How to Store and Handle Wax Concentrates - Dabbing Guide

Wax Concentrate Storage Introduction

Wax is a favorite mode of smoking for many, as dabbing has become one of the most popular methods lately leaning away from the more common vape or wax pen or even a box mod vape. Wax is simply a more concentrated form of your favorite strains of herb, and consuming it makes for a smoother and much more potent hit. Using wax aka dabs is great for newcomers and veterans alike as it is becoming more a more popular by the minute.

There are many different types of wax concentrates, and they are made differently. The National Institutes of Health lays out each process in this cannabis concentrates facts article. Wax concentrates are made in many different ways all have their own uses and benefits, and not knowing about them may lead to wasting it or not consuming it properly. Rather than let you lose your hard-earned money on wasted wax concentrates, quickly learn how to best store and handle it. We are here to help and have compiled this useful guide to better understand and move forward with confidence whether looking for a dab jar or a cool new dabbing tool.

Storing Wax in Dab Jars

Storing wax effectively is a way for you to more efficiently manage your wax. Where dry herb is easily stored in glass or plastic, wax is sticky and requires specialized storage and more planning and organization to store cleanly and comfortably. Rather than let residue get all over the paper and the rest of your gear, having specialized wax storage gear can help you to keep it one place and organized how you like. Some of the most popular and trendy options for storing wax is the silicone dab jar. These specialized containers hold wax perfectly without allowing it to develop into a sticky mess all over the walls of the container. They also come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, so you can personalize your collection of dab rig jars. Some containers are very specialized and come with multiple pouches aka storage areas in one design. These pouches are great for keeping different strains separate but organized in the same place, and they are also among some of the most widely used dab rig accessories across the country and world.

When storing your wax, ensure that you are keeping it at lower temperatures. Storing it in the fridge is a great way to keep consistency and flavor at the highest level. One of the critical factors of handling wax in a wax pen, is that it will quickly adhere to most surfaces, including the fingers. Keeping it cold keeps it hardy and far less sticky.

Concentrates are incredibly sticky by nature and touching them with your bare hand can transfer the many oils and bacteria from your hand onto the concentrate – not what anyone wants to medicate with at all.

You can use gloves or a sheet of parchment paper when attempting touch concentrates. This will make it much more pure and spare burning any unknown oils or bacteria that may have been present on the fingertips.

Handling Wax with Dabber Tools

Wax dabbers come in a variety of materials, shapes, sizes, and carry a multitude of functions. As with most common dab tools, your dabber will have some sort of end piece designed for handling the various types of wax available such as crumble, shatter, etc. When handling shatter, it is important to be careful and precise as being forceful and pressing too hard can cause the shatter to go flying across the room.

Once the wax is ready for handling with the dabber tool, you should heat your nail (based on the material of your nail this time will vary), and then apply the concentrate on the end of the dabber slowly. Once the nail reaches the desired temperature prepare to take a pull and apply the dabber tipped with wax to the inside of the nail in a circular motion and ensure all of the wax melts into the nail. Once this occurs, apply the carb cap to ensure no vapor escapes. The faster this step is done, the better. You should see the wax completely melt into the nail from your dabber. Once all of the wax is off of the dabber, remove the dabber and cover the nail with a carb cap if applicable, and continue to hit until all of the smoke is cleared. Be careful to let the tip of the dabber and nail cool after your dab.

Wax concentrate handling tools can be a very useful tool, as confirmed in this article about dab tools. Aside from handling your wax and letting you take dabs, it can be used to clear out bowls, function as a carb cap, and more. Dab tools help you to more easily handle your wax and use the high heat necessary for dabs. There are a variety of tips that are suited for different types of concentrate. Try out different combination to find your ideal setup!

Using Dab Mats for Wax Handling

Dab mats are not necessary for the average quick dabbing session, but they can definitely come in handy at your normal at-home or mobile dab spot. As the regular dabber knows, even a little spill of wax can become permanent and make your dab area very uncomfortable and unsightly. Silicone dab mats are very popular among wax users and can be found in videos of the most popular dabbing influencers. They are non-stick and allow you to handle the wax in a designated non-stick, sticky-free zone, making it a more enjoyable experience.

Applying Wax to a Dab Nail

How you heat up your dab rig depends on your personal preferences, the type of nail being used, and the size of the torch being used. Regular nails require external heat to be applied in the shape of a blowtorch of some kind, and the thickness and material it is made of will require its own unique heating conditions. Experiment with different styles but be sure to never dab too hot or too little and waste your wax.

E-nails are a very popular option and can be manually set to an ideal temperature, ensuring that each hit is just right. If you have a new e-nail, simply set it to a good temperature, let it heat up, and dab whenever convenient. In both cases, it is best to reach a temperature below red-hot that will not be too harsh on your throat. Most people will heat up to red hot and let it cool slightly before dabbing, and the cooling time will vary according to the material of the Domeless nail. Thicker quartz nails hold heat much better than thin quartz and if heated to the point of being red hot, they take about 30 seconds to return to a comfortable dabbing temperature, which is longer than other materials. Be wary of the size of your nail and how long you are giving it to cool. Thinner nails heat faster and cool quicker, and thicker nails retain heat longer and can take a little longer to heat.

Applying the Wax

Once the nail is heated to around the temperature of your liking, stop applying heat, let it sit for the necessary amount of time, and touch the wax onto the end of the dabber and into the dome or bowl of the nail. If you want the heat to come down a bit, wait nan additional 15 seconds or so after the red color disappears, especially if your nail is thick quartz. Once applied, the wax will turn to vapor immediately.

Top Tips for Storing and Handling Wax

Here are some simple but vital tips for properly storing your wax concentrates.

• Always store in a non-stick container.
• Use a multi-pocketed dab container to separately store flavors in the same container.
• Store in fridge or freezer for easier handling and better flavor and consistency.
• Always use a dab tool. Different dab tools exist and may be better for one type of wax or another, depending on your preferences.

Do Not Store Oil Concentrates in The Open Air

You should never allow any amount of concentrate to sit in the open as this rapidly increases the rate of degradation. Not only can this lead to a faster rate of degradation, but it raises the likelihood that dust or some other form of particulate can get caught in the slab and infect your vapor.

Bonus Wax Information

One of the more highly touted methods is dabbing with shatter concentrates, as this is the most easily handled and potent form of concentrate. Shatter is just one of the popular forms of concentrates on smoke shop shelves today thanks largely to its looks, which speaks directly to its name. Wax in general comes in many forms from the popular shatter to crumble which as you can imagine looks like crumbs. Exactly which product to use is really based on preference and exactly what you are looking for. We hope all of this information helps and please feel free to reach out directly to our vape shop if you have any other questions.

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