What is an E Nail
E Nail Introduction
The art of dabbing is one that has incorporated itself into our society. People have been using torches to super heat titanium nails to vaporize concentrates for years now. Just recently, the method of dabbing concentrates has merged with the technological era, and produced a new tool for dab enthusiast. We call it the e nail. You may be asking yourself, what is an e nail? It is a device unlike any other, a nail that uses a heating element that heats itself via electricity, making flaming hot torches a thing of the past.
The creation of the e nail was long overdue. For years, us wax enthusiasts were using butane torches to superheat the metal or ceramic nails on our dab rigs. This is a technique necessary to create heat that is intense enough to vaporize our concentrates. However, there are some flaws with this method. The biggest being that we don’t know just how hot we are making our nails, and we aren’t able to maintain that heat while we dab. This is where the enail comes into the picture.
E nails use electricity, either through an outlet or a battery, to heat themselves to a consistent and steady temperature. This solves several problems with standard nails. The e nail can be dialed to a specific temperature, making it suitable for a variety of concentrates. It can heat itself, which by itself is a huge convenience, and makes it great for social dabbing. Arguably the greatest feat is that it can remain at a constant temperature, allowing you to dab with consistently.
Dabbers from all walks of life are switching to enails. Those who dab a lot are especially migrating from standard to electronic nails. The convenience of these devices means people can spend less time fumbling with super hot torches or trying to guess if their nail is hot enough. When you take the benefits into consideration, it is easy to see why people are making the switch.
Domeless Nail vs E Nail
Before the electric nail, the domeless dab nail was the tool of choice for experienced dabbers. For many, it is still the go to option. This style of nail was an improvement over domed nails. A heating element was used that could heat up the nail more easily than its counterpart, vaporize their concentrate faster, and vaporize more concentrate at once. Users also did not have to fumble around with a hot dome or worry about the leftover concentrate gluing the dome to their nail.
Domeless titanium nails are generally larger than other nails and are made from a material that can hold heat well, usually titanium or sometimes ceramic or quartz. Their bigger size allows people to dab more wax onto the titanium nail to get a bigger hit. However, the downside to not having a dome means that the nail will lose heat more quickly. To combat this heat loss, people sometimes purchase a second attachment, know as a carb cap. The cap goes over the nail to seal in heat and provides airflow so the hit remains smooth.
The designers worked to make it an efficient successor of the nails that came before it. Prior to its creation, users had to heat standard nails, both domed and domeless, with a butane torch. With the enail, there was no longer any need for playing with fire. Instead, electricity supplies all the heat the electric dab nail requires to vaporize concentrates. In addition to eliminating the need for a torch, the electric dab nail can remain heated at a constant temperature so that each hit is as strong and delicious as the last.
So, you may be asking which nail is right for you? The answer depends on several factors that you should consider. Each has an advantage over the other. The electric dab nail is safer to use than the domeless nail because you do not need a torch to heat it up. The electric nail will typically set you back more money wise than the domeless nail. Since the e dab nail is an electrical component, it may also break down after a while and need replacing. Whereas a good titanium domeless nail will likely last forever.
You may also find the electric nail to be more portable than its counterpart. It saves you the need of carrying a torch around with you, and the worry of running out of fuel. Although, if your electric nail requires an outlet either to operate or be charged, it may not be the ideal device for you, depending on the situation. Portable electric dab nails, like the Yocan Torch, work with battery power, and do not need to be plugged in while you are using them.
Dab Rigs & ENails
Traditional Dab rigs are an essential piece when it comes to dabbing. Anyone familiar with dabbing likely knows how to use a traditional dab rig. They bare the resemblance of a glass bong and come in a huge range of designs. Since dabbing went mainstream, nearly every headshop and vaping outlet has these rigs in stock. Electric nails do not work on their own, and require some sort of rig to be used properly.
The main difference between a water pipe and a dab rig is the rig has a male joint rather than a female joint. This allows you to attach a e nail kit onto the male joint. However, attachments are available so that you can use regular water pipes with dabbing nails as well.
Dab rigs work much like water pipes. As you vaporize your concentrate, you inhale through the top of the rig. The vapor travels down a stem and is cooled down in the water at the bottom of the rig before traveling up into your lungs. You attach the electric dab nail to the male joint on the rig. It then uses an electric current to heat up. Using a dabber, you swirl the wax onto the nail and inhale as it produces vapor.
