How To
How To
How to Make Dabs at Home
So you want to make your own dabs? Good idea - but hold on a sec! Some methods of making dabs are dangerous, especially when dealing with flammable materials. If you're looking at making dabs, chances are that you aren't new to dabbing. However, if we have readers who have just heard of dabbing and are fascinated with the prospect of enjoying almost pure THC, we'll also cover some dabbing basics. If you're already familiar with dabbing, you can skip the first few sections - we won't be hurt. In this blog post, we'll go through what dabbing is, different types of dabs, how to make them, and how to enjoy your new creation. What Is Dabbing? Gone are the days when the only way to consume cannabis is by smoking the flowers. Dabs are all the rage now and taking the world by storm! Dabs are super-potent cannabis extracts with a high concentration of cannabinoids, such as our beloved THC. While typical cannabis flower clocks in at around 10 to 30% THC, dabs can be as potent as 90%. They also contain high concentrations of terpenes that give weed its aroma and flavor. Unlike smoking weed, dabs are vaporized and inhaled. Types Of Dabs There are many forms of cannabis concentrates, each one using a different extraction method. Here are some common ones that you might find at a dispensary. Shatter Shatter gets its name from its glass-like appearance and brittle texture. One of the purest and most potent forms of concentrate, it contains high THC levels and other cannabinoids. Wax Wax has a softer, crumbly texture compared to shatter. It is slightly more malleable, making it easier to handle and dab. Wax has a similar potency to shatter and gets its name from its resemblance to earwax. Budder Budder is a smooth and creamy concentrate with a consistency like butter, hence the name. It is created by whipping the extract during purging, resulting in a whipped or budder-like texture. Rich in terpenes, it delivers a flavorful dabbing experience. Crumble Crumble is a type of wax that has a low moisture content. It is named for its crumbly, honeycomb-like texture that easily falls apart. Rosin Rosin is made without any solvents. Heat and pressure are applied to the cannabis flowers to extract the oils from the plant. The extraction separates the cannabinoids and terpenes, resulting in a potent concentrate. Isolate Isolate is the purest form of a compound, usually THC or CBD, often reaching up to 99%. Odorless and flavorless, the isolate contains only THC or CBD, not the terpenes and other compounds found in other dabs. It is usually crystalline and extracted using carbon dioxide or ethanol solvents. How To Make Dabs At Home Okay, now we've gone through some of the basics, let's tackle the main focus of this article. You can use several methods to make dabs - Butane, Alcohol, Ice Water, and Rosin Press. Butane (Do Not Use!) In industrial environments, wax is most commonly made with butane. This wax is also called "butane hash oil," or BHO for short. However, using the butane method at home is a terrible idea because butane is a flammable gas that can explode. When dabbing first became popular, the news was all awash with exploding butane, causing injury and property damage. Dabs extracted with the butane method are produced by trained professionals in a controlled facility like a legal laboratory. So while you shouldn't be trying this at home, what happens in a lab is that butane is forced through the cannabis. The butane is a solvent that will separate the oils like cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant. However, butane is also toxic and has no place in dabs. That's why the residue is left on a surface at room temperature, allowing the butane to evaporate. It will also be slowly heated to ensure all the butane is gone. The resulting residue is oil that dries into wax or shatter. Again, avoid the butane way like the plague! There are other ways to get your dabs without risking life and limb. Alcohol For this, the critical ingredient is alcohol (duh!). Two standard methods for alcohol extraction are the "QWISO" (Quick Wash Isopropyl Alcohol) or "QWET" (Quick Wash Ethanol). Note that isopropyl alcohol is unsafe for human consumption, and even food-grade ethanol shouldn't be consumed at high concentrations. Also, both compounds are highly flammable, so if you cannot use them safely, use a 190-proof grain alcohol (like Everclear) instead. Okay, warnings aside, you'll need the following: Cannabis Isopropyl alcohol 99% or higher or high concentration food-grade ethanol Glass jar with an airtight lid Coffee filters or a strainer Glass container for evaporation Spatula Parchment paper Step-by-Step Guide Break your cannabis into smaller pieces to increase the surface area for more efficient extraction Dry it thoroughly in an oven for 20 minutes Freeze the cannabis and the alcohol for four to six hours to preserve terpenes and prevent some compounds from dissolving in the alcohol. Place the cannabis into the glass jar and pour alcohol over it, completely submerging the buds. Close the lid and swirl the mixture for 30 seconds Strain the mixture into the second glass container. The liquids now contain all the compounds extracted from the plant matter. Let