If you’re someone who considers themselves to be an experienced smoker and you want to take your relationship with cannabis to the next level, then dabbing might be just what you need.
While dabbing is a practice that’s been around for over a decade, it continues to evolve with advancing technology. Dabbing is an effective, potent, and fairly simple way to make the most out of your cannabis experience.
Are you interested in learning more? Continue reading and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to use a dab rig.
Table of Contents
What Is a Dab Rig?
A dab rig is a tool, usually made out of glass, that’s made for cannabis concentrates. This is different than a device that’s made for cannabis flower.
There are several different styles when it comes to dab rigs. For example, there are the simple “dab straws.” These are tubes made out of quartz or glass and are heated at one end to smoke concentrates with.
There are also electronic dab rigs that do a lot of the mechanical work for you.
How a Dab Rig Works
A dab rig works by vaporizing your cannabis concentrate without the need for any combustion. Therefore, you don’t have to directly apply a flame to your product.
When you heat the nail for a certain amount of time, you make a hot surface that will turn your concentrate into a vapor full of cannabinoids.
As you breathe in, the vapor rushes through a water chamber and goes into your lungs. In this sense, it’s very similar to a water pipe.
How to Use a Dab Rig
Although the type of equipment varies by device, the fundamentals of dabbing don’t change. Below, we’ll go over a step-by-step guide to dabbing cannabis concentrates.
1. Make Sure the Nail Is Secured to the Dab Rig
The nail is the heating element that is attached to the rig. It’s made up of quartz, ceramic, glass, or titanium. You can heat a nail all the way up to 800 ℉. Nails are also referred to as “bangers” and sometimes come attached to the dab rig.
Using a quartz banger will likely provide you with the best dabbing experience because it doesn’t crack under thermal pressure like how glass does. It also delivers a better flavor for most concentrates.
Your first step involves securing the banger to the rig. If it’s not properly secured, you might end up with an extremely hot nail burning your clothes or skin.
2. Turn on the Torch and Heat the Nail
Using your torch, heat the nail evenly. Apply the flame of your heating element right on the nail. You can generally heat your nail in thirty seconds or so.
This depends on how powerful your torch is and how thick the nail is. You might notice that the banger turns red when it’s heated fully.
3. Let the Nail Cool
Give the nail some time to cool. You want the heat to disperse throughout the banger. Generally, experienced users recommend that you should wait at least twice as long as you took to heat the nail.
Even minutes after you’ve torched the nail, it will still retain most of its heat. Because of this, it’s important that you keep the nail away from your skin so that you don’t burn yourself.
The lower temperature your dabs are, the less harsh on the lungs the hits will be. You’ll also be able to taste more flavor.
4. Use the Dabber to Apply the Dab to the Nail
Put your dab on the nail using your dabber. The dabber looks like a small shovel. It lets you move the dab without touching anything that could burn you.
If you heat your nail correctly, the dab will quickly evaporate.
5. Cover With the Carb Cap and Inhale
The carb cap is what’s used to cover the dab while it vaporizes. It’s like when you put a lid over a hot skillet to allow your food to heat more evenly.
Gently inhale the dab. If the dab is at the correct temperature, you shouldn’t feel the need to cough at all. After just a few seconds you could feel the effects of the dab taking place.
Dabbing Precautions
Dabbing is one of the most powerful ways to consume cannabis. Because of this, you should approach dabbing with caution and respect.
First, if you feel that you’ve taken too much, you should stop dabbing immediately. Lie down, stay hydrated, and relax. Remember that it’s not possible to overdose on cannabis and the effects will subside in a few hours.
Also, remember that nails and torches can get extremely hot. The temperature of the nail can get so hot that it can cause third-degree burns.
If you use your rig properly, you can end up with a unique and enjoyable cannabis experience.
The Importance of Knowing How to Properly Use a Dab Rig
As we can see, learning how to use a dab rig isn’t that difficult. But it can be dangerous. It can both be physically hazardous and mentally hazardous when you use it without caution.
But by appreciating the power of your dab rig, and by putting in some time and practice, you can master it and help others with their dab rigs too.
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