More Than a Matter of Taste Stainless steel dabber tools also run the risk of coming with some undesired metallic tastes and toxins with your dab. For those who want a healthier, cleaner tasting option, a glass dabber will do the job although you will have to make sure it is heat resistant.
Glass, ceramic, and quartz allow for the best flavor according to experts, while stainless steel and titanium can leave a metallic aftertaste when dabbing.
It is essential that your TI nail is either grade 2 or grade 3 titanium, as these retain heat well for dabbing and have minimal or no harmful by-products. Through a number of tests we have determined that grade 2 titanium is the best, so that's what we offer. Titanium nails are virtually indestructible.
Silicone dab rigs are considered the most convenient and affordable type of dab rig on the market. Due to their flexible material, they are virtually indestructible - making them nearly impossible to break if dropped.
Titanium heats better. Metal will retain the heat from heating up the nail better than any glass nail. Not only that, but it will also heat up faster.
There are many types of dabbing extract, but crystalline is the most potent variety of all. This is extremely pure cannabinoid crystals, often sold as a single chunk, which can then be broken down.
Grade 2 is commonly used in the medical and food industry, so it's safe for dabbing. Lower quality titanium is often mixed with other metals and fillers that not only cheaper the product but can produce toxins when heated and increase your chances of inhaling trace amounts of toxic heavy metals every time you dab.
When it comes to dabbing, smaller rigs are always better than larger ones. They're more efficient, easier to use, and less expensive in the long run. They also make your concentrates last longer, produce bigger clouds of vapor you can inhale, and are much safer to use than larger rigs.
Benefits of Dab Rigs
Just as with bongs, dab rigs come with many of their own benefits such as the fact they are much healthier than smoking. Another great benefit of dab rigs is that because you are using a concentrate it means that you will get a much stronger high with a smaller amount of product.
Dab Rig. Dab rigs are the most well-known way to smoke wax. An inhale from a dab rig is called a “dab,” and dabs are known to provide stronger effects from a single puff than other forms of inhaling cannabis. This famously potent high from a dab makes dabbing popular among cannabis enthusiasts.
Borosilicate glassware is the gold standard for dab rigs because of its strength and thermal shock resistance. This durable glass is resistant to rapid temperature changes, so it can take the abuse of repeated heating without cracking or breaking.
Dab nails come in various shapes and sizes and can be made of ceramic, titanium, quartz or glass. But the most popular material used for vaporizing concentrates is quartz.
You want to taste your concentrate, not metal. Likewise, you don't want to ingest the nasty toxins of subquality dab tools that contribute to that foul taste. Stainless steel dabber tools also run the risk of coming with some undesired metallic tastes and toxins with your dab.
When taking a dab, you heat up the nail until it is very hot, then let it cool down until you can hold your hand above it comfortably for 5 seconds. Then add your wax and inhale. Dabbing at low temperatures allows for you to inhale the vapor coming from the concentrate without creating smoke.
So, if you're dabbing with first-timers stress that point, and really drive that difference home. Bottom line: Never, ever touch a hot nail or coil. Be cautious with open flames, and always remove the carb cap right after use because heat can transfer from the banger and burn whoever is next in the rotation.
Choosing the Right Bong to Make into a Dab Rig
Bong aficionados will say “the bigger the better!” However, larger bongs are not good for dabbing. We don't recommend using anything over 15”. To get the best flavor from your concentrates a smaller bong is better.
If you're using a dab rig, fill it with enough water to cover ~3/4” of the downstem and get ready to heat your nail. For an e-nail, choose the best temperature for your concentrate and wait for it to indicate that it's fully heated.
Usually, pot is smoked in joints, but studies show that using water pipes, aka bongs, may be better in regards to your health. How? Well, it's all in the water. The water pipe can trap as much as 90% of the toxins that you would have otherwise inhaled straight into your lungs.
When selecting your dab amount, your first dab should be the size of 1/2 a grain of rice. It sounds small, but just wait until you try it. If your metabolism is such that half a grain is a gentle experience, start slowly increasing the amount, stopping at about 1.5 rice grains in size per dab.
At 600°F, you'll start to enter the high temp zone where your dabs will be more potent and milky. You'll lose some flavor with a high temp dab, but it's less likely that you'll leave behind oils when dabbing at such high temperature ranges. High temp dabs also produce more vapor and clouds.
A dab rig should be less than 12" tall which is ideal for smoking concentrates. Most dab rigs larger than 8" are bigger because they include percs or recyclers. Dab rigs less than 8" tall are easy to use and perform well.
If the core suction material is accidentally displaced, worn out, dry (without sufficient air circulation), or too much in the coils, it will cause a metallic taste.
Differences between Quartz and Titanium Nails for Dabs
Both materials can be used to make dab rig nails, but quartz nails are generally preferred by dabbing enthusiasts because they provide a purer and cleaner taste, as well as a faster and more efficient vaporization.
Titanium is a durable, versatile option that retains heat extremely well, while quartz heats quickly and provides a nice-tasting hit. No matter what you're looking for, there are plenty of different types of nails available.
Dab hits will get you significantly higher than bong hits because dabs are concentrates whereas bong hits are from smoking dry flower. Concentrates are, simply put, the most potent parts of the cannabis plant, whereas flower retains the properties that will not get you high.