the alcohol from the mixture evaporate fully and naturally at room temperature. You can also use a warm water bath or double boiler to speed the process up Never use an open flame near the mixture (remember, alcohol is flammable!) Once the alcohol is completely evaporated, you can scrape the residue onto a dish lined with parchment paper and store it in an airtight container. Voila! Homemade dabs! Always work in a well-ventilated area and keep the alcohol far from any open flame. Of course, do not smoke when you're working! Ice Water This method uses an even better solvent - ice and water. You won't have to worry about starting a fire, but using ice water is labor-intensive and takes quite a while. You're going to freeze the trichomes containing THC and other cannabinoids off, creating a type of dab called bubble hash or ice water hash. You'll need: Cannabis 10 to 15 lbs of crushed ice or ice cubes Large bucket Mixing spoon Bubble bags or screen Water Parchment paper Step-by-Step Guide First, freeze your cannabis for a few hours. This will preserve terpenes and help with separating the trichomes Stack the bubble bags or screens in the bucket, starting with the finest mesh at the bottom Fill the bucket with ice and water, allowing it to get as cold as possible so that trichomes become brittle Add the frozen cannabis to the mix Make sure the plant material is completely submerged Stir the mixture with your spoon for about 20 to 30 minutes. This agitation will cause the trichomes to break off and be collected in the screens Allow the mixture to settle, then carefully remove each screen, starting from the top The top screen will have collected the least pure form of hash, while the finest screens have the best quality Place the collected trichomes on parchment paper and let them air dry for a few days. You can also speed up the drying with a food dehydrator on a low setting. You've got bubble hash! Rosin Press The rosin press way of extracting dabs is the quickest and easiest. You only need a flat iron, some parchment paper, and cannabis. Step-by-Step Guide First, heat the iron to about 180°F to 220°F (82°C to 104°C) Then, cut the parchment paper to about the size of your hand Pick a nice, juicy nug Fold the paper in half with the nug in the middle Apply the iron to the paper and get the nug as flat as you can You will hear the nug sizzling, which means the dabs are getting melt onto the paper Hold the iron down for 20 to 60 seconds, and be sure not to vaporize them accidentally If you see smoke or vapor, there's too much heat Once done, carefully remove the paper and collect the rosin with a dab tool or spoon You're done! It takes a while to get the hang of using the rosin press method, and you might damage or waste a nug or two. However, once you've mastered the technique, this is the easier and quickest way of getting some prime dabs! How to Use Dabs Now that you're clued into making your own dabs, what are your options for using them? Dab Rig This is the most popular way of dabbing. Dab rigs are specialized water pipes with a glass chamber and percolator, a dab nail typically made of quartz or titanium, and a mouthpiece. You heat the nail to a high temperature with a butane torch, and once the nail reaches the optimal temperature, you place the dab onto it and inhale the resulting vapor through the mouthpiece. You can also use an e-nail, an electronic nail powered by a battery, to vaporize the dab. Pipe Bowl You can also add a dab to a packed pipe for a stronger, more intense hit. Just place a small dab onto the weed already in the bowl. The goal is for the weed to heat the dab, so avoid contact between the flame and the dab. Dab Pen Dab pens are ultra discreet and portable so that you can dab on the road. Load your pen according to the manufacturer's instructions, hit the button, and off you go! Vape pens can also be used, but you'll need an atomizer. Joint You can also add dabs to a joint to up its intensity. Fully enclose the dab with ground cannabis and roll as you would normally. Edibles Edibles are a fun way to consume dabs, so look up some recipes and get baking! Final Thoughts Making your own dabs is a fun way to enjoy your cannabis even more. We hope you have all the information you need to become an expert dabber!
How to Roll Cross Joints
If you want to elevate your smoking game and impress your stoner friends, rolling a cross joint is a surefire way to do it. While it may seem daunting at first, it's easier to do than you think. In this guide, we'll show you step-by-step how to roll a cross joint so you can become the life of the party. So get your rolling papers ready, and let's get started!
How To Use A Dab Torch
According to Statista, cannabis concentrates sales have been on the rise, and aren’t coming down any time soon. There’s good reason for it, too: not only versatile, the THC content of concentrates is unmatched. With THC concentrations above 80%, they’re one powerful hit.
My Vape Pen Won’t Charge: What to Do?
Is your vape pen not charging? Don’t panic. We’re here to help. Vape pens, although extremely portable and convenient, also tend to have issues when charging or producing vapor, especially when they’re older or made out of budget-friendly materials.
