What is dabbing and how do I do a dab may be a question that you have floating around in your mind. If you’re a cannabis consumer, chances are you’ve already heard about dabbing. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve tried to dab though. When it comes to doing a dab for someone who is old school and used to smoking flowers in the form of a joint, bowl, or bong dabbing can be a little frightening looking.
When people see that you need a blowtorch to smoke cannabis concentrates many are turned off immediately. A lot of people think that they went and turned cannabis into crack or meth. This is not the case. Cannabis concentrates can be very enjoyable like anything else in moderation. Cannabis concentrates are called dabs for a reason in the opinion of many cannabis consumers. That reason is because just a dab will do.
To better understand what a dab is and how to do a dab let’s first look at cannabis concentrates at a high level. There’s many different varieties of cannabis concentrates or dabs available today all with various consistencies, flavors and cannabinoid profiles.
- Shatter tends to have a high THC percentage. It comes in the form of a hard glass like substance that often resembles Amber. Most shatters test between 70 to 90% THC.
- Wax is much softer in texture more like Play-Doh. Wax tests on average between 50 to 80% THC.
- Sugar Wax has a harder consistency than straight wax. When touched it breaks apart and kind of resembles sugar. Sugar wax tends to have a better flavor and terpene profile while still testing high on THC percentages averaging 60 – 90%.
- Crumble is exactly what it sounds like. It is a wax that when touched breaks apart crumbling into little pieces and even a powder like substance at times. Crumble is produced by adding different amounts of vacuum and temperature during the extraction process. Crumble also tests on average at about 60-80% THC.
- Budder has a sticky consistency that resembles butter from the grocery store. With a rich flavor and terpene profile combined with THC levels ranging between 50 to 70%, budder is a smooth alternative to shatter.
- Live Resin is made by extracting cannabis buds that are fresh rather than cured. Live resin is an incredibly terpy concentrate that usually has high THC percentages between 80 to 90% or better.
- CO2 Sapp has a rich terpene profile. CO2 Sapp is produced much like live resin. On average it tests around 50 to 60% THC making it a great alternative for someone looking for an intense buzz or high.
- The Pure is one of the strongest forms of cannabis concentrates available on the market. The Pure is a clear liquid oftentimes infused with other things such as apple, grape, or lemon terps to help give it flavor. THC percentages average 99%.
- Rosin is a type of cannabis extract made from the application of heat to cured or dried cannabis buds. When the buds are pressed between heat and pressure a secretion of resin occurs. This resin is collected and enjoyed. On average rosin tests at about 60% THC or higher.
Now That You Know Some Of The Types Of Dabs, Here’s How They’re Made
These are just some of the types of cannabis extracts or dabs that are available when you look to purchase dabs on the legal market. In the United States, you can find an abundance of cannabis concentrates available in legal recreational Cannabis states such as Colorado or Washington State. When it comes to how cannabis extracts are made there are also several methods.
- PHO or propane honey oil is a method where propane is used as the solvent for extraction.
- BHO also called butane honey oil is one of the most common methods where butane is utilized for the wash of the cannabis to be extracted.
- CO2 is another method that is considered a solvent free extraction. This method produces cannabis concentrates that some claim is healthier. However, many consumers and patients believe they just don’t taste as good as concentrates extracted with other solvents.
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When any of these methods are used, cannabis extractions go through what is called a purge. This is to make sure that any of the solvent or CO2 is removed from the final product. When you purchase cannabis concentrates from a legal licensed cannabis dispensary you will have a printout for your purchase from a lab.
The lab report gives you the cannabinoid profile as well as the ingredients used in growing the herb that made your concentrates. This allows consumers to have a piece of mind that their cannabis concentrates are not packed with pesticides, mold, or mildew.
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How Do I Do a Dab
When it comes time to do a dab, this process can be a little confusing if you’re new. There’s several options for doing a dab. It’s best to find the one you’re comfortable with so that you can have as an enjoyable experience as possible. Remember when you’re trying a dab for the first time to take it slow. I like to say instead of dabbing try dibbing. This means just a tiny miniscule amount of cannabis concentrates AKA a dib.
There’s several different electronic devices in which a blowtorch is not required for you to partake in a dab. Electronic pens such as the Dabsolute Concentrate Pen or Open Vape concentrate pen give you the option of enjoying all that a dab has to offer, with a simple push of a button.
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Once you determine that dabbing is for you and it’s enjoyable most consumers turn to buying their first dab rig. Many people choose to go and start simple with what is known as a small nectar collector. A honeycomb nectar collector provides consumers the ability to simply heat the end of their dab rig with a blowtorch. Consumers can then simply touch the hot end of the nectar collector gently to some cannabis concentrates and breathe through the straw to receive a lungful of marvelous medication.
If you choose to advance to a full-blown dab rig many people prefer quartz bangers over glass or titanium nails. A banger allows you to heat the glass piece with a blowtorch. Once heated you then use a dab tool to drop a dab into the banger. The banger can then be capped and the consumer can enjoy several hits from their dab rig. Each hit will taste fresh because dab smoke doesn’t go stale like bong smoke.
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5 Tips For People Doing Their First Dab
- Dab big or go home said no good friend ever. Remember to start small.
- Try your first dab in the evening so that if you catch couch lock or get tired going to bed does not interrupt your daily activities.
- Research dabbing before you give it a try by watching some videos to understand the process better.
- First time dabbers should try CO2 extracts or wax. These tend to be smoother and not have quite the bite that shatter might.
- Remember to hit your dab device lightly. You’re not stoking a water bong or bowl. If you hit it too hard you’ll definitely notice it.
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If you take this friendly advice into consideration when trying your first dab it will help to make the experience that much more of an enjoyable one. For some people taking one dab hit would be the equivalent of smoking two or three joints so keep that in mind and learn what amount works for you. You should feel the effects from your dab hit relatively instantly unlike consumption methods such as edibles.
This makes dabbing a favorite method for many medical cannabis patients around the globe. Remember to dab responsibly. Dabbing can be very enjoyable and you don’t need a whole lot. When it comes to cannabis concentrates, just a dab will do.
