Why titanium is better than glass for dabbing

[BobCajun]

Transition metals catalyze the decarboxylation of THCA to THC. Most are fairly toxic though, at least if they get hot enough to give off fumes. Titanium happens to be a promising one, and is already used for dabbing "nails". You can also get titanium e-cigarette coils, though most stock ones are kanthal from what I could find in a quick search. Iron also works, but would probably be less convenient to work with, rusting and stuff, and being heavy.

It's best if the metal is "activated", meaning to give it more surface area so it will be more reactive. So it may be good to rough up the nail surface with emery cloth or at least scratching it up with something. It may work without any surface treatment, I don't know, but it couldn't hurt.

A vape coil might work well, hard to predict. Anyway, the metal makes the decarbing almost instantaneous from the article I found. I'm not linking it because it also has other stuff in it that I don't want to share right now.

The THCA may decarb without the titanium catalyst, but it would likely take a higher temperature and longer time. Chances are, you would get more out of your dabs with the titanium. It's more durable than glass anyway so why not?

 

[Bugeye]

Experiment and get back to us with data.

 

[BobCajun]

Experiment and get back to us with data.

Don't even have a dab rig right now. Never actually dab, just smoke weed or hash in a regular hash pipe. Just thought I'd pass this information on. I'll start doing extracts in a while though. Glassware seems overpriced to me so I'll probably just get some titanium wire and roll some up in a ball and put it in the pipe bowl and put the oil on top it and smoke it with a bic lighter instead of a torch, which seems a little inconvenient to me.

But regarding the data, I'm a stoner not a scientist. Nobody pays me to do stuff like that so why the hell would I, right? Now if you pay me $1000 up front I'll do all the experiments you want.

 

[Rrog]

Glass is always clean. Heat decarboxes. Not seeing the value of metal

 

[DemonTrich]

I love my ceramic dual coil.in my vape pen, but LOVE my time nail.in my rig even more.

 

[Bugeye]

Don't even have a dab rig right now. Never actually dab, just smoke weed or hash in a regular hash pipe. Just thought I'd pass this information on. I'll start doing extracts in a while though. Glassware seems overpriced to me so I'll probably just get some titanium wire and roll some up in a ball and put it in the pipe bowl and put the oil on top it and smoke it with a bic lighter instead of a torch, which seems a little inconvenient to me.

But regarding the data, I'm a stoner not a scientist. Nobody pays me to do stuff like that so why the hell would I, right? Now if you pay me $1000 up front I'll do all the experiments you want.

I figured as much. All you need is heat bro.

 

[420God]

I prefer a quartz banger over a TI nail. Seems to be a cleaner hit and doesn't take as long to heat up.

 

[BobCajun]

I figured as much. All you need is heat bro.

Well, there's a graph that shows what simple heat does. 145 C is just slightly below the boiling point of THC and yet it still takes 7 minutes to decarb it all. So do you take 7 minutes to smoke a dab? I think I prefer instantaneous to 7 minutes.

 

[BobCajun]

I prefer a quartz banger over a TI nail. Seems to be a cleaner hit and doesn't take as long to heat up.

Yeah but in about 3 months it'll break.

 

[420God]

Yeah but in about 3 months it'll break.

My 4mm thick one is still going strong after 6 months, and for a third of the price of titanium I think it's worth it.

 

[Rrog]

Well, there's a graph that shows what simple heat does. 145 C is just slightly below the boiling point of THC and yet it still takes 7 minutes to decarb it all. So do you take 7 minutes to smoke a dab? I think I prefer instantaneous to 7 minutes.

http://hightimes.com/grow/dab-tech-low-temp-dabs-and-the-anatomy-of-a-flame/ Looks like dab temps are extremely high. Hundreds of degrees beyond the highest temp in the graph. So it would seem the temp vaporizes all and the metal decarbox is redundant.

 

[Bugeye]

Well, there's a graph that shows what simple heat does. 145 C is just slightly below the boiling point of THC and yet it still takes 7 minutes to decarb it all. So do you take 7 minutes to smoke a dab? I think I prefer instantaneous to 7 minutes.

You have never dabbed. Stop giving dab advice.

 

[Fadedawg]

After experimenting with borosilicate, quartz, and CP Titanium, I use an electrically heated and well seasoned titanium nail.

Borosilicate was ephemeral, due to building thermal stresses, and I could taste the hot quartz.

After seasoning the commercially pure titanium nail, to form an oxygen and nitrogen alpha case, it becomes highly inert and I can no longer taste it.

I don't turn down dabs from either..................................

 

[Bugeye]

After experimenting with borosilicate, quartz, and CP Titanium, I use an electrically heated and well seasoned titanium nail.

Borosilicate was ephemeral, due to building thermal stresses, and I could taste the hot quartz.

After seasoning the commercially pure titanium nail, to form an oxygen and nitrogen alpha case, it becomes highly inert and I can no longer taste it.

I don't turn down dabs from either..................................

Ever try the sapphire inserts from dnail? Have heard good things but haven't had an opportunity to try yet. Kind of an expensive upgrade as you need their enail for proper fit.

 

[BobCajun]

http://hightimes.com/grow/dab-tech-low-temp-dabs-and-the-anatomy-of-a-flame/ Looks like dab temps are extremely high. Hundreds of degrees beyond the highest temp in the graph. So it would seem the temp vaporizes all and the metal decarbox is redundant.

No, it just decomposes a large portion of it. And I'll give all the advice I want. You just don't have to take it.

 

[BobCajun]

My 4mm thick one is still going strong after 6 months, and for a third of the price of titanium I think it's worth it.

View attachment 3749192

I just read that they do tend to break after months of repeated heating. You may just be lucky so far.

 

[420God]

After experimenting with borosilicate, quartz, and CP Titanium, I use an electrically heated and well seasoned titanium nail.

Borosilicate was ephemeral, due to building thermal stresses, and I could taste the hot quartz.

After seasoning the commercially pure titanium nail, to form an oxygen and nitrogen alpha case, it becomes highly inert and I can no longer taste it.

I don't turn down dabs from either..................................

How do you like the electric heater, does it heat up fast?

 

[Bugeye]

How do you like the electric heater, does it heat up fast?

Using a torch feels barbaric after going electric. Mine heats up in a minute or two and then often stays on for hours.

 

[Rrog]

And I'll give all the advice I want. You just don't have to take it.

 

[abe supercro]

How do you like the electric heater, does it heat up fast?

What I noticed most about my buddies electronic (metal) nail is that you can accurately keep the temp dialed in, so it's much easier to not overheat before you vape. Often ppl w a torch are guesstimating the temp and end up with a much hotter hit. The excessive heat is what can make an oil vape hit painful to your lungs ime.