How to Use a Vape Pen for Weed
Looking to use a vape pen for weed? Now more than ever, vape pens seem to be everywhere. But, which is the best vape pen for weed overall? Which vape pen provides you with the experience you’re looking for? Here, we’ll go through our favorite vape pens. We’ll tell you how to choose the right vape pen, show you some of the best vape pens on the market, and explain how to use them. By the end of the article, you’ll know exactly which vape pen you need. Let’s get started! Can you use any vape for weed? It depends on what you mean by “vape pen”. In this article, we’ll refer to “vape pens” to any pen-sized device for vaping, a.k.a. anything electronic that you can vape out of. There are a ton of different vapes for different uses. A lot of the first vaporizers were developed for dry herbs originally, going from large desktop devices into the portable vaporizers of today. Nowadays, there are mainly three kinds of vape pens: Vape pens for cartridges: Also called “battery pens”, these devices connect to a cartridge to vape out of. Once the cartridge is done, it’s refilled, or discarded and replaced with a new one. Vape pens for concentrates: Developed for dabbing fans, these devices can be loaded with waxy concentrates to vape them on the go. Vape pens for dry herb: Usually more expensive than their counterparts, dry herb vaporizers can be loaded with a small amount of weed to be vaporized. As you can see, it’s not like you can get any vape pen and put some herbs in it. Choosing the right one is the first step in learning how to use a vape pen for whatever material you want. Step 1: Pick the right vape pen What do you want to vaporize? Dry herbs? Concentrates? Cartridges? All of the above? Some vape pens, like the Atmos Jump, can only vaporize dry herbs. Other devices, like the Flowermate Aura, can vaporize both dry herbs and oils, and there are some devices that can even vaporize concentrates and be used as a dab straw. Pick a pen that would ideally support the materials you like to vaporize the most. Step 2: Load your vape pen Once you have a vape pen, you want to load the material into it. For wax vape pens, you want to use a dab tool to collect the wax and place it into your vaporizing chamber. Never use your fingers only, since the oils on them can degrade the wax you’re handling. For liquid concentrate vaporizers, you can load the oil into the chamber drop by drop. If you only have a 510 threaded vape pen battery, you can still buy a separate refillable cartridge to use it to vaporize oil. That way, you can reduce your waste and your spending, since oil tends to be cheaper when bought separately. For dry herb vape pens, you’ll want to follow the instructions of the device to know if you should be packing the herb tightly or loosely. Close your vape pen chamber when you’re done reloading. Step 3: Use the vape pen’s button Now that you’ve loaded up your vape pen, you can start using it. Most vape pens have the one button. Here’s the “standard” way of operating a one-button vape pen: 5 presses – Turn on/off Long press - Heat up the chamber to take a draw 3 presses - Change temperature setting Although some vaporizers may have more or less options, most vape pens follow a variation of this navigation system. Battery pens and oil vaporizers usually heat up instantly with one long press, while wax pens and dry herb vaporizers may take longer to fully heat up the chamber. There are some buttonless vape pens, especially ones made for oil, that simply start as soon as the operator inhales. Ready to take a hit? Step 4: Learn to inhale Most vape pens, especially the more affordable ones, aren’t made for you to just inhale directly to your lungs. If you do, you’ll likely feel more resistance than you should. Learn to inhale through negative pressure, getting the vapor to your mouth by pulling your tongue from front to back, instead of inhaling through your lungs. Once you have a mouthful of vapor, inhale a large breath of fresh air and exhale fully. Vapor also feels different to your lungs than air or smoke, and can induce coughing, especially when vaporizing at higher temperatures. Experimenting different temperatures and different inhalation techniques to find your favorite one to use with each vape pen. Step 5: Clean and store It’s usually best to start cleaning up as soon as you’ve consumed all the material in your device. This will help you always have a device ready to go, instead of having to clean it every time you want to use it. Wait until your device has cooled off. Then, you can remove the mouthpiece and use a brush to remove the remaining debris. If you’ve vaped oils or waxy concentrates, you’ll want to clean the chamber with a cotton swab dampened with alcohol as soon as you’ve finished your material. If you’re vaping dry herbs, you may skip this step until you see any residue buildup. Make sure your device is clean and charged for next session—your future self will thank you. Final Thoughts about using vape pens Vape pens are awesome smoke-free alternatives. This leads to a cleaner experience with no ashes reaching your lungs, no flames, and far less odor. If you want a discreet and efficient way of vaporizing your materials anywhere you want, go check out our vape pen collection at Grasscity!
How To Hit A Bong
New to the game? There’s no shame! Follow these four steps to success and you’ll be smoking like a pro in no time.
