Times are changing and people no longer only smoke their herb in a joint or a bong. Extracts are the latest trend amongst cannabis users and if you don’t own a good vaporizer or a dabbing rig, you are no longer hip.
One particular kind of cannabis concentrate is attracting plenty of special attention lately; Shatter.
Cannabis shatter is special kind of BHO (Butane Hash Oil) which has users both excited and divided.
To clear up some of the mystery, we take an in-depth look at cannabis shatter. We will explain what it is, how it is made, and will try to clear up the smoke on the topic.
So what exactly is shatter?
“Shatter” is a term used to describe an extremely potent type of BHO (Butane Hash Oil). All BHOs use butane (a liquified gas) as a solvent to extract cannabinoids and terpenes (to a lesser extent) from cannabis plant matter.
Cannabis shatter boasts a beautiful golden color. It is a hard, glass-like extract that usually shatters when it is dropped (hence the name). Shatter is extremely translucent, often leading people to assume that it is the purest of all cannabis concentrates. It can contain up to about 80% concentrations of THC and other cannabinoids.
Shatter can occasionally be sold under some other names. You will find it mainly as “sap” or “pull ‘n snap”, depending on the texture of the final concentrate.
Where shatter is hard and glassy, sap is slightly more runny, with a texture more like tree sap. Pull ‘n snap usually sits somewhere in the middle with a texture similar to taffy.
All of these products are essentially made the same way, but slight variations in heat and moisture content give them their different textures.
How is shatter made?
Shatter is a solvent-based cannabis extract. Being a type of BHO, it uses butane to separate trichomes from the cannabis buds and trimmings and hereby concentrates the cannabinoids and terpenes found in the plant.
Trichomes are small, glass-like crystals found on the cannabis plant. These trichomes contain the highest concentrations of THC and other cannabinoids and terpenes.
All cannabis concentrates (different types of BHO, hash and even kief) are essentially made by harvesting and concentrating trichomes.
The process for making shatter is relatively easy. It involves soaking, or “blasting” cannabis buds and trimming them with liquified butane in order to separate the trichomes from the plant. The resulting mixture is then collected and heated in order to purge as much butane from it as possible.
The purged mixture is then left to rest and settle so it can form a thin sheet of extract.
Waxes, budders, and other types of concentrates are often stirred, whipped, or shaken during various stages of the production process. This agitates individual molecules within the extract and creates a final product that has a cloudy, possible even creamy appearance and texture.
Shatter is not agitated during the heating processes. This is why it has its translucent appearance.
On the contrary to what some people like to belief, the translucence of shatter has nothing to do with its purity; the purity of the extract comes down to how well it has been purged of its solvents and the quality of the cannabis used to produce it.
How to Smoke Shatter Using a Rig
Although there are a few ways to burn shatter, the oil rig is by far the most popular. An oil rig, in particular, is a glass pipe that looks similar to a bong.
In addition to containing a vertical chamber, it also includes a mouthpiece and a hole, which is where you insert a small nail made of glass or metal.
After the nail turns red, you then use a metal dabber, scoop up a small amount of shatter, and then dab it onto the nail. As a result, the oil combusts right away, and a thick plume of smoke is produced which you inhale through the rig.
Often, you’ll be left with additional oil on your nail after each dab. In this case, you have two choices as to what you’ll do with it. First, you can continue blasting the nail using a torch until the remaining shatter is gone. Or, you can wait until the goop begins to clog your rig.
In that case, you can soak the pipe in alcohol. Then, boil it until all of the alcohol disappears. Finally, scrape up the remaining oil and dab again.
The best and easiest way to do smoke shatter is with an electronic dab rig. T=We recommend you try the Dr. Dabber Switch.
What if You Don’t Have a Rig?
No rig? No problem. In fact, there are more ways to smoke shatter than one, no rig necessary.
To start with, you can fill your bowl up with ground-up weed. Then, add a few drops of dab onto the pot. Continue filling the remainder of the pipe with ganja, and spark up when you’re done.
Not only does this way prevent an open flame from coming into contact with the shatter, but it also keeps the THC from being burned before it has time to enter your lungs.
If you’re looking for another option, then there’s always the joint. As you roll a joint, just add some oil into it. But make sure you keep the shatter away from the ends. Again, you don’t want the flame to interfere with the shatter. And why not in a blunt? Well, learn on our post joint vs blunt the differences to know why.
If you’re new to smoking shatter, then these two ways are probably going to be a lot easier for you. All you need is a pipe, some papers, weed, and wax. But that’s not all you can do…
How To Smoke Shatter In A Pipe
Smoking shatter on a pipe works just as if you were to smoke regular dried flower. Most pipes will work perfectly with shatter, but if you want our recommendation then you should go with the KØL pipe. A two-piece device tied together with heat-resistant magnets and a unique cooling mechanism that provides a smooth but still potent rip. The screen with which the KØL is built makes it a good option when it comes to smoking anything, including shatter.
How To Smoke Shatter In A Bong
As long as you’re not topping off some flower with a little bit of shatter, the best way to smoke it out of a bong is by using a screen. Just put a screen at the bottom of a clean bong bowl. Then, add a small amount of your preferred shatter into the bowl and light it with a regular lighter. You may need to blow on the shatter gently to encourage it to burn evenly and continuously. Some people prefer to light their shatter with a torch lighter. As your hash gently burns, simply inhale and enjoy.
How To Smoke Shatter In A Vape
Vaping shatter works just as vaping flower or other concentrates. When vaporizing shatter, it is recommended to use a higher temperature than you would use for your dried flower. That said, you do not have to heat it to the same high temperatures that you would use for other cannabis concentrates. Simply place a small dollop of shatter into your vaporizer, gently warm it up by pushing the fire button a couple of times, and then enjoy your shatter vapor.
Our recommended device for vaping shatter is the DaVinci IQ2. It is one of the best and most advanced portable vapes on the market today. It can be used with shatter and other concentrates as well as with dry herb.
This is an extremely complicated way of getting high. I’ll just stick to blunts and cartridges for when I need to be stealthy.