How to Dab:
Before taking your first dab, you might feel perplexed by the procedure, safety or the effects of a concentrate. You may be hitting joints or blunts but at some point you make a decision to graduate to the dabbing level.
There are many different ways to take a dab, by using vape pens, an electronic nectar collector or an oil rig. While a vape pen may be convenient, the cleaning becomes very difficult and the consistency of hits may vary based on battery life. The most effective method of dabbing is to use an oil rig. It is similar to that of a water pipe, by using the same water filtration, but it’s housing components are designed to vaporize concentrates. Even though of potential cons like safety (because of the torch), and the recovery time in-between reheating the nail, you came to the right place to help you through the correct process so you do not run into any trouble when you take your first dab.
First off, it is time to gather all the tools necessary so that you do not have to stress in the middle of the process.
- Find an oil rig you like. There are many different styles and even a water pipe can be turned into a “dab rig” by simply switching the flower bowl to a banger nail.
- Banger Nail: Banger nails are available in titanium, ceramic, and quartz. Quartz are preferred due to the cleaner and smoother hits. If you want to go with titanium, make sure it’s grade 2 titanium and from a reputable source. There are a lot of counterfeit “titanium nails” that are really made from steel and not healthy to smoke out of.
- Next is a carb cap which can range from an UFO, spinner/riptide, spinner/GTR, or a crank cap. This helps keep the smoke inside the banger nail, because of reducing temperature and creating a vacuum effect. It will give you the best results if you find just the right one for your banger. If you plan on taking a low temperature dab then it is necessary to make sure your carb cap has a good seal so that you can get a good suction around the nail.
- You can also use a bubble cap to expose the nail to air and make sure to move the cap around while you breathe in so it can stir the concentrates by air pressure.
- A dab tool, or dabber usually made from quarts, glass, titanium or silicone is used to grab the concentrate and apply it on the nail.
Lastly, you will need a torch for the heating process and water to fill the rig with.
Now that you have gathered all the supplies necessary, it is time to take your first dab.
Before you take a hit from the dab, the preparation and heating process can be the most complex part of the process. The easiest part is adding water to your rig; add just enough so the water bubbles as you breathe air in but does not splash onto your face. Now for the heat up, you can make a decision to place the concentrate onto the nail before or after heat up, but it is recommended to heat the glass before applying the wax. Use your torch to heat up the banger or otherwise known as a nail. It is important to heat the banger as evenly as possible from the bottom.
Towards the end of heat up, you can bring the heat towards the rim (for a couple seconds) so it keeps the concentrates from rising into the piece since it naturally flees from heat. You can decide if you would rather take a low, medium or high temperature dab. If the temperature is low (315-450 degrees Fahrenheit) then it will have the most flavor and be the best for your lungs since high heat can even become painful. The higher the heat (600-900 degrees Fahrenheit) however, has the highest intensity but you may end up sweating or tear up.
The middle temperature (600-900 degrees Fahrenheit) is what most people use because it holds a good consistency and flavor. Do not go over 900 degrees Fahrenheit because this can become very dangerous and the wax will start to combust. Depending on the size of torch you have, heating times can vary. Heat up is recommended to be around 30 seconds; if the nail or banger turns red this is an indication that you should stop torching it. You should be able to feel the heat emit from the nail if you hold your hand two inches away from the banger. Let the nail cool down for a minimum of 30 seconds and a maximum of a minute and 3 seconds. Depending on the individual, you can test what amount of time works best for your needs during cool down.
Once you have heated up your nail, you can use your dab tool to grab come concentrates from your jar or paper. As a beginner, it is important to start off with a very small amount (recommend nothing larger than half a grain of rice). Remember that you can always take another dab after you find what your tolerance is at. Now you can place your concentrate at the bottom of the banger, or on top of the nail depending on your rig. You should notice a consistency change if it is heated correctly. Breathe in from the mouth piece and place the carb cap on top of the banger once you are ready to clear. If the smoke is thick and white that means you got the temperature just right. Puddling with no vapor means that you need to hit it sooner. If you have wax left over than heat it up for about five seconds and hit it again.
After completing your first dab, it is important to clean your rig for future use. After your hit, use a Q-Tip to clean the rest of the wax out while it’s still hot. Then when it cools down for a few minutes, it is recommended to clean your rig with alcohol. After all, we hope this was helpful for a first time dabber and I hope you have a pleather of tasty snacks next to you.
Check out our ready to-go dab kits that include everything you need to get started:
- Nectar Collector Starter Kit
- Rasta Swirl Ready Rig Package