10 Homemade Pipes To Make If You're In A Bind
Cannabis smokers are extremely innovative when it comes to making pieces with materials found around the house. If you ever find yourself in a bind and without a bong or smoking pipe, try some of these neat homemade pieces invented by creative, open-minded people like you. How to make an Apple Pipe Image Source: Imgur First off, we have this classic homemade piece. This apple pipe is great when you are on the go, and making it is very easy. But, how do you make an apple pipe? Step 1: Gather your supplies. You need an apple, mouthpiece, small tube to serve as a carb hole, a nail, a lighter, and of course, your herbs. Step 2: Take the fresh apple and poke a hole in the side of the apple with the mouthpiece until about half of the apple. Leave the mouthpiece in the apple. Step 3: Make a hole on the left side on the top of the apple; this will serve as a carb hole. Make sure the hole is deep enough. It should be poked to the middle of the apple, just as deep as the mouthpiece. Step 4: Remove the stem of the apple and use the nail to poke a hole till the middle of the apple. The hole should meet the hole of the mouthpiece and carb hole. Step 5: Load your bowl (which is the top of the apple) with your herbs, light it, and enjoy! An apple pipe a day keeps the doctor away, is how the saying goes, right? How to make a Gravity Bong Image Source: Imgur A favorite among cannabis connoisseurs, the gravity bong is great for conserving your supply and fun at parties! But how do you make a gravity bong? Let’s go over the steps. Step 1: Gather your supplies. You need a large container, a smaller bottle (2 liters), aluminum foil, scissors, a needle, a lighter, and your herbs. Step 2: Take the scissors and cut off the bottom of the 2-liter bottle. Step 3: Take the scissors and cut off the top of the container. Step 4: Fill the container with water. Step 5: Take the cap from the 2-liter bottle and make a hole as large as your pink in the cap. Step 6: Wrap a piece of aluminum foil around your pink and add it to the hole of the cap. Then press the ends of the foil around the cap. This cap will serve as your bowl. Now add the bowl to the 2-liter bottle. Step 7: Poke some holes in the foil with a needle. Step 8: Lower the 2-liter bottle in the water-filled container and load the bowl. Step 9: Light the bowl and sublingually pull the 2-liter water bottle up, so the smoke can form. Step 10: Remove the bowl. Step 11: Inhale the smoke while pushing down the bottle. Repeat this process as necessary. How to make a Pen Pipe Image Source: WikiHow This one can be constructed in less than a minute, so it’s a great one to use if you are in a time crunch. Step 1: Gather your supplies. You need a pen, a lighter, and adhesive tape (optional). Step 2: Take a pen that you can easily dismantle, then remove the ink chamber. Step 3: Place the nib on the tip the opposite way that it would normally fit on the pen. Step 4: Fill the nib with your cannabis and tape the nib to the pen for support. Step 5: light the nip and inhale through the opposite side of the pen. How to make Steamroller Pipe Image Source: WikiHow This is perhaps the easiest one to make, which is perfect if you don’t have a lot of time. We'll show you the steps on how to make a steamroller. Step 1: Gather your supplies. You need a discarded toilet paper roll, aluminum foil, a needle, scissors, and your herbs. Step 2: Take a discarded toilet paper roll or paper towel roll and cut a round hole in the side for the bowl. Step 3: Cover the hole in the foil, then poke holes in the foil with the needle. Step 4: Add your herbs to the bowl. Step 5: cover the end closest to the bowl with your hand, light the bowl and take a hit. How to make a Water Bottle Bong Image Source: Imgur The water bottle bong is another classic that is quick and easy to make. So, how do you make a water bottle bong? Step 1: Gather your supplies. You need a plastic bottle, a downstem, a bowl, scissors, and your herbs. Step 2: Take an empty, clean plastic bottle, and poke a hole about halfway up the bottle on the side with the scissors. Step 3: Stick a downstem in the hole or use a pen if you don’t have one available. Step 4: For a grommet, you can use a rubber washer or either modeling clay or electrical tape if you don’t have one available. Step 5: Add the bowl to the downstem or use a metal bolt or the nib of a pen if you don’t have a spare bowl. Step 6: Light the bowl and inhale through the mouthpiece. How to make a Frost Pipe Image Source: FrostPipe.com The frost pipe requires buying a kit online, but again it’s very easy to make once you have the kit and follow the instructions. Step 1: For making a frost pipe, you need a 3-piece freezer mold that lets you DIY your own smoking pipe our of ice. If you want to use it, you first have to put the included stopper into the mold. Step 2: Fill the mold with water and put it in the freezer, so it will freeze completely. This will take 6 till 8 hours. You can add colors to the water you put in the mold, for a crazy looking frost pipe. You can adjust the stopper if leaking is occurring. Step 3: Remove the stopper from the part of the ice mold that forms the bowl. Step 4: Take the frost pipe out of the mold. You can do this