accomplish if you have the proper setup it is also one of the most effective ways to smoke dabs on the go. You’ll require a vaping setup with separate atomizers as well as batteries so that it is easy to place your dab on the (heating coil). The trick is to determine the proper temperature for the concentrate to become vaporized, which is why you’ll require a vaping setup that gives you an adjustable temperature.
Other methods of vaping other than “vape pens” include cannabis vaporizers that are specifically designed for concentrates. These vaporizers work well for those who aren’t a fan of cartridges and would prefer other types of concentrates or who would like to take their dabs with them on the go.
Healthstone
A healthstone is a specially designed stone you can put inside the bowl of a bong or in a regular pipe. The healthstone is porous, which means the smoke that comes from the fired dab travels through the stone, then through the bong or pipe, and out through the mouthpiece. Just add the stone into the bowl, heat your healthstone to a suitable temperature, then add your dab, puff and then enjoy.
Hot-Knife Method
If you’re lacking anything else on hand, the hot-knife technique is the simplest, easiest way to get just a little. You simply heat up a metal butter knife in the oven or with a torch lighter, place your dab onto the hot surface, then inhale the vapors through a straw. This process could result in lots of waste and could be hazardous because you must be cautious not to burn your hands, but it’s a good option in a pinch.