Dabbers & Electric Nails
Dabbers are an indispensable tool when it comes to dabbing. They resemble a poker and are usually made from metal, glass, or quartz. You use the dabber to apply wax to your electric nail because you don’t want to pick up sticky concentrates with your fingers. It is also not safely possible to apply the concentrate to your super-heated nail with only your fingertips.
There are a lot of dabbers on the marketplace in all sorts of designs. Generally, people with experience dabbing tend to prefer a simple pointed poker, or one with a ball point end. If the design of the tip is too crazy, it may be hard to vaporize all the concentrate on the dabber, which can lead to waste.
To use a dabber, you start by poking a small piece off your concentrate. You don’t want a huge chunk unless your lungs can handle a lot of vapor. A piece around the size of a BB is generally enough for a good hit. You then heat your e nail to your preferred temperature and being applying the concentrate in a circling pattern at the top of the nail. As the concentrate come in contact with the heated nail, it quickly turns into a cloud of vapor.
Benefits of an ENail
As you may have seen already, there are a lot of benefits to using an enail over a standard nail. In this section, we will break down the benefits into a list.
Safe and easy to use
The electric nail doesn’t require a torch or flame as a heating element to get hot, making it the safer choice of all the e nail kit variants.
Superior temperature control
You can dial an enail to your preferred temperature and know that it will remain that temperature as you dab.
Smoother dabs
The electric dab nail allows you to run it at lower temperatures so every hit is smooth, flavorful, and doesn’t burn your lungs.
Great for group sessions
Because you can keep your enail at a steady temperature, there is no need to reheat it when you pass your rig between friends.
Greater convenience
Portable e-nail kits require only electricity to operate. You no longer have to worry about running out of fuel and making a trip to the store for more.
More aesthetically pleasing
Regular nails aren’t always the prettiest of things. Electric dab nails on the other hand usually have a sleek look to them that’s sure to impress.
How to Use an E Nail
One plus to using an electric nail is it’s easy and straightforward. The way you heat your nail depends on what style of e nail you are using. If you are using one that draws power from an outlet, all you have to do is seat your e nail on your dab rig, plug it in, and adjust the temperature. Within minutes you should be ready to start dabbing.
If you are using a battery powered enail, like the Yocan Torch, you’ll want to make sure you’ve completely charged the battery. Usually these devices have a loading compartment for the concentrate. In which you would load a small amount of concentrate into the nail, set it on your dab rig, and press a button when you are ready to take a hit.
The huge benefits of using electronic nails is you do not have to heat anything up with a torch. You also do not have to worry about re-heating your nail between rips. The electric nail will remain at the temperature you chose until you switch it off.
Best Temperature for the Electric Dab Nail
Temperature is a fickle thing. When it comes to dabbing proficiently you want a temperature that is not too low and not too high or else you may end up wasting some of your wax concentrate. With a nail and torch, you never really know what temperature your nail has reached. If you use an electronic nail, then you know exactly what temperature you are working with and you reduce the risk of losing your concentrate.
The ideal temperature for dabbing is based on personal preference. Low temperature dabs generally produce a cleaner flavor and carry the least risk to wasting your concentrate. The variance for low temp dabs range from 600°F to 700°F. Going too far over 700°F is where things may get risky. Your concentrate may splatter at these high temperatures. Going below 600°F carries its own risks as well, as the nail may not be hot enough to vaporize all the concentrate.
How to Clean an E Nail
In most cases, you will not need to clean your electric dab nail often, if at all. If you do find that your enail has leftover residues you would like to remove there are a couple things you can do. One method involves heating the nail until the residues have dissipated. If that does not work or you want to try something else, you can simply use a tool to scrape the residues away. The electrical chassis should never need anything but a simple wipe down, preferably with a dry cloth to avoid damaging it.
Yocan Torch
The Yocan Torch E-Nail is a prime example of a portable and functional, quartz electric dab nail. It operates using a battery and has a loading compartment for wax concentrates. Inside the Yocan Torch there is a quartz coil atomizer, similar to handheld wax vaporizers. It also fits on most dab rigs right out of the box. Once you’ve loaded it and put it in place, using the Yocan is as easy as pressing a button. Its size and versatility makes it a real contender in the electric nail marketplace.