easily with running hot water along the sides of the mold, without the water touching the ice. Step 5: To get the ice pipe out, you can shake the frost bong or use the hole. But be careful, you don't want your pipe to break! Step 6: Put a screen in your frost pipe, and you're ready to smoke! How to make a Lego Bong Image Source: Pinterest I’ve never built a bong out of Legos, so I can’t verify how effective this piece actually is, but there are many videos on YouTube on how to construct one, so it must work pretty well. Smoking out of a Lego bong is probably something you’ve always wanted to do, right? Step 1: Gather your supplies. You need Lego, a downstem, a bowl, and your herbs. Step 2: Build a bong with the Lego. Step 3: Add the downstem with the bowl. Step 4: Fill the bowl with your herbs, light the bowl and inhale the smoke. How to make a Tic-Tac Bong Image Source: Pinterest This tiny bong fits right in your pocket! Which makes this the perfect self-made bong to take on the go. So, how do you make a Tic-Tac bong? Step 1: Gather your supplies. You need an empty Tic-Tac box, a downstem, a grommet, scissors, a bowl, and your herbs. Step 2: Drill a hole on the side of an empty Tic-Tac container. Step 3: Use a regular downstem, or a pen if you don’t have one, and add it to the hole. Step 4: Use a grommet, such as a rubber washer, modeling clay, or electrical tape, to make sure there is no smoke escaping from the hole. Step 5: Add the bowl to the downstem and fill it with herbs. Step 6: Light the bowl and inhale the smoke through the mouthpiece. How to make a Metal Pipe Image Source: MetalDetectingForum.com The homemade metal pipe probably will require a trip to the hardware store. How do you make a metal pipe? Step 1: Go to the plumbing section in your local hardware store. There you will find many parts that you can screw together to make a basic metal pipe. There are many ways to make one. Just go with what you think will work the best. I trust your judgment. If you don’t want to go through so much trouble, you can always buy a ready metal pipe. Liquor Bottle Bong Image Source: Pinterest The liquor bottle bong requires using a drill, so make sure that you take all recommended safety precautions. I recommend watching a video tutorial before trying this yourself. The construction of the liquor bottle bong is very similar to the water bottle bong. Unlike some other homemade pieces, you can actually use this one for a long time. Or, if this one is still a little too advanced for you, you can always buy a glass bong online. An essential part of the stoner experience is learning how to make your own pieces. It’s a fun way to learn rudimentary engineering skills. Constructing your own cool bongs and pipes gives you a sense of accomplishment, which in my opinion, enhances your high. Of course, making your own pieces comes with its own risk. Using a drill can be dangerous if you are not properly equipped, and smoking from tinfoil or plastic is harmful to your health and is done to excess. If you truly want to avoid the hassle and risk of making your own piece, we recommend purchasing our medical-grade products on Grasscity.com. If you prefer buying a bong or pipe that is ready to use the minute it arrives. We suggest checking out our cool bongs and cool pipes to impress your smoker friends. On a budget? Check out our cheap bongs. Featured Image Source: Flickr What have you used to make a homemade piece? Let us know in the comments!
How to smoke a bong in 7 simple steps
Smoking a bong or bubbler is one of the most fun ways to smoke. A bong allows you to take extra big hits because of the large amounts of air and herbs the bong can hold. The water filling the bong helps cool down the smoke. Cooling the smoke makes your hits way smoother, which means getting a sore throat after a couple of hits is a thing of the past. This article explains exactly how to use a bong in 7 simple steps. Happy smoking! Step 1: Cleaning your bong If you have used your bong before make sure to clean it out. You can do this simply by disconnecting all of the pieces and washing them with water. If the bong is made of glass you can also use a cleaning solution like Bong Cleaner to clean the bong. After you’re done cleaning, be sure to dry the pieces and carefully put them back together. Step 2: Filling the bong with water As said before, water helps to cool down smoke which is essential for enjoying smooth hits. Fill only the base of the bong till the downstem is just covered by water. This way the smoke has to go through the water. Don’t fill the bong up too high or you risk spilling bong water over your bud or yourself. The perfect height is about 1 inch (2,5 cm) above the bottom tip of your downstem. Step 3: Fill up your bowl Put in some herbs from your favourite strain. In some cases you have to use a screen to prevent the smaller pieces and ashes from falling in your bong. Check the instructions on the packaging or in your bong’s manual to be sure. Be sure not to put too much in at once as it makes it harder to burn and you don’t want to be left with half-burned herbs. Also make sure to grind the herbs before adding them to the bowl. Do this roughly so you end up with quite big chunks. Step 4: Close all holes. For the smoke to collect