It might be a perplexing new world if you’re just starting out with dabbing. You can utilize a variety of equipment for getting straight as well as various concentrations. The majority of this guide’s attention will be given to the different types of wax dabs and the optimal dabs for various uses. Wax dabs come in many different varieties. Below are 15 Different Types of Wax Dabs, all of which have been tried and tested. You can be assured each has its different uses and qualities. We’ll examine different types of wax dabs and their processes, let’s look more closely!

What is Dabbing?

Dabbing is the practice of ingesting cannabis concentrates and other extracts using a dab rig or other equipment. After that, the concentrated wax is added to a dab rig or dab. The concentrate is heated to a temperature of 400 to 600 degrees, occasionally even higher, inside the chamber of the dab. In comparison, a dry flower vaporizer usually operates at a temperature of about 350 degrees.

So, how do dabs appear? There are many different devices, ranging from big dabbing rigs to little dab pens that can be used for the different types of wax dabs. Full-sized dab rigs resemble bongs in appearance. There is a mouthpiece, some tubing, and a glass chamber with water inside. Instead of a flower bowl, there is a nail that has been heated to the proper temperature using a torch.

You can get better temperature control and reliability with some rigs, like Dr. Dabber’s. This is nearly always the case with portable dab pens, which resemble regular vape pens in appearance.

You might also be curious about the dabs’ history. Due to the texture and loading method for the concentrate, some refer to them as “dabs.” The majority of concentrates require “dabbing” onto the nail or into the chamber since they are sticky.

The Difference between Wax and Dabs, Cannabis Extracts, and Concentrates

The terms “concentrate,” “extract,” and “dab” may be used interchangeably by the inexperienced. They are distinct entities.

Dabs and extracts are both forms of concentration to start. Any cannabis-derived product stronger than the original flower is referred to as a concentrate. To put it another way, it has the most THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids.

This concentration is attained through extraction using a chemical procedure. This starts with the trichomes, the vivid, fibrous, crystalline particles that also include terpenes and flavouring agents, and THC and CBD.

We’ll discuss other extraction techniques shortly. However, based on the method, you end up with various wax strains, shatter varieties, and other substances. These can be anything from crystalline to greasy, with many kinds of wax concentrate in between.

These extracts all share the trait of being incredibly concentrated. They don’t include any surrounding plant matter; they contain trichome-derived chemicals.

But what material are dabs comprised of? Dabbing is the most common method of extract consumption. Any grade of wax concentrate is the best kind to dab, but shatter, and oil can also be ingested in this fashion. A dab is any form of concentration that is ingested during dabbing.

Nevertheless, not all concentrates and extracts are appropriate for dabbing. For example, hash and kief are best consumed by smoking them or using a conventional dry herb vape pen because they are high in plant material. On the other hand, tinctures are alcohol-based and only burn when heated. Therefore, it should be consumed orally.

A pre-loaded vape cartridge is one very intriguing example. The substance used to create these cartridges is a concentration that has been diluted. This lessens the potency, making it more like smoking dry marijuana than the powerful dabbing sensation. Nevertheless, the substance used in vaping is still made from an original concentrate, made from the trichomes of cannabis buds.

Difference between “Oil” and “Hash”

Some individuals become confused by the terms “oil” and “hash” because they have various meanings. They can refer to any number of extracts or certain categories, depending on the context.

On July 10th, for instance, the cannabis community observes Oil Day, a celebration of cannabis oil in general. All cannabis extracts are honoured in this festival. Similarly, “hash” is a common term for dab extracts like wax and shatter.

Cannabis oil is a particular kind of extract with an oily viscosity. Cannabis that has been processed using a bubble hash method or by compressing kief is known as a hash.

Different Types of Wax Dabs Names

There are many different types of wax dabs, the resin from the trichomes on the dried herb is extracted using a chemical solvent to create almost all different types of wax dabs. The most popular solvents are butane and propane, but there are other choices as well. The procedure is carried out by skilled chemists in a laboratory, and the solvents are eliminated from the finished product. Although there are solventless extracts, they are more expensive and difficult to locate.

