Philadelphia, PA - Dabbing is a well-known term to the well-versed cannabis buff, but the inexperienced rookie might require some explaining. In the US alone, over 48 million people tried the herb at least once in 2019. Now, we can only imagine the number is growing more extensive, and so is the need to examine further the dabbing technique and what exactly it is. Continue reading our article as we explain dabbing, available accessories, and how to use a dab rig to get the most out of your weed sesh.
What Exactly Is Dabbing?
People immediately think of the viral dance gesture trend when they hear the word dabbing. But in smoking, dabbing takes on a different meaning, which we’ll address in our guide to dab rigs below.Namely, dabbing refers to consuming large quantities of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive chemical present in marijuana. Recently, dabbing has taken on a lot of popularity, becoming a trend, particularly among youngsters.
If you want to dab, you’ll need a dab rig - a special kind of bong or a water pipe called a concentrate rig.
Dabbing involves using a dab rig and dabs, also known as amber, honeycomb, shatter, budder, or wax, which are ]concentrated variants of butane hash oil (BHO). The thing about BHO is that it contains pretty high doses of THC, making dabbing a rich, hands-on weed experience.
What Are Dabs?
As concentrates of BHO, dabs are used in dabbing to dissolve and deliver a powerful THC punch.
Scientifically speaking, BHO contains 80% THC (and even more in some cases!) compared to traditional cannabis, which delivers anywhere from 10% to 15% of THC.
Dabs are four times stronger than regular joints. Dabbers reported having experienced an intense, sudden hit all at once rather than gradually-increasing euphoria.
How to Make a Dab?
To get a dab, you must soak marijuana in butane. This procedure extracts the THC from the weed and dissolves it into pure butane, resulting in a sticky, solid-like product packed with THC.
The chosen process of making dabs will result in different types, hence the various names for dabs. There are dust-like dabs, liquid dabs, wax dabs, resin dabs, and a few more.
Dabbers mainly go for the wax dab, but every other type of dab is also widely enjoyed in marijuana culture.
How Does Dabbing Work?
As opposed to traditional weed use, where you smoke a joint or use a vape to enjoy weed, dabbing takes an entirely different route to deliver a powerful high.
To dab, you must use a dab rig (a bong) and a THC concentrate (dab). The next step is to produce vapor, which you can do by heating at extremely high temperatures until the dab releases the vaporized THC concentrate. Finally, you can inhale through the mouthpiece and enjoy!
The heating of the dab using scorching hot temperatures means you’ll feel the hit immediately, resulting in a powerful, sudden high.
The intricate bong-like glass bottle used for dabbing is called a dab rig. A proper dabbing setup comprises the carb cap, the rig, the nail, the name given to the metal or quartz part attached to the rig used for heating the dab, and the dabber (a small piece of dentist-like gear that holds the concentrate). Lastly, there’s also a torch used for the heating, completing the dab rig.
How to Use a Dab Rig?
The dabbing process might be overwhelming for newbies, which is why it’s mainly a hit among seasoned weedheads looking to feel a powerful, intense, immediate high.
Here are the steps to using a dab rig like a pro:
- Heat the nail: Use the torch to heat the nail until you see it turn flaming red. Don’t hold back - use the max power of the torch to heat the nail!
Don’t worry; it won’t break. This is to ensure the surface is heated clean and your base is ready to use;
- Cool it down: After you’ve heated the nail - give it some time to cool off. Even though this might sound like an oxymoron - heating the surface and letting it cool down, it is for a good reason.
You wouldn’t want to burn the dab and end up with a scorched concentrate that will be rendered useless. The thickness of the dab will condition the time you’ll have to wait for the nail to cool off (it generally takes from 30 to 60 seconds to cool it down);
- Set the concentrate on the nail: Place the dab on the nail's surface - once you do, the dab will begin to evaporate. That is when you should start inhaling, slowly. Unlike weed flowers, dabs work by taking slow and long draws since most of the dabs won’t vaporize immediately;
- Place the cap on the nail to lock in the vapor: Securing the cap on the nail will let you draw a more intense hit, locking in the flavor and potency of the dab;
- Inhale-exhale: Once you’ve inhaled the vapor, let it out immediately. Holding in the smoke for too long might end up causing you more harm than thrills;
- Clean after using: After you’ve finished dabbing, clean the dab rig if you don’t want to experience a funky taste the next time you use it. Any leftover concentrate might alter the taste of the dab.
Wrapping Up
Since dabbing has reached a broad audience over the years, people are becoming more and more regarding the process, primarily devoted weed buffs looking to enhance their high.
Using THC concentrates that get heated up to scorching high temperatures and then inhaled is called dabbing. Dabs are the actual THC concentrates extracted from the herb using butane.
What sets dabbing apart from smoking a traditional weed joint is that the potent high is felt immediately, in a sudden rush, as opposed to smoking weed and gradually getting there.
Using a dab rig might seem like rocket science, but following our simple guide will make you a pro in no time!
Is Dabbing Illegal?
It depends. Butane hash oil is illegal in some states, so you may violate state law if you use it for dabbing (or if you possess more than the legal limit).
