How to Dab: A Beginner's Guide to Smoking Wax & Dabs

Smokers are finally recognizing the amazing potential and experiences that come with dabbing cannabis concentrates.

With concentrates being 3- 4 times more potent than THC of traditional flower, a small dab is all it takes to feel the effects similar to smoking a whole joint. 

It’s no child’s play, to be honest, but if you're ready to give dabbing a try and you don’t know where to start, well, you're in the right place.

In this guide, we will walk you through what dabbing is, the essential gear you need, and tips to maximize flavor without wasting your precious concentrate.

Dabbing 101: What is Dabbing Anyway?

For the uninitiated, dabbing is the nickname for vaporizing cannabis concentrate and inhaling the vapor, usually through a dab rig.

People also use the word “dab” to refer to the concentrate itself (e.g smoking dabs, hitting dabs)

Cannabis concentrates are made by extracting the resin produced by the plant’s trichomes, where THC, CBD, other cannabinoids, and aromatic terpenes are found.

The world of concentrates itself has a whole language of terms to describe all the different textures and methods of making them. Some of the most popular types include:

• Wax

• Shatter

• Budder or badder

• Crumble

• Honey oil

• Live resin

• Rosin and live rosin

• Distillate

• Diamonds and sauce

If you’re a beginner interested in checking out dabs, then you might feel slightly overwhelmed by the wide array of choices. Each concentrate has its own benefits and challenges, but overall, you’ll soon learn that it is actually quite easy to distinguish and navigate the different types of concentrates.

Some of these concentrates pack potency levels of up to 90% in certain cases, it’s no wonder smokers who are after stronger hits are converting to the dab life. If you’re curious as to how you can enjoy a dab yourself, setting up and preparing your own dab is relatively simple..more on that shortly.

A Brief History of Dabbing

While the whole dabbing thing has really taken off over the past decade or so, the use of cannabis extracts itself is nothing new. People have been enjoying hashish using various dodgy methods like hot knives and heated stones for thousands of years.

Then in the early 2000s, concentrated cannabis oils started to get a bit of attention - and by the early 2010s, the dab rig and titanium nail setup had become a bit of a staple in cannabis culture.

As the years went by, all sorts of new gadgetry started to come out like quartz bangers, carb caps, e-nails, temperature guns, and portable e-rigs - which has all made the dabbing experience a lot more accessible and fun. In this blog post we'll be focusing on using a traditional dab rig - so lets gear up!

What You Will Need

To start dabbing, you’ll need a few key pieces of equipment. Here is a list of components in a regular dab rig setup and their functions.

Dab rig terminology:

• The Rig - The centerpiece of your setup which servs the same purpose as a smaller bong - cooling the vapor before it reaches your lungs.

• The Banger or Nail - This is where the magic happens! The heated surface where you place your concentrate to vaporize - can be a quartz banger, ceramic nail, or titanium nail.

• The Torch - You will need a butane torch for heating your banger as a regular lighter will not provide enough heat for that.

• The Dab Tool - A small metallic, glass or ceramic tool used to collect and apply the concentrate onto the banger.

• The Carb Cap - A cap used on top of your banger after you put the dab inside it to help regulate airflow and allow for lower temperature vaporization.

• A Temperature Gun - Not a necessity but will help you make sure that the banger is at the correct temperature without the guess work.

• The Concentrate - And of course you need something to dab.

• Cleaning supplies - You will also need cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol. Keep these nearby so you can clean the banger before the leftover concentrate hardens.

Pro Tip: Prepare everything before turning on your dab torch. Once that banger is hot, it is not the time to go looking for your carb cap.

Interested in a more portable option? Read our guide on how to use a dab pen.

How To Use A Dab Rig

Once you have your rig assembled and your concentrate ready, it's time to get started!

Here is how to dab step by step.

Step 1: Prepare the Rig and Concentrate

Before anything, place your dab rig on a stable surface and make sure you are seated somewhere comfortable. Add enough clean water to cover the openings in the percolator, then take a dry pull through the mouthpiece to test the water level.

You should hear and feel gentle bubbling but if water reaches your lips, pour some out and test again.

Next, use your dab tool to collect a small amount of concentrate. Beginners should start with a piece about the size of half a grain of rice. Even that may be plenty if you have a low tolerance or are using a high-THC concentrate.

