Dabs & Dabbing – Learn The Basics

The first time you take the dabs, it’ll hit you over the head like a brick. This new potent form of cannabis consumption will elevate you to a euphoria level like no other high before. 

In the world of cannabis, dabs, meaning the consumption of cannabis concentrates, is a newer and emerging way to enjoy your cannabis. Smoking cannabis extracts is a lot stronger than smoking your standard bud, even the top-shelf stuff. It refines all the goods features we love about weed and condenses them into the form of a small dense package.

Let’s jump right in and run you through the basics of cannabis concentrates and dabbing without any further delay.

What You Will Need to Dab

So what is dabbing, and what is a dab? Dabbing is a way of consuming potent cannabis extracts using a dab rig, a specially designed water pipe similar to a bong. 

That said, you’ll need a few things to begin dabbing, here’s what they are:

A Dab Rig and Torch

A dab rig, also known as an oil rig or concentrate pipe, is your primary tool when it comes to taking dabs. This glass pipe requires flash heating to work correctly. So you will need a proper propane-fueled torch rather than a simple lighter to get the ball rolling. 

Today, most dab rigs come in a set including a glass piece, a nail, a dabber, and sometimes a carb cap.

In your typical dab setup, a nail holds the cannabis concentrate when it’s being heated and can come in various materials and sizes. That said, if your dab rig doesn’t have one included, you’ll have to purchase one that corresponds to the size of the nail slot on your rig.

A dabber is something you’ll use to get your cannabis concentrate from its storage container onto the nail with ease. You’ll want to avoid using your fingers as it will result in wasted cannabis concentrate and sticky mess. Much like the nail, if your rig doesn’t come with a dabber, it can be found separately in different shapes, sizes, and materials.

Carb Caps usually come in a set and are a basic dabbing accessory that facilitates proper airflow to get a nice and clean low-temperature dab. Carb caps cover the top of the nail after you’ve placed your dab on it.

Dabbing Cannabis Concentrates

These come in several different types, with each different category of extract satisfying a different need. Some of the more popular types for dabbing are hash oil and shatter, while others like terp sauce, which is a bit more expensive and harder to find. We will also cover some of these concentrates in the next section. 

How to Dab

Once your dab rig is set up, you’ll be good to go. Just make sure you’re comfortable while taking a dab. It’ll get real intense quick.

Step 1: Get your torch and fire it directly at the nail of your dab rig, heat it with the torch until it turns red hot.

Step 2: Once the nail is hot enough, turn your torch off and let the nail cool for a short bit (45 seconds for quartz and 10 seconds for titanium nails).

Step 3: Apply a dab of preferred concentrate onto the nail and start inhaling slowly.

Step 4: Add the carb cap on top of the nail to regulate airflow and finish inhaling.

Different Types of Cannabis Concentrates

Honey Oil

Also known as Hash Oil, Honey Oil gets its name from its amber color and thick and syrupy consistency. Honey oil is commonly made through a butane extraction process and can have a THC content of up to 80 percent. With THC’s help, honey oil provides a speedier relief and treatment for consumers who are looking for something a bit faster.

When compared to smoking joints, honey oil is commonly considered to be easier on the lungs and redolent of a crisper and cleaner experience.  

What’s great about honey oil is that you can consume it as is, or it can be further processed into shatter or wax, which are basically dried forms of honey oil. Try these concentrates to relieve yourself from all symptoms of pain, stress, insomnia or muscle spasms. 

Crumble

Unlike Honey Oil, which is almost liquid in its consistency, Crumble is a concentrate that is named after its distinctive crumbly texture. If made correctly, crumble can be one of the driest cannabis extracts on the market, lending itself to long shelf life. 

Usually made with trimmed, cured nugs or fresh bud, you can consume crumble on its own or enjoy with an additional flower added to the mix. Depending on how it’s made, crumble has a THC content from anywhere between 60-90 percent.

Terp Sauce

Terp Sauce is arguably one of the most luxurious dabs on the market today. It offers a full range of compounds found in the natural bud refined to an incredibly potent form. 

Terp Sauces are made with only the highest-quality ingredients, such as flash frozen flowers of the highest genetic quality and a careful selection of solvents not to damage any of the compounds during the extraction process. 

With respect to its name, terp sauce carries a wide range of volatile terpenes that make up the scent and flavor profiles of many of your favorite strains. The preservation of terpenes is great for users who are looking to experience an enriched version of the original cannabis flavors with an added synergy, producing unique effects.

That said, the preservation of terpenes and cannabinoids makes terp sauce to taste and smell great. Not only that, but terp sauce is also packed with THC, which is responsible for getting you stoned and bringing you to cloud nine. If you also add some THC Diamonds into the mix, you’ll get extremely high.

Live Resin

Live resin is one of the freshest cannabis extracts that does not undergo any drying or curing process. It is created using fresh flower buds and sugar leaves and is known as premium quality and flavorful concentrate due to its high terpene content. 

The process of creating this extract involves capturing the essence of the live cannabis plant, including the aroma and flavor, hence the name. 

Depending on how the Live Resin is processed, it is considered a full spectrum like a terp sauce. Yet, the difference between the two lies in Live Resin utilizing fresh bud rather than flash-frozen bud.

A Bit of Caution

Dabbing involves enjoying cannabis extracts with extreme amounts of THC in them. These include honey oil, live resin, crumble and terp sauce. All of these extracts are known for their fast relieving effects and providing an extremely potent high you’ve never experienced before.  

Honey oil can be used to relieve yourself from all symptoms of pain, stress and insomnia, while terp sauce is great to experience the unique taste of cannabis and entourage effect. And if you are looking for the freshest cannabis extract available on the market, try live resin.

Since all of these dabs are much more potent than even the highest quality harvest of bud, the risks and benefits of dabbing are greater. 

Whether you decide to try dabbing or not, we recommend sourcing your cannabis extracts from a trust and reputable dispensary. And remember, start small and go slow to avoid greening out.