in the bong all holes should be closed. Do so by placing your lips inside the bong and the rim against the area around your mouth closing off the mouthpiece. Many bowls offer an extra hole to increase the airflow to clear the chamber when inhaling the smoke. This hole is called a ‘carb hole’ and should be closed by using your finger.Pro tip: Use a finger of your non-dominant hand to close this hole so that you can use your dominant hand to light up your herbs. Carb Holes make using your bong easier because you don’t have to lift up your bong and remove your bowl while taking a hit. This reduces the chances of your bong or downstem breaking. Bongs without a carb hole do pack a stronger punch and don’t require you to focus on making sure the carb hole is closed while inhaling. Step 5: Light it up This is where the magic happens. Get comfy on your favorite couch or chair. Lighting up is easy and can be done with a regular lighter. Be careful not to burn yourself. Keep your thumb away from the fire. Holding the lighter sideways makes this easier. We offer a couple of really cool lighters and some hemp wick that we think you’ll like. Check them out in our store. Step 6: Start to inhale You should start inhaling as soon as you light up the herbs. You’ll see the smoke collecting in the chamber of your bong. Keep inhaling till enough smoke has filled up the chamber. Be gentle as inhaling too fast might make your bong water end up in your mouth. Pro tip: If you want to make smoking a bit easier you should inhale and exhale a couple of times before lighting up the bong using your diaphragm (belly breathing). Doing so will increase the amount of oxygen in your body, making it easy to inhale more smoke through your bong without coughing or getting out of oxygen. Step 7: Release and take a hit Put your lighter away now and get ready to open up the carb hole that you have been closing with your finger or the bowl if your bong doesn’t offer a carb. Once the hole is open, air can flow through and clear the chamber. You can now inhale the smoke from your bong easily because of the extra air flow. Keep the smoke in your lungs for a few seconds before exhaling to maximize your hit. When you’re done smoking, throw away the bong water and clear the bowl of all the excess burned herbs. You can easily clean the bowl by giving it a quick rinse. Happy smoking!
4 (Pretty Much) Fullproof Ways to Prevent Your Bong From Breaking
There is no question that we all love our glass pieces. They’re fun to collect, fun to look at, fun to show off to friends, and of course fun to smoke out of. Sometimes tragedy strikes and then the unthinkable happens: your bong breaks. There are few things more devastating to a cannabis connoisseur than breaking a cherished piece. So how do you prevent this from happening? I strongly recommend that you try some of these (pretty much) foolproof tips. Get a Case for your Bong To prevent your bong from breaking, you should always have some kind of case or lock box for the pieces that are just a little more important to you. For bongs, you really cannot go wrong with a padded case, specifically designed for storing glass. For a pipe, a padded hard shell case is always a winner. If one is not available, wrap that piece in a pair of socks! Now you have something to do with all those orphan socks in your sock drawer! Always Remove your Downstem/Bowl A common mistake among beginners is not removing their bong or water pipe’s downstem and bowl before putting the bong away after the smoking session is complete. You see this a bit more with older smokers who are not used to glass on glass and grew up using a rubber grommet. Glass on glass is definitely the way to go, but you know what’s going to happen to that glass if you put your bong away fully assembled? It’s going to get jostled around, it’s going to smack together, and it’s going to break. Always remove the downstem and bowl, and always wrap them up separately! You will have to replace fewer downstems and bowls if you abide by this simple rule. Put Your Bong Away! In addition to putting away the downstem and bowl, you should make the minimal effort to put your bong away after you’re done using it. I’m not saying that you have to put it away after every smoking session, just at the end of the day when you’re done using it for the last time that night. Leaving your expensive water pipe out on your desk, coffee table, etc. invites accidents to happen, and there are so many different fates that could befall your bong. Your cat could knock it over, your kids could topple it (though I hope you’re not smoking your bong around your kids). Even you could have a klutzy moment (that’s what tends to happen to me, anyways)! Clean Your Bong Often Wait, what does keeping your bong clean have to do with preventing your bong from breaking? Quite a lot actually. If you don’t practice good bong maintenance, you will have to do more heavy cleaning sessions on your glass. This may require you to be a little rougher with your piece than you would be otherwise. This will likely lead to accidents, especially if there are percs involved. Rinse your bong out after each use and you won’t have tragic accidents! How do you prevent your bong from breaking? Tell us in the comments below!
