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Stoner School: How to Use and Take Care of Your Dab Rig

We can’t stress this enough: how to use and take care of your dab rig.

 

Even when you’re stoned out of your mind and the last thing in the world you want to do is clean your dab rig, allow the boujee stoner in you to take charge and truly take care of your pieces; at the very least, when you sober up a bit.

 

Whether you’re new to the dabbing game or just need a refresher to remind you of the proper cleaning techniques, we’re here to help. In this blog, we’ll discuss how to use and take care of your dab rig. By the time you finish reading, you’ll be on your way to becoming an expert dabber and your pieces will be spotless in no time. Let’s get started!

 

How to Use Your Dab Rig

 

First thing’s first: What is a dab rig? And what is a dab rig used for?

 

A dab rig is a very specialized type of bong, or water pipe, that is specifically designed to smoke cannabis concentrates through water vapor — keyword here being ‘cannabis concentrates’ because unlike a typical bong that allows users to smoke flower, a dab rig is designed to allow longtime smokers to experience more distinct flavors and a heavier high by smoking concentrates. 

 

If you’d like to venture into dabbing, collecting the right tools is the first step. Here’s what you’ll need:

 

  • Dab Rig — Of course
  • A nail that fits your specific rig — Titanium, quartz, or glass are the most common
  • Dabber tool
  • Carb cap — Not necessary, but regulates air flow
  • Butane Torch
  • Cannabis concentrate

 

Once you’ve gathered the tools, it’s time to take your first dab — an exciting moment, but let’s make sure you do it right. 

 

Step 1:

Prepare for your dabbing experience by filling your dab rig chamber with water. To test the waterline, inhale with no banger in the downstem, and gauge whether or not you get any water in the inhale; if so, you have too much water — pour some out and retest. 

 

Step 2:

When your dab rig is ready, ignite your butane torch and begin heating the nail. Most dabbers heat the nail until the glass turns red, which is approximately 30 seconds. Keep in mind that the perfect temperature affects the flavor, ability to clean the nail post-session, and could even alter the effects of the concentrate. Determining the perfect temperature for your experience, whether you prefer ‘low-temp dabs’ around 350-400 degrees or ‘high-temp’ dabs that exceed 390-400 degrees, may take some trial and error over time. It’s important to note that ‘high-temp’ dabs can be damaging to your health, so we most definitely do not recommend them — or anything that’s damaging to your health for that matter. 

 

Step 3:

Once your nail is heated, turn off your torch and allow the nail to cool for 10 to 45 seconds, depending on what material the nail is made out of (10 seconds for titanium, approximately 45 seconds for quartz). It’s important that the surface temperature isn’t too hot or too cold in order to guarantee the best dabbing experience, so setting a timer on your phone is recommended at this time. Once again, the exact time you prefer to take your dab after letting the nail cool depends on your personal preference. 

 

Step 4:

When your timer goes off, place the dab (cannabis concentrate), which should already be applied to the dabber, directly onto the nail and begin inhaling while rotating the dabber to prevent any wasted concentrate. 

 

Step 5:

If you have a carb cap, proceed to cover the dab while you finish inhaling in order to regulate airflow. Rule of thumb: Always cap your dabs. 

 

Step 6:

Exhale! This may go without saying, but avoid touching the nail as it is extremely hot and can easily burn you — sharing this warning from experience, unfortunately. 

 

How to Use and Take Care of Your Dab Rig

 

Just like you, your dab rig takes some pretty heavy hits too. Needless to say, dab rigs are susceptible to a ton of buildup — especially the nail and inside of the chamber. 

 

To clean your dab rig immediately after use, you can reheat the nail and use your dabber to scrape off any leftover residue, or allow the nail to cool a bit before taking a Q-Tip to thoroughly clean the nail. The second option is best for a quartz nail, given that the material could be damaged from scraping the dabber; whereas, a titanium nail can handle the roughness. 

 

Once the nail is spotless—or nearly spotless—go ahead and begin cleaning the chamber, mouthpiece, etc. by soaking the rig in 91% isopropyl alcohol for about 10 minutes. Wipe down with a cotton ball afterwards, and store your dab rig in a safe place. 

 

We’ll take this opportunity to stress the importance of changing the water in your rig on a regular basis to keep your experience fresh, and your post-session cleaning to a minimum. 

 

So there you have it… both how to use your dab rig and how to clean your dab rig. As you continue dabbing and slowly work your way towards becoming an expert stoner, you’ll tweak your process to make it just as unique as you. After a while, your process will be smooth and your dabs will be even smoother. Now, all that’s left to do is add a few cannabis concentrates to your next hyperwolf.com weed delivery order and try dabbing for yourself!