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Kief is something that we all love to collect. We grind and grind our cannabis, and then after a few weeks or months, open up the bottom of the grinder to find a thick layer of those cannabinoid-rich crystals.

It’s a really exciting time because that kief contains up to 80% cannabinoid content. It’s extremely potent and will absolutely hit you very hard. It’s the kind of thing that’s going to put you down for the count.

That said, you might not know exactly what to do with kief. Some people may roll it into a joint and smoke it, put it into a bong, turn it into hash, or bake it into edibles. However, there is something else you can do with kief, something that many people don’t know.

Yes, you can dab kief. No, kief isn’t like a concentrate, such as a wax or shatter, but it is still technically possible to dab it.

Today, we will talk about everything you need to know about kief and dabbing it. We’ll talk about what his advantages and disadvantages are, how to do it, how to turn kief into a dabbing concentrate, and more.

Key Takeaways

• Kief are the crystals, resin glands, or trichomes in cannabis.
• Kief can contain up to 80% cannabinoids.
• It is possible to dab kief. 
• Dabbing kief lets you enjoy the benefits of cannabis without inhaling too much smoke.

What is Kief?

Kief is the trichomes or crystals, otherwise known as the resin glands, on the outside of cannabis buds or nugs. If you just look at a fresh cannabis bud, that thick white layer of what looks like fine sugar on the exterior is what we are talking about here.

These trichomes or resin glands are also what contains the vast majority of the THC and other cannabinoids in cannabis. Therefore, you can expect kief to be extremely potent, up to 80% THC in fact.

Although individual cannabis buds don’t produce much of it, it’s so potent that a little bit goes a long way. Many people choose to just smoke it as is, put it in some edibles, or even make it into hash. However, dabbing is another option that you have at your disposal.

Can You Dab Kief?

Kief dabs are not really a thing. Shatter, wax, rosin, and all those other cannabis concentrates are designed specifically for dabbing and vaporizing. Kief is, however, not one of these concentrates. It has not been processed into an oily or waxy material. Therefore, many people wonder how exactly kief can be dabbed.

Well, kief can actually be dabbed just like other cannabis extracts. You just put it onto the hot nail and let it vaporize. Technically speaking, it does work. The issue is that when kief is not properly processed, there might be some leftover plant matter in it. This can leave a bad aftertaste in your mouth and even leave residue in your dab device.

On that same note, that plant matter may actually combust instead of being vaporized, which is not something you want.

Not only does this leave residue behind and make a mess, but it’s also not great for your lungs. Furthermore, unlike wax or shatter, kief doesn’t melt when it is dabbed. Although strictly speaking, it is possible, dabbing kief often makes a bit of a mess.

What Are the Benefits of Dabbing Kief?

Stronger

One of the benefits of dabbing kief is that it is very strong. It can contain up to 80% cannabinoids. Therefore, it can be just as potent, or at least almost as potent, as most types of wax and shatter. It’s something that will certainly help you feel the effects of cannabis.

Less Smoke to Inhale

Kief dabs may be a bit healthier, at least when compared to smoking flower. Combusting and inhaling anything just isn’t good for your respiratory tract. Although dabbing or vaporizing is not 100% healthy, it is much healthier than smoking.

Uses Up Kief in the Grinder

Some people just never use that kief because they don’t want to go through the effort of turning it into edibles or anything else of the sort. Therefore, if nothing else, dabbing your kief is just a good way to get it out of the grinder and use it up.

What Are the Potential Downsides to Dabbing Kief?

One of the biggest downsides to dabbing kief is quite simply that it makes a mess. It doesn’t vaporize properly, it leaves behind residue, and it requires quite a cleanup job afterward. 

Furthermore, getting that fine powder onto the hot nail in the first place can be a challenge. You’ll probably end up spilling a whole lot of it.

Can You Make Dabs Out of Kief?

Yes, you can make dabs out of kief. Ice water hash or dry sift is made by separating the trichomes from the cannabis plant using cold water. It’s then dried and pressed into dabs. Rosin is made by using heat and pressure to squeeze the trichomes out of fresh plant material.

Other dabs also technically contain kief, but are made using different processes such as butane extraction or C02.

How Much Kief Do I Need for Dabs?

If you are just dabbing some of your own kief, a little bit goes a long way. About the size of a quarter of a pea will do just fine. 

You won’t be able to fit much more on the nail anyway. If you have a bucket for your rig, you can fit a lot. However, if you plan on making your own dabs, you will need a lot of kief, many grams, or even ounces.

How to Make Dabs from Kief?

If you want to make some wax or shatter from kief there are a few ways to go about it. The most popular on the market is butane extraction. As mentioned above, this is where butane is blasted through the cannabis plant matter. The butane absorbs the THC and comes out the bottom.

At this time, it needs to be put inside a vacuum chamber and then baked inside an oven. This allows the butane to dissipate, leaving behind the wax or shatter full of THC. However, this process is extremely dangerous and best avoided at home.

The next best method here is to make your own rosin. To make rosin out of kief, you’re going to use a heat press or even something simple like a hair straightener. Put your kief inside a 25-micron bag, press it between the heated plates, and collect the oil as it comes out. You can also get bubble bags to create your own ice water hash.

How to Get Kief Out of a Grinder

The best way to get kief out of a grinder is to touch it as little as possible. If you can, just bang together the two halves of the grinder and let the kief fall out into some kind of container or receptacle. You may also use a hard utensil.

Something like a knife or toothpick works well. Just don’t use your fingers or anything wet, because you don’t want that valuable THC being wasted. Many grinders even come with small brushes designed specifically to clean them out.

Final Thoughts – Can You Dab Kief?

So, can you dab kief? The bottom line here is that technically speaking, yes, you can dab kief, and it will be a very potent experience! However, it’s super inconvenient and can leave a painful cleaning job later on. But, it’s something we recommend trying at least once because the experience can be completely different from what you are accustomed to.

Where to Buy Kief, Grinders, and E-Rigs Online

If you don’t have any kief on hand but would like some, check out this CBD Kief from Plain Jane. If you need a good grinder to make your own kief with, take a look at this awesome Royale G Grinder or this more economical Herb Saver Grinder. If you already have your kief and need a way to dab it, you might be interested in this Ispire Dab E-Rig. 

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a commission when you click links in this content. Our professional curators independently research and recommend products and services, with no newsroom involvement. Merchants can pay for a sponsored listing and may choose to rewrite their summary. When that happens, we label the listing as “Sponsored” and highlight it in grey to differentiate the merchant-provided content from our writing.