How to Properly Smoke from a Bong
We all know there are many ways to consume marijuana. We can eat it, vape it, use it as a topical, or put it under our tongue as a tincture. There's also of course smoking it. Chances are at some point in your life you will smoke from a bong. Despite the multitude of ways to consume cannabis, one of the most popular ways to consume is by using a glass water pipe, sometimes referred to as a water bong, or most commonly a bong. Why Use a Bong? Why should you opt to consume cannabis via bong, as opposed to say a simple glass pipe? The answer is pretty obvious: it improves the hit considerably. The reason why is because of the water filtration. As you inhale, the water acts as a filter, cooling the smoke, and ameliorating the harmful effects on your lungs. Marijuana smoke is nowhere near as harmful cigarette smoke, but it's still not beneficial for your lungs. This is where percolators come in handy. Percolator bongs take the normal filtration that happens in say, a beaker bong, and enhances it by adding more air into the mix, hence that pleasant bubbling noise. There are a wide variety of percolator styles. A tree perc for instance, looks well, like a tree, with up to sometimes 12 long arms for cooling and filtering your smoke. A showerhead perc resembles a showerhead, but performs the same function: bettering the smoking experience. How to Smoke From a Bong Learning to smoke from a bong can look complicated to the beginner. How is a person supposed to know when to pull the bowl, or whether they even need to do so at all. Is there a carb hole? Does a high quality bong mean a higher quality hit? Suppress your fears, I will explain it all. Chances are the first time you take a bong hit, the bowl will already be loaded, so we will cover how to load a bowl at a later date. For now, we'll concentrate on what to do when the bong is handed to you. The first step is to locate whether or not there is a carb hole located anywhere on the water pipe. A carb hole is an indicator of whether or not you will have to pull the bowl in order to clear the bong. They are typically located near the joint on the front, back, or side of the bong. If there is a carb hole, simply place your thumb over it and release the carb when the time comes (more on that later). If there is no carb hole, you will have to pull the bowl out of the downstem when the time comes. When lighting the bowl, be vigilant about torching the entire bowl; everyone likes the taste of the green hit. Hence it is considered proper smokers' etiquette to only let the lighter come into contact with a small surface of the bowl, if possible. If you make a mistake and torch the bowl the first time, no one will eject you from the circle. Bearing that in mind, you should learn now to corner the bowl. Again, that is a subject for another time. It's time you learned to smoke from one of these. Image Source: Youtube How Big of a Hit do I Take? the first time you take a pull from a bong, you will want to take a smaller hit than you would take if you were smoking from a glass pipe. A good guideline for your first time is to fill your lungs slightly less than halfway. You'll eventually evolve to those much larger lung busting hits, but for now it is important not to overdo it! It's paramount to ensure that you leave enough room in your lungs to inhale your hit, lest you end up coughing it all out and wasting it! Clearing the Chamber As you inhale you will want to clear the the bong of all residual smoke. How does one go about doing this? If the bong or water pipe you are using has a carb, just release the carb as you inhale. If it does not, you will need to pull the bowl when the time comes to clear. Don't fret, this is easier than it sounds. The invention of glass on glass joints makes the action much more effortless than it was with a rubber grommet. Occasionally you might have an issue with the slide bowl and downstem sticking to one another, but this can be solved easily with what is called a keck clip, an ingenious little contraption that clips the downstem onto the joint. Fortunately, a fixed downstem completely eradicates this type of issue. Always Clear the Bong After you have taken your hit, it is considered good etiquette to "clear" the bong of any lingering smoke that remains in the chamber. No one wants a stale hit, and you might find yourself invited to fewer smoking circles if you are a repeat offender. Congratulations, now you know how to properly smoke from a bong. Now go practice! Add your tips for smoking from a bong properly in the comments below!