Set the loaded dab tool beside the rig and keep your carb cap close before moving to the next step.

Step 2: Heat the Banger/Nail

Using your butane torch, heat the bottom and lower sides of the banger. Move the flame around to distribute the heat instead of holding it against one spot.

Many quartz bangers take around 30 to 50 seconds to heat, followed by roughly 45 to 60 seconds of cooling. However, the correct timing depends on the thickness of the quartz, the strength of the torch, and the temperature of the room.

Now you see why a temperature gun can be useful? It gives you an actual reading rather than making you count seconds and hope for the best.

Step 3: Apply the Dab and Carb Cap

Once the banger has cooled to your chosen temperature, place your mouth over the rig’s mouthpiece and begin inhaling slowly.

Touch the concentrate to the inside of the banger. Rotate the dab tool as the concentrate melts off, then place the carb cap over the opening.

Turn or tilt the carb cap to direct airflow around the banger. This moves the concentrate across the heated quartz and helps it vaporize more evenly.

Pro Tip: Do not pull as hard as you would from a clogged bong. A strong inhale can drag melted wax into the neck of your rig before it has finished vaporizing.

Step 4: Inhale and Enjoy!

Continue inhaling slowly until the visible vapor begins to thin. Exhale normally and give the effects a few minutes to settle before taking another dab.

Dabs work quickly, but that does not mean you need to rush into round two. Concentrates can deliver a large amount of THC in one hit, especially if you are used to cannabis flower.

Step 5: Clean your Banger!

Don’t make the rookie mistake of leaving your rig dirty. Once the banger is warm rather than scorching hot, wipe the remaining oil away with a cotton swab. For sticky residue, lightly dip one end of a fresh swab in isopropyl alcohol. Use the dry end to remove the rest, then allow all alcohol to evaporate before heating the quartz again.

A dirty banger will affect the flavor of your next dab. Clean it while the residue is still easy to remove, and you will save yourself a much bigger job later.

Perfect Dab Temps: Stop Burning Your Concentrates

Temperature of the banger/nail plays an important part in your experience, but what is the right temperature for smoking dabs?

Dabbing should be done from 400°F to 550°F. Any dab higher than 600°F burns off terpenes and cannabinoids, causes painful coughing, and burns up your concentrate leaving burnt material called reclaim. The vast majority of dabbers and experts will advise using lower temperature dabs.

Lower temperature dabs can be performed from 400°F to 500°F and give you more pleasant and tasty vapor. Therefore, low temperature dabs are preferable when smoking concentrates containing high amounts of terpenes such as live resin, live rosin, and other solventless concentrates. There might be some little puddle remaining in your banger, however, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the dab is wasted. It may simply need a very short reheat.

What is Cold Start Dabbing?

In case you are having difficulties with the timing of your hot banger, you should consider switching to cold start dabs.

In cold start dabbing or reverse dabbing you heat a banger after placing the concentrate inside of it. unlike in hot start dabbing where you have to remember how much time the quartz should cool down after being heated, here you watch concentrate melting and stop heating when the vapor comes out.

This is how you cold start dab:

1. Place a small amount of concentrate in the bottom of a clean, cool banger.

2. Start heating lower parts of the banger for several seconds.

3. Move the torch under the bottom of the banger and continue heating.

4. Stop when the concentrate melts, starts bubbling and creates some vapor.

5. Place the carb cap on the banger and inhale slowly.

6. Rotate the cap in order to distribute concentrate evenly on the surface of quartz.

7. Apply very short reheat if there is a light puddle left.

8. Clean your warm banger with the help of a cotton swab.

People choose cold start dabs because of their convenience, better taste preservation and reduced risk of leaving baked concentrate residue.

Elevate your Dab Game With a MouthPeace!

It's no secret that dabbing has become popular among smokers and cannabis lovers. The higher concentration of THC and fast effects make it enjoyable and uplifting.

But just like with anything else, dabbing can lead to inhaling resin and tar, which can irritate your throat and lungs. That’s where a Mooselabs filter comes in handy. It catches nasty contaminants, providing you with a smoother hit, gentler on your lungs and throat.

This is especially beneficial for regular dabbers who might notice irritation over time. If you're looking for a better way to dab, using a filter will give you cleaner hits, preserve authentic flavors, and promote a healthier experience overall.