It’s critical to purchase extracts on the legitimate market for safety reasons. Black market extracts are made in unregulated laboratories that lack control and safety regulations. As a result, solvents and other substances could come up in your dabbing product. A batch of legal dab products will be discarded if the residual solvent levels are too high after testing and regulation.

Cannabis oil

Cannabis distillate, often known as cannabis oil, is a viscous oily liquid. It’s not the best material for dabbing because it’s so runny. On the other hand, it’s frequently utilized in vape cartridges and is excellent for making delicacies. Oils make a suitable basis for isolating specific cannabinoids as well.

Wax 

This contains a range of grades and consistencies, there are different kinds of wax concentrate including honeycomb, sugar wax, crumble, and budder and they are also the different types of wax to smoke. It is most frequently extracted using the flexible butane extraction technique. Wax can be added to joints, blunts, or bowls to increase their potency in addition to dabbing.

Budder

Budder has a reputation for being one of the most potent and cleanest concentrates on the market. You can anticipate an average of 99% purity and 90% THC. Since it must be continually beaten throughout the preparation, the production process requires a lot of effort. The finished item has the same viscosity as butter and is cream- or gold-coloured. However, budder is more expensive than most other concentrates due to its extreme potency and labour-intensive process.

Sweet Wax

Sugar wax, often known as sugar, is a crystalline wax with a moist, sticky consistency similar to undissolved sugar. However, it doesn’t have the same creamy consistency as budder and is less dense. When other extracts were accidentally left out during manufacture and started to crystallize due to condensation, sugar was accidentally generated. But because of how simple it was to load, it quickly gained popularity.

Crumble

When handled, the Crumble readily disintegrates into a loose, dry extract. It is primarily yellow, though a dark dab of wax can occasionally be found. It’s more challenging to manage because it disintegrates so quickly. On the plus side, you can purchase high potency at a reasonable cost.

You might be shocked to learn that, until a certain point, crumble is created using the same process as shatter. However, it spends more time in the vacuum oven towards the end of the procedure. It is extremely dry and crumbly because of this. However, the exceptionally low moisture content guarantees that mould contamination won’t occur.

Honeycomb

A wax similar to a crumble is a honeycomb. Given how similar the two are, this is one of the more contentious dab names; some even assert that the two are distinct dabs. Honeycomb is distinctive primarily for its porous, cavity-filled look. It typically crumbles like crumble does when touched with a dab tool, allowing it to be loaded.

Pull ‘n’ Snap (Taffy)

Pull ‘n’ Snap, sometimes referred to as taffy, is a glossy, flat concentrate that comes in several colours. While it has a similar appearance to shatter, it functions very differently. It behaves like a piece of saltwater taffy rather than crumbling and because of this, working with it at room temperature is simple. But beware, it can get sticky and dirty in warm weather. To prevent this, pull ‘n’ snap should be stored at colder temperatures.

Shatter

Shatter is one of the most well-known extract varieties due to its extraordinary purity. The ideal shatter is nearly transparent, flat, and solid. In actuality, however, this is more difficult to accomplish because it is challenging to prevent the material from becoming opaque while it is being produced. Shatter comes in a wide variety of forms, and dispensaries frequently refer to different grades of shatter by different names. Lower grades of shatter can be yellow or even amber, though the efficacy is not much affected by the darker shade.

Crystalline

Dabbing extract comes in various forms, but the most powerful kind is crystalline. It is possible to break down these exceptionally pure cannabis crystals, which are frequently marketed as a single chunk. It can also be purchased in the broken-down, white, and incredibly dense powder form. Although pricey, crystalline is valued for its purity.

Diamonds

Does this mean that the dab extracts in your dabbing apparatus must be full-spectrum? No, never. In terms of clarity and crystal-like structure, diamonds resemble crystalline materials. However, they only contain a single cannabinoid, such as THC or CBD, rather than being a full-spectrum extract. Because of their purity, crystals sometimes have a diamond-like sheen.

Diamonds have very little to no taste or terpenes because they are isolates. This is why people frequently mix them with terp sauce while dabbing them.