5 Dank Ways To Hotbox
Hotboxing is fun and it definitely does work, according to a study done by Johns Hopkins. If you love hotboxing, then you should definitely try some of these ways to make your personal hotbox. All are guarantees for a good time! Classic Blanket And Pillow Fort Remember all those blanket and pillow forts that you built when you were a kid? Put those building skills to use and make your own hotboxing fort. If you’ve never made a blanket and pillow fort, then first of all what kind of childhood did you have? Just kidding, they’re really easy to make. Set up some couch cushions and large sturdy pillows for your walls and use a large comforter as your roof. You get extra points if you build it near an outlet so you can plug in a lava lamp for some nice ambience. This is definitely a creative way to hotbox. Once you have a good sturdy fort, invite some friends over and blaze a few bowls. It’ll feel like you’re at a slumber party again! Bunk Beds If you or one of your friends has a set of bunk beds then you can tuck a couple blankets under each side of the mattress on the top bunk. Then you have a little mini fort to toke up in! Smoke a couple bowls and then tell some scary stories. Make sure you have plenty of snacks. I don’t know about you, but I would buy a bunk bed just so I could turn it into a hotbox fort to hang out in. Giant Cardboard Box Find a giant cardboard box, like a refrigerator or washing machine box and try hotboxing that for a couple bowls. For extra fun you could make a box fort by taping together a bunch of larger boxes. You get extra points if you make a box castle and create a sigil. Better yet, make a couple box castles with your friends, hotbox them and then reenact your favorite battles from Game of Thrones. Instead of the “Battle of Blackwater” you can have the “Battle of Bongwater” if you like hotboxing with a bong. Snow Fort/ Igloo The winter months will be here before you know it, so why not build a snow fort or an igloo to hotbox in? If you don’t know how to build a legitimate igloo, or if you want to speed the process up, use wood pallets for the roof and the walls. If you want to keep your snow fort around for more than a week, make sure you put a ventilation hole in the top, otherwise it will melt pretty quickly. Don’t worry it will still get plenty hotboxed. Walk-in Pantry This is one of the best places to hotbox because for one, you don’t have to put in any effort. Most importantly, your munchie food is right there within your reach. Bring in water, soda, or anything to cure your cottonmouth and you won’t need to leave for hours! Tent In my experience, the best way to hotbox is in a tent. Naturally you’re going to hotbox your tent when you’re camping, but your tent even makes a good place to hotbox anytime. If you have a private, or at least semi-private backyard, then invite some friends over, put up the tent and have a mini camping trip! After hotboxing the tent, you can all sit outside and enjoy being high under the stars. As a bonus, you don’t have to shit in the woods! Don't worry if you don't have a private backyard, you can make an indoor hotbox tent. Hawaiian Hotbox Hawaiian hotboxing sounds exotic, but it’s something that anyone can do, as long as they have a working shower. You’ve probably done this before and didn’t even realize there was a term for it. Anyways, all you do is run your shower and let the bathroom get all steamy, all the while smoking up. The steam will be great for your skin and if you’re in a situation where you need to cover up the dank smell this is the best way to hotbox. Honestly, I haven’t hotboxed since my earlier smoking days when I had a reason to keep my smoke private. These ideas sound awesome, so I’m probably going to build a blanket fort when I get home from class tonight. Featured Image Source: Imgur--- What awesome ways have you hotboxed? Tell us in the comments!
How To "Reclaim" Your Lost Dabs
If you have spent a lot of time dabbing, you've probably heard about Reclaim. It's not unlike most legends, the treasured wax was once thought to be lost, all used up by the stoners of the past, until one day, stoners of the new generation dug deep into the bottom of their nails and discovered a new source of THC, Reclaim. Reclaim is the left over concentrate material that doesn't vaporize during your dabs, and is a great thing to consider whenever you're running low on concentrate. Things you'll need: 1. Nail that you've dabbed with a significant amount. 2. A lighter 3. Wax paper or any concentrate storage container (like a NoGoo) 4. A scraping/collecting tool (optional) 1. Dab your heart out Well, to accumulate reclaim dabs you first need to actually use your nail for an extended period of time. You shouldn't be trying to grab reclaim out of your nail after every dab session, in fact I'd say wait until you've gone through a couple grams of concentrate between reclaim extractions. 2. Lay down your reclaim catcher You're going to need somewhere to keep your precious reclaim, so lay out some parchment paper or set out one of your silicone dab containers (again, have you heard of NoGoo?) There's no need to manipulate the concentrate once it's left the nail, so make sure you've laid out whatever you want to store your reclaimed concentreate in. 3. Heat up the nail You don't need a torch or a heating gun for this one, I actually discourage the use of either, since you're not trying to vaporize your dabs again, you're simply trying to liquify them. Grab your usual bowl-lighting lighter, turn your nail to the side, and let your flame go across the nail slowly as you turn it around. (You may want to use pliers or a heat-resistant glove for this, depending on how your nail retains heat.) If you're working with a quartz nail, you'll be able to tell when your reclaim starts to liquify because you'll see it move around your nail. 4. Guide the melted reclaim to your container Image Source: Youtube After about 10-20 seconds of your heating the nail heats up, you want to begin tilting it so that the nail is mostly vertical, right side up, with a slight turn so that your lighter still is able to heat the sides. Make sure the bottom of your nail is pointed down onto your wax paper or into your concentrate storage unit. If it has liquified, it should just fall right down onto the paper, if you're not sure that all of your reclaim concentrate has come out of the nail, use a metal scraper to see if there is any concentrate that has been loosened in the heat within your nail. 5. Enjoy The completed product should look fairly similar to most wax that you've seen, however will be much darker in color, usually ranging from a tan-brown to a black, but have no fear, it's still some potent concentrate! After the extraction, all you need to do is allow your dabs to cool and solidify again and you're back to dabbing! Featured Image Source: CannaHacker.com --- Who else loves their reclaim? Do you have an easier way to collect it, or to simply help us use more of our dabs the first go-around? Let us know in the comments!
