The Ultimate Guide to Dab Nails

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Dab nails are a convenient choice for both novice and seasoned stoners; here is the Cannabis Reports guide to dab nails to help you cruise through 2021 well stoned.

While most marijuana enthusiasts understand what a dab nail is, most do not know what it takes to make the most of whatever dab nail it is that they have. Truthfully speaking, not all dab nails are created equal. However, one can make the most of the dab nail that they have or select the best dab nail that suits their lifestyle.

With that, here are the common types of dab nails and everything that you need to know about each type.

Guide to Dab Nails

Ceramic Dab Nails

Ceramic dab nails are beautiful to behold, if you appreciate ceramics that is. They are good because they are affordable and retain heat for a long time; when dabbing with friends this counts for much. However ceramic breaks easily, this is a major downside to this type of dab nail.

Quartz Dab Nails

Quartz dab nails are high-end and appeal to a more sophisticated group. Quartz, unlike glass and ceramic, is durable because it does not break easily. This bestows an impressive life span. They heat up faster, meaning that you will achieve the ideal temperature sooner. They are just perfect for dabbing at a low temp. However, quartz does not retain heat for a long time.

Glass Dab Nails

Glass dab nails are affordable and easy to use and clean. Most stoners usually start with this type of dab nail. However, they break easily and do not retain heat well.

Titanium Dab Nails

Titanium dab nails are long lasting, they also happen to cost the most. Titanium takes a longer time to heat as compared to quartz or glass. However, they retain heat for a longer time. This makes them ideal for social dabbing. To prevent running the risk of overheating, titanium dab nails are usually paired with water diffusers.

The four types of dab nails listed above are the basic types of dab nails that you expect to find in the market. Dab nails will cost anywhere from $15 to over $50 depending on the material that is made from and other features such as domes.

How To Use A Dab Nail

The first thing is to prepare the marijuana concentrate for dabbing, and then assemble your dabbing apparatus including the dab nail. It is advisable to get a comfortable position before you start dabbing.

Turn on the torch and heat the nail until it begins to glow. Once it's red hot, turn off the torch and allow the titanium nail to cool so that it is no longer glowing but is still hot. For quartz dab nails, low temperature dabbing works well. Apply the dab on the nail and inhale gently, hold, and exhale.

Seasoning a Dab Nail

This involves heating a dab nail to open the pores of the material to release impurities. Seasoning also helps in heat retention, and enhances flavor and longevity.

Not all dab nails are seasoned; titanium and quartz need to be seasoned while glass and ceramic do not need to be seasoned. If titanium is not seasoned, it will give off a burnt taste and smell.

How To Season a Dab Nail

There are different ways to season dab nails. We shall look at two common ways; using a torch and using an oven.

Seasoning a Dab Nail with a Torch

Hest your dab nail for about 30 seconds until it glows then allow it to cool for about 15 seconds. Put a small amount of essential oil on the open pores of the dab nail and repeat this process three times.

Seasoning a Dab Nail with an Oven

Preheat the oven to 350F. Apply a layer of essential oil on the open pores of the dab nail and place it on the heated oven tray for 20 minutes. Make sure that it does not smoke. Remove and cool.

Avoid using water to season titanium dab nails.

Here are some common questions that are asked about dab nails.

Dab Nails FAQs

What is a dab nail?

Dab Nails are small nail-like apparatus that are used to vaporize marijuana concentrates before they can be inhaled. The concentrate such as shatter is placed on the surface of the dab nail which is heated with a torch and the resulting flavorful vapor is inhaled. Dab nails can be made from glass, quartz, titanium, or ceramic.

What type of Dab nail is the best?

The best dab nail must be efficient and durable. It should heat correctly and retain the heat for a decent amount of time. The smoke produced should also be flavorful and gentle on the throat. You do not want a dab nail that is too complex for your level of expertise or one that goes cold before you even start enjoying the session.

What is a dab nail used for?

Dab nails are used for vaporizing marijuana concentrates before they can be inhaled through a pipe.

What's the difference between a banger and a nail?

A banger is a type of dab nail with a flat bottom and swan-like neck; it resembles a swan. The flat and extended bottom increases the surface area for dabbing, this makes it efficient. It is ideal for new users because of the ease of use as well as cost effectiveness.

How do you tell if your banger is quartz or glass?

A gem tester for thermal conductivity can be used to test whether a banger is made from quartz or glass. While quartz conducts heat, glass does not. Thus, a thermal conductivity test will help to tell one apart from the other. The Terp Slurper is a great quartz banger.

Are quartz nails better than titanium?

While a titanium nail takes longer to heat up, quartz heats up fast. However, the titanium nail will retain heat for a longer time as compared to a quartz nail. When taking multiple dabs it is better to go for the titanium nail which will retain the heat for a longer time.

How long should you torch your banger?

When using a quartz banger you should torch it for at least 30 seconds until it glows. Once it has glowed, remove the torch and wait for about 15 seconds before you can start dabbing.

How do you season dab nails?

When seasoning your dab nail the first thing to do is to turn on the torch and begin heating the nail until it glows. This should take about 30 seconds. Once it has glowed, allow it to cool before you apply the essential oil on the surface of the nail.

 How do I keep my dab nails clean?

To clean your dab nail first you have to heat it up then use a brush to scrape off any residue from the nail. Avoid using water and soap or any chemical to clean your dab nail.

How long do titanium nails last?

Titanium nails are long lasting and will last for many years for as long as they are well maintained.

What's better, glass or titanium nail?

Titanium is durable and retains heat for longer. This gives it added benefits over glass nails. However, glass produces a more flavorful dab.

How do you know when a titanium nail is hot enough?

Ideally, a titanium nail needs to be heated at 450-650F for about 30 seconds. The nail should neither smoke nor should it turn bright red; these are indications that the nail has been overheated.

Dome Versus Domeless Nails

A dome is an essential part of a dab nail; however it is not entirely necessary. A dome can be made from glass, quartz, ceramic, or titanium and it encloses the vapor that has been produced from heating the marijuana concentrate. Most people associate dab rigs with the dome.

Domeless nails lack a dome; once the concentrate has been vaporized it is immediately inhaled. While domed nails are expensive and difficult to use, domeless nails cost less and are pretty basic to use. The latter is also easy to clean making them ideal for novice users. However, domeless nails are less efficient; they carry less concentrate and will require frequent refilling.

What are E- nails?

E- Nails are a type of dab nails that use electricity to heat up the nail. They are convenient to use because they allow the user to set the temperature for heating and maintain that temperature for as long as they want. A torch is not required for this type of dab nail.

There goes our ultimate guide on dab nails plus FAQs, if you have more questions not addressed in the FAQ feel free to comment below.

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