You'll be toking in no time with Dabbing 101: How to Take a Dab
With legal consumption of many different herbs, it's no wonder new ways of enjoying these products have been hitting the forefront of today's social scenes. Smoking from a hand pipe or rolled joint has been a solid standard, and edibles have been an amazing way to consume without combustion and flame at all. The newest and hottest growing way to enjoy your consumption is called Dabbing.
What Is Dabbing?
Dabbing is the action of taking highly concentrated products (i.e. wax, shatter, oil, etc...) and smoking or vaping them over a heated hot nail. There are many different ways to accomplish your dab. Dabbing 101: How to take a dab, will break down the basics of dabbing into five topics to help you create the best dabbing experience.
1. Product
Concentrates come in many forms, and choosing your type of product becomes a personal preference as the individual becomes more accustomed to the products available. When dabbing you will want to choose a solid or liquid style concentrate instead of a flower or dry herb. The concentrates have been broken down into a purer form and virtually eliminate their carbon output during consumption. This allows for maximum intake without the need to smoke a full bowl. Since the products are so concentrated it is recommended to start off small and find your own preference in size and taste.
2. Rigs and Water Pipes
Now that we have our product in order, it's time to choose the style of rig or water pipe you would like to dab from. Many older style water pipes may be converted for dabbing, so if you already have one handy you may want to try converting it with a nail or a banger first. When picking a new rig, you may run into a few styles that are unfamiliar. Smallest and most portable, the Mini Dab Straws and Micro Nectar Collectors make dabbing easy. Simply heat your dab straw tip and touch your product as you inhale from the other end. These simple but effective tools get the job done without breaking the bank.
When choosing a piece as your at home daily driver, the buyer may want a table top rig with more of a footprint. Larger rigs and water pipes can add quality and taste to your dabbing experience. Silicone Rigs are a great starter dab rig. Made of food grade silicone, these rigs are almost unbreakable, and the titanium dab nail will last for years.
Sticking with a more traditional glass rig like the Bent Neck Rigs with infused down stems.
The user can really see and feel the dabbing experience with this rig. They're not too big, and not too small. These rigs are a great glass piece to start off any collection. Larger style beaker and straight tube water pipes can also be used as rigs, and function as a flower piece as well.
Last but not least are the highest class of glass, mixing art and passion with a functional glass piece, also known as Heady Glass. There are lots of glass artist today making new styles of rigs everyday. From the old school artists with new school flare like Jerome Baker, the same artist that created the Cheech and Chong Bongs in the 80's.
Maybe you're into something with creatures or animals, then you may like pieces like the Green Fox Rig by Tyme.
There are lots of really great artists to choose from, so take your time and see what kinds of functions and style you want your rig to have.
3. Nails
Having nails for a rig are like having a bowl for a water pipe, just with a slightly different function. Nails are made in three basic materials: titanium, ceramic, and quartz. Each of these materials can also come in a variety of nails styles such as Bangers, Thermals, Drop-in's, ETC... When choosing the style of nail that is best for you, take your time to match your joint sizes and material best suited for your dabbing experience.
4. Heating
With dabbing, using a static flame lighter like a BIC or Clipper will not work. The flames from these lighters leave a carbon soot and take too long to heat your nail properly. You will need to either have a torch style lighter, or upgrade to an electric style nail such as HighFive E-Nails. Both of these heating sources work great for dabbing. Be sure to choose the heating source depending on your own personal rig and nail.
While heating your nail, make sure to heat your nail evenly, and not to get it too hot. As a rule of thumb, if the nail starts to glow then it's too hot, and you'll need to wait a few seconds to allow your nail to cool to a proper dabbing temperature. Remember dabbing is a preference, so learn what you like to make your dabbing experience the best that it can be.
5. Dab Accessories
Once you have your product, rig, nail, and heating source figured out, it's time to take your rig and dabbing station to the next level with dabbing accessories. Dabbing accessories range from your basic dab tools to your very ornate DabPadz.
Dab tools help you move your product onto your hot nail and keeps it easy to handle. DabPadz are a great accent piece to place under any rig, and keeps your glass from sliding around the table.
Other accessories such as Glob Swabs, Silicone Jars, Carb Caps, and Travel Hard Cases will make you a dabbing expert in no time.
Dab it all together and what have you got? The making of a perfect dab set up to create the perfect dabbing experience for your and your friends.
Dab Time!
Now that you have everything you need to complete the perfect dab, it's time to take the next steps to success. Make sure you have your rig ready and filled with water if you have a water pipe. Use your dab tool and gather your product on the end of your tool, making sure it's not too big or too small for your own use. Take your heating source and begin to heat your nail while it is attached to your rig. Once your nail has reached a high enough temperature (*Glowing nails are TOO HOT. Let it cool.) it is time to take your dab. Place your dab, using your dab tool, in the dish of the heated nail while simultaneously inhaling from your rig. The product will vaporize and your dab will be complete. Now go out there and enjoy dabbing with all of your friends, knowing you have the knowledge and equipment of Dabbing 101: How to take a dab.