Rick Simpson Oil

One of the most popular high-THC extracts for therapeutic usage is called Rick Simpson Oil (RSO). It is distinctive since it is only produced with female cannabis plants and only from those with at least 20% THC. You extract from the entire plant because the buds and the leaves are needed. A high-THC concentrate with potent psychoactive effects is the result.

RSO can be used topically, swallowed as pills, or absorbed sublingually. Even though more significant doses can sometimes be administered, microdosing is the most common application.

Live Resin

Because of the odd extraction method, live resin is distinctive. The plants are kept below freezing from being harvested until the finished product is generated. Live resin is particularly simple to deal with because of its thick, wasabi-sauce-like consistency. Additionally, the resin has a higher concentration of terpenes and a richer flavour and scent due to the extraction process.

Terp Sauce

Terp sauce, or simply “sauce,” is an extraction of cannabinoids that contains a very high concentration of terpenes. Despite frequently having microscopic granular crystals, it has a gravy-like consistency and a strong flavour. The hue might be anything from amber to delicate golden.

Other Popular Concentrates

Not all concentrates are made via chemical extraction. In many cases, you can get excellent results with simple physical and temperature-based methods. The process tends to be more involved, with higher prices, but many people perceive the product as a cleaner.

Dry-Sift Hash

Dry-sift hash is made by physically shaking and sifting dry herbs and selecting only the finest particles. These will be powdered trichomes and some fine bits of plant matter. This is kief, the same material you’ll collect in the bottom of a three-level grinder.

To produce hash, the kief is simply pressed into a pellet, sometimes with a bit of resin to make it sticky. It’s possible to dab hash, but it’s more often used for smoking.

Bubble Hash

Bubble hash is a higher grade of hash than dry sift. Cannabis buds are placed in an ice water bath and left to chill. After a few minutes, the bath is agitated, breaking off frozen trichomes, and leaving the plant material almost entirely intact. The water is then filtered through multiple mesh bags to remove any remaining plant matter.

There are several grades of hash, depending on the plant matter content. The highest grade is called “full melt” because it eventually melts away to nothing when it’s consumed.

Rosin

Rosin is the most popular solventless extract for dabbers. Cannabis buds are pressed between a set of hot metal plates, which are put under extreme pressure. This extracts ail, which cools down and thickens into a tacky resin. In addition to dabbing, rosin is also used in high-potency vape cartridges.

FAQS

What is sugar wax dabs?

Sugar wax sometimes referred to as sugar dab or sweet wax, is a type of cannabis concentrate created using the BHO method. Its sugar-like look is where its name comes from. A sugar wax dab resembles wet, yet-to-melt sugar more than anything else.

How much is wax dabs?

The fair costs of the dabs will match any budget, but the strains that are less expensive will be of noticeably poorer quality. The starting price for the average is about $10 per gram.

How to get dabs off wax paper?

Try wax paper or any other non-stick surface if using your fingernails to scrape it off isn’t working for you. This approach has the benefit of eliminating the possibility of scratching the glass or your dab tool. If all else fails, you can even use a blowtorch to aid in starting it!

How many dabs in a gram of wax?

Concentrates often come in 0.5 or 1 gram sizes. Eighty percent of the oil’s cannabinoids and other cannabis chemicals, or around 800 mg, are present in one gram.

How to store wax dabs?

They all generally keep best in a cool, dark environment. Glass containers are best for storing oilier concentrates like live sauce or wax because they are more airtight, which helps to keep their wetness and texture. Shatter or crumble, which are more durable and have less watery concentrations, can be stored in a straightforward glass container.

References:

What is dabbing? (n.d.). Leafly. https://www.leafly.com/learn/consume/dabs

Dabbing. A Dangerous New Way to Get High. (n.d.). Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/marijuana-dabbing-4797506

Abuse, N. I. on D. (2020, June 25). Cannabis (Marijuana) Concentrates DrugFacts. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/cannabis-marijuana-concentrates

Centers, M. R. (2022, August 6). What Are Dabs and Are They Dangerous? Memphis Recovery Centers. https://www.memphisrecovery.com/rehab-blog/what-are-marijuana-dabs/

Dabbing. A Dangerous New Way to Get High. (n.d.). Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/marijuana-dabbing-4797506