If you’re not well versed on the topic of marijuana you may not know about dabbing. What are dabs? Well if you’re looking for some type of a guide to teach you how to do a dumb dance with your arms you may just be in the wrong place. If you are trying to melt your face off with some dank marijuana concentrates then you may just find some useful information here. Dabbing in general can be cleaner and more efficient than smoking weed and many people are making a complete switch all together.

What are dabs?

Dab is a catch all term that refers to marijuana concentrates and is sometimes referred to as hash oil, honey oil, BHO, or wax. There are many different types of dabs available that can be made through a number of extraction processes. The most common extraction method is butane extraction which is usually the easiest and the equipment is more readily available. Other extraction methods include Propane, Alcohol, and some solventless methods use dry ice or ice water. The quality of your dabs can depend on a few things like quality of material used, extraction method, and the extractor. If an under experienced person is making your dabs you could end up with some dark “butane soup” or something you may not want to inhale. Most concentrates should be light in color and should almost never be black.

What are dabs made of?

Dabs are made commonly using the trim or sugar leaf of the plant. However higher quality dabs will contain only the good buds from the plant. If you’re shopping for dabs make sure you know if you are getting a trim run or a nug run, it usually means a difference in quality. Since some dabs use a solvent extraction process they can contains trace amounts of the gas used. Some dispensaries and legal states have regulations for this, but if you’re getting your dabs from some guy he may not be following these guidelines.

How old are dabs?

First of all, dabs have been around since the 1970’s, but were then called hash oils. There have been some reports of cannabis concentrates before the 70’s but they weren’t commonly used. On the streets, it was called honey, because of its amber-like hue. It gained popularity because of the ability to make a more concentrated version. This was achieved by blasting hash, or cannabis plant trimmings, with butane and then purging out the chemical solvents.

How do you dab wax?

There are many different methods for dabbing concentrates but basically you just need to heat something, apply the wax, and inhale the vapor that is produced. The most common method involves a glass dab rig, a dab nail, a butane dab torch, and of course you will need some dabs. Use the torch to heat your dab nail. Whether you are using titanium, quartz, or ceramic, you want to make sure you don’t dab while its too hot. If it’s red hot, it too hot. Wait at least 30 seconds to cool off if it gets red hot. Different nail materials hold heat differently so you will have to get used to your nail.

The lower the temperature of your dab the more you will be able to taste the flavors. If the temperature is too low you wont be able to dab so you will need to get some practice. If you are looking for something a little more advance you may want to look into an electronic nail or an eNail for dabbing. An eNail can be set to your desired dabbing temperature and stay there for the whole dabbing session. An eNail can save you time and money on butane if you like to dab a lot.

Are dabs bad for you?

In a way anything can be bad for you, but if you’re smart about dabbing then you won’t have much to worry about. Low quality dabs from a bad extractor can contain high amounts of hydrocarbon or solvents you don’t want to inhale. I’ve seen things for sale in medical dispensaries that I would recommend consuming for anyone, let alone someone with medical needs. Make sure you are getting quality dabs from a reputable extractor.

Is dabbing safer than smoking weed?

Most people who want to stick to smoking weed and avoid dabbing have a lot of misconceptions about dabs. The most common thing people refer to is the fact dabs are extracted with butane so you are basically smoking butane. These people usually don’t realize they probably inhale more butane when they light a joint or a bowl of weed. Using a butane torch can be a little more risky than using a regular lighter but as long as you are being safe with everything dabbing is just fine and very enjoyable.

Different types of dabs

Shatter – As the names says, it should “shatter” like glass. Sometimes when its warmer you get a bend and snap effect. But if it folds over or doesn’t snap its technically not shatter. Shatter usually has some of the higher THC percentages.

Wax – This is another catchall term used for dabs but it also specifically refers to crumbles, budders, and saps. It mostly refers to concentrates that are easier to handle.

Crumble – Usually a wax that isn’t gooey but crumbles when you try to break it. Sometimes budder wax can dry out and it will basically become a crumble. Sometimes its referred to as flake wax.

Budder – Similar to crumble in color and potency but with a peanut butter consistency. The texture is achieved when it is whipped while it is being heated, and in the purging process also. Whipping adds air and creates froth. Once it begins to cool, it regains its solid consistency. Very easy to handle and can be easily applied to dab pens.

Sap – This term is used on shatters that end up gooey or clear waxes. A few things can effect the consistency and water is one of the things that makes a gooier wax. This will have a syrup like feel to it but can be easier to handle when you cool it in the fridge.

Distillate – If you’re looking for the highest percentage of THC you can get, try out some distillate at up to 99% THC. Distillate is usually fully activated and can be eaten or cooked into your favorite foods.

Terp Sauce – For some people its not all about potency with concentrates, you also want flavor. Terp sauce usually just refers to a concentrate that has a lot of terpenes that were either left in or added into the extract. A great flavor can really help you enjoy dabbing in a new way.

Sugar Wax – This term refers to a certain look a concentrate can achieve. Sugar wax is crystallized which can be caused by a number of things including during the extraction or storing process. It is usually made to be flavorful but sometimes sugar wax is achieved by letting wax sit for a long time which can degrade the flavor.

Live Resin – This is a term describing any concentrate made using fresh live marijuana plants that are flash frozen then extracted. It will go through typical BHO extraction processes and be made into a number of different forms of live resin. Live sugar, live shatter, live terp sauce and whatever else your extractor wants to call it.

Of course there are other terms for dabs and new ones popping up all time time. When you’re buying dabs just look for the good stuff, don’t be sold by cool names. Sometimes Hash oils come in syringes, so you can drip the oil directly on the heated titanium nail used in dab rigs. Oils also come in vape pen cartridges, for those of you who would prefer to smoke like you would with an e-cigarette.

 

Budder, Flake, and Shatter. Pick one or pick all, it doesn’t even matter. #710 #420 #instadab #instaweed #dab #wax #flakewax #budderwax #shatter #c02 #dab #dabble #dabbleextracts #smokeweed

A post shared by SmokeWeedinc.com (@smokeweed_inc) on Oct 21, 2015 at 8:06pm PDT