How to take a Dab

What Exactly Are 'Dabs'?

Dabs are completely different from the flower. Dabs are made from all of the leftover plant material from your cannabis, like the stems and other things that you wouldn’t want to smoke. All of that material is concentrated into oil using butane. Dab oil has a lot higher concentration than flower.

For more information, check out our more detailed article explaining where concentrates come from.

How To Take A Dab

First you’ll need a dab rig, preferably one made from high quality borosilicate glass. Dab rigs are different from a traditional bong because instead of a bowl where you would normally load your cannabis, you have a nail which you’ll light with a butane torch, instead of a lighter.

The main types of nails that can be found are made from glass, quartz, titanium, or ceramic. Nails are either domed or not. A domed nail is a nail that is surrounded by a glass bubble, which keeps the vapor from dissipating into the air. Domes also make it so you don’t accidentally touch the heated nail and burn yourself. The dome can be removed when you are heating the nail.

Gather Your Materials

Before you start to take your dab, make sure that you have all the tools that you need ready. You’ll need a butane torch, a dabber, your silicone container with your concentrate, a nail, and your bong. You’re working with a hot torch and breakable glass, so make sure that you are focused and safe.

Heating The Nail

Light Your Nail. When you’re lighting your nail you want to make sure that you get it to the right temperature. If you are using a domed nail, take the dome off the nail before lighting it. When your nail starts to glow, you’ve reached the right temperature. Make sure you are paying attention to the temperature of your nail. If you get the nail too hot, you could end up breaking it. If you don’t get the nail hot enough, then your concentrate will not vaporize properly, and you’ll end up wasting your dab. Various nail types have different ideal dabbing temperatures, so research your nail and practice.

Dab

Once you have the nail heated to the right temperature, you’ll take your dabber with your concentrate on it and place it inside of your nail. If you are using a domed nail, place the dome back on the nail before putting the dabber on it.

Take The Hit

Inhale, just as you would taking a normal bong hit. Repeat as necessary.