Nail, or otherwise “dab nail”, is a plate used for dabbing, which means vaporizing concentrates. From the article below you will learn what a nail is, what types of nails are there and how to use them. Using a nail is a form of dabbing that provides definitely the strongest sensations – so if you care about power, this will be the best choice for you!
What will you learn from this article?
👉 What is a nail for concentrates?
👉 How to use a nail for concentrates?
Table of contents:
What is a nail? It is an attachment mounted on a special water pipe and used for vaporizing concentrates. A titanium, quartz or ceramic nail is placed in the place of the stem, however it will not fit every water pipe – below you will learn what type of water pipe will be appropriate. The nail is heated with a butane lighter until it reaches a very high temperature. Then, when it cools down a bit, a small amount of concentrate (called a dab) is applied to it, which then begins to vaporize intensively, the user inhales the vapor through the water pipe. That’s the short version, but how does it work in practice?
What will you need?
The first element needed to build your own vaporizer for concentrates is a water pipe. It must be a water pipe in which only the stem is dismantled, while the tube that brings the vapor under the water is independent of it – only then, after dismantling the stem, the vapor will be filtered through water. Additionally, the stem must be mounted in a vertical plane, not at an angle, as in most regular water pipes. Thanks to this, the nail will not be crooked after being mounted in the place of the stem – it must be mounted perfectly level, otherwise the melted concentrate will leak out of the nail.
The nail can be made of titanium, ceramic or quartz. Each of these types of material will provide a different type of experience – titanium heats up the fastest and is the most durable, quartz provides the purest taste, while ceramic maintains the temperature the longest. For beginner users, we recommend a titanium nail. The nail must of course be adapted to the diameter of the water pipe joint grind and its type – male (convex joint) or female (concave joint). In our offer you will find nails suitable for various types of joints – if you are unsure whether the selected nail will fit your water pipe – write to us, we will be happy to advise!
Carb cap is a cover for the nail, which should be placed on it after applying the concentrate. The carb cap acts as a “clutch” and allows you to regulate the density of the vapor. Carb caps are almost always made of titanium, often also having a built-in dabber on the other side.
Dabber, which is a tool for applying concentrate, will be needed to transfer the dab from the container to the heated nail. Under the influence of heat, the concentrate will melt and flow from the dabber into the interior of the nail.
Butane torch – will be needed to heat the nail. Due to the fact that heating takes quite a long time, the torch must be of appropriate power and show high resistance to overheating. FLAMY torch works very well in this case.
Vaporization with a nail
Before the first use of a titanium nail, it should be tempered. To do this, heat your nail to redness and when it is still very hot, transfer it with tweezers to a container with cold water. Repeat this procedure several times. Then wait for the nail to cool completely, dry it and install it on the water pipe.
The next step is to heat the nail. To do this, turn on the butane torch and use its flame to heat the nail using circular movements – so that the heating is even. Continue heating until the nail is heated to redness. Then turn off the torch and start a stopwatch – you should wait about 30 seconds for the temperature of the nail to drop to a level suitable for vaporization.
Now it’s time to apply the concentrate. To do this, use a dabber to separate a dab of concentrate the size of a grain of rice and place it on the heated nail, while at the same time starting to make a slow inhale through the water filter mouthpiece. Make a few “circles” with the dabber inside the nail so that all the concentrate on the dabber melts. Then put down the dabber and cover the nail with a carb cap – then the most intense vapor production will begin. Usually 1 dab allows for 2-3 inhalations of thick vapor and ensures a pleasant inhalation experience.
After you’ve finished inhaling, heat the nail a bit with a torch – then you can easily remove all remaining concentrate residue from it with a dry cosmetic stick.
In the video below you can see how using a nail works in practice:
Remember, it’s always better to apply too little rather than too much concentrate – firstly, because these are very potent substances, and secondly, because they are quite expensive. It would be a shame to evaporate a larger amount of concentrate than we are actually able to take during inhalation.
If you have any questions about choosing a nail or using it – write to us, our experts will be happy to provide you with professional advice!
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