If you are ready to take the plunge from smoking weed to vaping extracts, this post is for you. Read on to discover the differences between common extracts, the anatomy of a dab rig, and why you need a dab tool to handle that sticky goodness.
What Is a Dab Tool?
A dab tool is a small device used to make dabbing a bit easier. It can be made of many different materials and come in various shapes and sizes, but every kind of dab tool has the same purpose. Extracts and concentrates can be challenging to manage, and even some dab rigs require a precise tool to get the job done.
As dabbing gains popularity, more and more stoner tools hit the market. Every cannabis connoisseur should have a dab tool alongside their dab rig.
Keefer Luxury Dab Pick/Dabbing Tool
What Is a Dab Rig?
Dabs rigs are essentially fancy bongs made a bit differently. Rather than a bowl that you put your weed into, a dab rig features a nail that you drop your extract onto. You don’t “smoke” with a dab rig, but instead, you use high heat to vaporize the extract. Dab rigs have evolved over the last several years, but they all contain these primary components:
- Bong or water pipe: The body of a dab rig is pretty much the same as any bong. Most dab rigs are glass, though some are ceramic or even silicone. For the best dabbing experience, choose glass. The base should hold water, and a proper dab rig has multiple chambers and percolators to cool the smoke as it passes through the water. This provides a better taste and smoother inhale.
- Nail: The nail, or “banger” as it is commonly known, slips into the front opening of the rig. If you were smoking weed, this would be the bowl you load weed into. In a dab rig, the nail is where you place the dabs. It can be made of glass, quartz, ceramic, or titanium.
- Torch: You need a propane or butane torch to heat the nail until it is hot enough to vaporize your extract. Hotter is not exactly better, though different extracts vaporize best at different temperatures. If the idea of an open flame is not for you, consider an electronic nail, or e-nail to keep an even temperature at all times.
- Dab tool: It’s pretty hard to dab without a dabbing tool. In fact, it’s impossible! Do not attempt to use your fingers to place an extract onto a nail. It will end badly. Instead, get yourself a proper dab tool to accompany your dab rig.
There are plenty of additional stoner accessories that you might want to consider adding to your kit. A silicone dab mat and a carb cap are two that we highly recommend.
How To Use a Dab Tool
Okay, you’ve got a rig, and you are ready for your first dab. How the heck do you use a dab tool? The first thing you need to remember is that a little goes a long way. There’s a reason why cannabis fans use the phrase “a dab’ll do ya,” and that’s because of the extreme potency and how easy it is to overdo it. Trust us on this one….a huge dab is a sure-fire way to ruin a good time.
That said, dabbing has plenty of benefits, and you should give it a try if you’re interested. Start with a dab about the size of a grain of rice, and work your way up only after you know how that first dab affects you. To use a dab tool, follow these easy steps:
- Get out all of your dab rig supplies and make sure there is fresh water in the rig.
- Heat your nail to the desired temperature with your torch or e-nail.
- Use your dab tool to scoop up the extract, and then use the tool to place the dab onto the nail. Rotate the dabber around the nail slowly to vape off all of the extract as you inhale slowly.
- Once the dab tool is free of extract, cover the nail with a carb cap. You can cover and uncover the cap as you slowly inhale and exhale the vapor in the bong.
- Sit back, relax, and enjoy the high.
Be sure to clean your dab tool regularly with rubbing alcohol to prevent buildup. Learning how to use a dab tool takes a bit of practice to get the proper technique. It also varies a little depending on the type of extract you’re working with.
Keefer Luxury Dab Pick – Wax Dabber
Common Extracts for Dabbing
Let’s take a look at the most common types of extracts you’ll be vaping on a dab rig:
Rosin
If you’ve ever wondered what to do with kief, making rosin is an excellent way to experience the true flavor of a particular strain. It’s easy to make at home and requires little more than heat and pressure. With the help of a hair straightener and some parchment paper, you can press your kief into delicious rosin. There are plenty of home rosin presses that are affordable and great for homemade hash. The consistency of rosin is thick and sticky. It can puddle a bit but will require a dabber tool to get it out of the container and onto a nail.
Shatter
Shatter is appropriately named for its texture and durability. It’s a translucent, sheet-like extract that will break into pieces if dropped. Don’t be fooled by its fragility, shatter is plenty sticky and can begin to lose its form even at room temperature. Shatter tends to be quite potent, so be cautious to use only a small amount on your dab tool.
Crumble
Another extract named for its texture, crumble is a hydrocarbon extract like shatter. The difference is that crumble is whipped in post-processing, resulting in its crumbly texture. It’s almost like thick, sticky sand that clumps together. Sometimes it’s best scooped with a spoon, but it’s also tacky enough to stick to most dabbers.
Wax
Wax is the name given to extracts that come out incredibly sticky, and likely the reason why dab tools were invented in the first place. This stuff is sticky, and will adhere to almost everything it comes in contact with. Store your wax in a silicone jar, and don’t even think about touching it without the help of a dab tool. After dabbing wax, you might want to wipe off your dab tool with alcohol.
Live Resin
Live resin is often dubbed the crème da la crème of dabbable extracts. This is because it’s made by extracting a fresh or flash-frozen cannabis plant. Using perfectly ripened plant material, you can concentrate the terpenes that give the strain its flavor and aroma. Dabbing live resin is like popping a fresh stick of Juicy Fruit gum in your mouth. Its texture is crumbly and shiny, but a bit wetter than crumble. A dab tool easily lifts that resin right onto a banger.
What to Look For in a Dab Tool
With so many stoner tools on the market, it can be hard to know what to buy. However, when it comes to a dab tool, quality matters. So here’s what you need to look for:
- Material: First and foremost – avoid plastic! A plastic dabber will melt the second you put it on a nail. Plus, inhaling plastic fumes is a huge no-no. Glass or stainless steel are your best options.
- Durability: No sense buying one tool after another, so pick something that will last the test of time. Glass dabbers can be pretty beautiful, but they are incredibly fragile. Stainless steel is one of the most durable materials on the market and super easy to clean.
- Ease of Use: Pick something that feels good in your hand, and that can both scoop and scrape – essentially for getting even the stickiest last little bit of extract from its container.
- Price: Don’t get hustled into buying an overpriced dabber. You should expect to spend anywhere from $10-$20 for a quality tool.
Dabbing is a fun way to experience cannabis in its many forms. So do yourself a favor and grab a dab tool to make the process easier, cleaner, and safer. And remember—a dab’ll do ya.
