Have you always wanted to know how to use a dab rig…but been afraid to ask? We’d like to change that. Even a few years ago, dabbing was seen as a challenging and even mysterious thing to do, and no one even considered the possibility of explaining a dab rig for beginners. These days, the cannabis concentrates that are most commonly consumed with dab rigs are some of the most popular products we sell.
If you want to know the ins and outs of how to take a dab, you’ve come to the right place. We’re Michigan’s first family of dispensaries, and we’re all about making cannabis simple, easy, and fun to consume responsibly. In today’s post, we’ll share everything we know about how to use a dab rig. By the time you reach the end, you’ll know how to smoke wax with a dab rig, hit your dab safely and consistently, and understand the ins and outs of how dab rigs work.
What’s a Dab Rig? The Basics
At the simplest level, a dab rig is a purpose-built pipe designed for enjoying dabs, or individual portions of cannabis concentrates. If you haven’t interfaced with concentrates before, they deserve some introduction. As a family of cannabis products offering exceptional potency and flavor, it’s no exaggeration to say they revolutionized the world of cannabis when they began to hit the market in the 1990s.
Concentrates come in a wide array of styles and names: Wax, badder, budder, sugar, terp sauce, and shatter are just a few of them, and you can learn much more in this introductory guide. What’s more important to impart here is how incredibly potent cannabis concentrates are, boasting THC contents that often break the 90% mark. By comparison, the strongest flower—reputed by some sources to be the infamous “Godfather OG”—tops out in the low 30% range. This makes concentrates way stronger than any flower you’ve ever tried, and it’s essential that you approach them with the caution and respect they deserve.
Another important facet of concentrates is their incredible flavors. That comes in large part down to their high concentrates of terpenes, the aromatic oils that give different strains their characteristic aromas and flavors. If you’re a seasoned cannabis user, you’ll probably recognize such terpenes as caryophyllene, limonene, and myrcene. But in concentrates—especially the super-flavorful styles known as “live resin” or “live rosin”—those flavors are truly off the charts!
How to Use a Dag Rig
With that said, let’s return to the topic of dab rigs. If in some ways they’re not too dissimilar from bongs or other water pipes, but there are some crucial differences. Here are the basic elements common to most dab rigs:
The “Nail” or “Banger”
Like bongs, dab rigs include a bowl where the cannabis—in this case, a dab (or “tiny chunk”) of concentrate is placed. But instead of a bowl and screen to support the ground flower, the corresponding part in a dab rig is known as a “nail” or sometimes a “banger.” Whether it’s heated electrically—an “e-nail”—or by a hand-held butane torch, the nail or banger is where the action is: The spot where the dab will be vaporized so that it can be inhaled.
Technically, a “nail” is a roughly nail-shaped cone on which concentrate is placed, which a “banger” is a broader, bowl-shaped surface for the same purpose. In this article, we’ll continue to refer to nails, though functionally the two are quite similar.
The Chamber or Base
Beneath the nail is a glass stem leading to a chamber or base. As with a bong, it’s filled with water. Why? Drawing the intense vapor through liquid cools it, as well as making it smoother and less harsh to inhale.
The Mouthpiece
Above the base or chamber is the mouthpiece. Just as with a standard bong or water pipe, this is where you place your mouth to gently draw in the dab.
Dab Tools: Picks, Torches, and Pads
While you don’t technically need a tool to place the dab on the nail or banger, take our word for it: It’ll make the job way easier. Why? Cannabis concentrates are typically very sticky and can be difficult to manipulate. While there’s no end of variations, dabbing tools are typically probe-like handled spikes that allow you to transfer tiny amounts of concentrate cleanly and easily to the banger or nail.
Unless your nail is heated electrically, you’re going to need a small butane torch to heat the banger or nail. Let’s face it: For many people, this is the single most intimidating part of the process, and for good reason: Open flames require caution. But if you’re up to the challenge, the process is fairly straightforward, as we’ll explain in just a moment.
Finally, while it’s not strictly necessary, you’ll find that a small nonstick pad—such as a silicone hot pad from the kitchen or a purpose-made one—will help keep any sticky cannabis concentrate traces in hand.
How to Take a Dab: The Process
With that out of the way, let’s turn to the good stuff: How to take a dab! Ready? Here we go!
- Preparation: Set yourself up for success by collecting everything you need in advance: Your dab rig, dabbing tool, torch, concentrate, and non-stick pad.
- Heating: You’ll use the torch to heat the banger or nail till it’s red-hot.
- Application and Inhalation: When the element is visibly red-hot, apply a tiny amount of concentrate—we suggest starting with a speck no larger than the tip of a nail or ballpoint pen—to the heated area. As you gently smear the concentrate onto the heated element with the dabbing tool, place your mouth to the dab rig’s mouthpiece so that you feel suction, and start to gently inhale.
- Top Tips: No need to rush here; especially when you’re first getting comfortable with how to dab, the idea isn’t to fill your lung completely with smoke, but to get an even and effective draw. Remember, the vapor you’re inhaling is incredibly potent, so relax and take things slow.
Dabbing for Beginners: Common Questions
Because we meet so many cannabis fans at our family of dispensaries, a number of questions about dabbing come up again and again. Here are a few of the most popular.
How Big Should a Dab Be?
While there’s no “recommended dose” for dabs, it’s always a good idea to “start low and go slow,” especially if you’re preparing a dab rig for beginners. Because the cannabis concentrates that make up dabs are so potent, we suggest you begin with an amount no bigger than the tip of a nail or ballpoint pen. Remember: You can always smoke more, but you can’t smoke less!
How Do You Hit a Dab Properly?
Assuming the nail of your dab rig has been heated to the correct temperature—roughly 350°F to 600°F—the best technique is to apply a tiny amount of concentrate to the nail while inhaling smoothly and gently through the mouthpiece.
What Happens When You Hit a Dab for the First Time?
Even if you’re an experienced cannabis user, it’s hard to prepare yourself for just how potent dabs actually are. In terms of THC, the strongest cannabis flower may hover around the 30% mark. By comparison, cannabis concentrates often break the 90% barrier. If you’re just learning how to take a dab, you’ll probably be hit with an intense headrush—be sure you’re sitting down—and a tidal wave of euphoriccsensations that come on much faster than smoking a bowl or a joint.
While some people can find that first dab overwhelming, remember that you’re not in danger, and that the most intense sensations will pass. Again: There’s no need—and little benefit—in starting with a heroic hit. Instead, we recommend you start gently. That way you’ll have a much better chance of having positive dabbing experiences for years to come.
Explore Dabs and More with Exclusive
We very much hope you’ve enjoyed this “guided tour” of dab rigs! If you’re looking for locally produced cannabis concentrates to dab, we’ve got a hot tip for you. We don’t just sell wax, shatter, budder and other concentrates: We make them, too! We’re proud to offer our own in-house Concentrate Kings, Strain Kings, Terpene Tanks, Magic Edibles, and other products. We put extra care and attention into these products because they’re intended for a very special customer: You!
Exclusive is Michigan’s favorite family of dispensaries, and we’d love to get to know you a little better. Next time you’re travelling within the state be sure to check out our growing family of Exclusive dispensaries. From Muskegon to Grand Rapids, there’s an Exclusive just for you!
