How to Dab: A Step-By-Step Guide to the New Way to Smoke Concentrates

What is Dabbing?

As of 2020, dabbing is the newest way to smoke. It rose to prominence in the mid-2010s and has experienced a surge in popularity since then. In basic terms, dabbing is vaporizing a cannabis concentrate using high heat. It doesn’t involve any combustion – the concentrate should never contact an open flame.

But why is everyone raving about dabbing these days?

Thanks to their impressive THC content, smoking dabs will get you extremely high. While marijuana flower maxes out at 30 percent THC and premium hash can reach 60 percent, concentrates regularly clock in at 80 percent THC or more. That means concentrates are potent enough to make even the biggest pothead feel “stoney baloney.”

Before You Dab: Necessary Equipment

Just like smoking weed necessitates certain tools, dabbing requires its own set of gear. You’ll need to acquire some of this specialized equipment before you can start dabbing. The list below includes only the bare essentials. There are plenty of extra accessories you can add to enhance your dab rig.

You can’t dab flower. As a result, the first thing you’ll need is a marijuana concentrate. The most commonly-dabbed forms of weed are cannabis concentrates. Also known as “hash oil” or even just “dabs,” these extracts have gone through a refining process that removed cannabinoid oils from plant matter and condensed them into a highly-concentrated form. You can also dab hash, however only bubble hash (also called “fullmelt”) is of high enough quality to fully vaporize on a nail. If you’re looking for premium concentrates, check out our offering at our online store.

Next, you’ll need a dab rig. These are similar to bongs – glass vessels that hold water to filter tar from the concentrate you’re smoking. However, where a bong would hold a bowl, a dab rig instead uses a specialized heating surface called a “nail.” Nails are primarily made from one of three materials: titanium, quartz crystal, and glass. Ceramic nails also exist but are less common.

You’ll also need a crème brulee torch. You can find these for sale online or in a kitchen supply store. These create a long, directed flame that you’ll use to heat the nail. Most crème brulee torches use butane fuel, so you’ll need some of that as well.

Finally, you need two dabbing utensils: a “dabber” and a cap. A dabber is a tool used to move concentrate from its container to the nail. A dabber can be any sort of metal or glass instrument with a fine tip. A cap is a small metal or glass disc that you’ll use to cap the nail after you apply the dab. Both the dabber and the cap must be heat-resistant – they need to stand up to the high temperature of the nail.

How to Dab

The basic dabbing technique involves heating the nail with the crème brulee torch, applying the concentrate, and inhaling the smoke. While dabbing may not be rocket science, you still need to adhere to this process. It’s true that dabbing is similar to smoking a glass pipe or bong – they both involve applying eat to cannabis and inhaling the resulting smoke. That’s where the similarities end, though.

Dabbing presents its own brand of unique hazards. First, you’ll be dealing with glass or metal that’s extremely hot – the average nail is about 260 degrees Celsius (500 degrees Fahrenheit). You’ll also need to heat the nail with a crème brulee torch, which involves a longer flame than a lighter. Mishandling either of these components can lead to disastrous results including burns or damage to your property.

Following this three-step procedure is the best way to avoid either of those outcomes.

Step 1: Scoop Your Concentrate

Use your dabber to scoop up a healthy portion of your concentrate. Make sure the concentrate is securely stuck to your dabber place it aside for now. You’ll need it again in a moment.

Step 2: Heat the Nail

Ignite the crème brulee torch and use the flame to heat the nail. Wait until the nail begins to glow red. Then, wait 15-30 seconds, depending on how hot you like your dabs. Low temperature dabs provide better flavour and a smoother hit while, hotter dabs induce coughing fits and get you ripped.

Step 3: Press the Dab to the Nail and Inhale

After you finish letting the nail cool, apply the concentrate to the nail using the dabber. If the nail is hot enough, the concentrate will sizzle on contact. Then, inhale. After your initial breath, cover the nail with the cap. This acts like a carb hole on a glass pipe. Keep inhaling to milk the smoke from the dab into the chamber. Then, remove the cover and inhale deeply to empty the smoke from the chamber into your lungs.

E-Nails – A Flameless Alternative

If you’re hesitant to dab because of the jet of flame erupting from the tip of your crème brulee torch, don’t worry. Other people were too, and one of them invented the electric nail, or e-nail.

An e-nail is a dab rig attachment that removes any open flames from the dabbing process. Instead, an e-nail draws power from a wall outlet and uses electricity to heat the nail. All you need to do is set the temperature, wait for the nail to heat up, and dab to your heart’s content.

Why don’t more people utilize this marvel of dab engineering? They’re expensive. While you can find a cheap crème brulee torch for as low as $30, low-end e-nails sell for $150 or more. However, if you have the money to spare, an e-nail can be a worthy investment.