Herb Grinders
- Thread starter vtac
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instead of skimming through this whole thread, how should one clean a new grinder before it usage. i know using a tooth brush will help, but should i use like dish soap or hand soap or perhaps just water? maybe just the brush. i see no flakes of metal, cept near the magnets.
I believe everyone uses ISO to clean it - that's what I used
SpiralArchitect
? & beyond
Yeah, ISO and a toothbrush works good. Warm, soapy water is fine too. Just make sure it is TOTALLY DRY before you grind anything up... don't want wet buds. 
max
Out to lunch
That should do fine, especially for an initial cleaning. Regular cleaning will make it quick and easy, vs. waiting until it's gummed up. Plus, a dirty grinder is going to make for a lot of sticky surfaces and sabotage kief collection.
MixnBall warns against using 'soap' to clean with. They sell Purilizer cleaner but ISO will work fine. I bought some Purilizer from the MB eBay seller when I picked up a couple of the 2 piece Classics for gifts. It does a good job-feels a little 'soapy/slick' but doesn't produce foam or bubbles. The stuff is supposed to be designed for MB products but will work with any metal grinder. A little seems to go a long way.
SpiralArchitect
? & beyond
Get your toothbrush dipped in iso and just scrub every cm of surface area, especially the teeth and the threads connecting the compartments. It's not rocket science.
max
Out to lunch
I'd clean it all, every time. Both sides of the screen too. Doesn't take long. Rinse the ISO off with water, dry the parts and you're ready to go. And on the initial cleaning, tiny shinys could be hiding anywhere. You might need a magnifying glass to see 'em, but I've found a few even on the Space Case.
SpiralArchitect
? & beyond
Sorry, it wasn't meant in jest or as a form of disrespect, just being honest.jklasd said:
I hope you enjoy your new grinder and the kief it produces!
Survivalism
Weapon Enthusiast
copy / pasted this from a nice guy in chat, he was having problems signing up.
I emailed the Chromium Crusher manufacturer asking which was better, the aluminum ones they make, or their original Zinc, their response was: "The aluminum cnc grinders have a nicer finish. The Zinc gun metal chromium grinders grinds better and has more teeth"
I emailed the Chromium Crusher manufacturer asking which was better, the aluminum ones they make, or their original Zinc, their response was: "The aluminum cnc grinders have a nicer finish. The Zinc gun metal chromium grinders grinds better and has more teeth"
max
Out to lunch
I'm skeptical that it was the manufacturer he emailed. I know they're made in China. My CNC Crusher came with a 'made in China' sticker on it. I suspect the factory makes other, identically made grinders for others. There's a Chromium Crasher being sold on eBay that looks identical to the steel/zinc Crusher. Anyway, I haven't been able to find a site for the CC other than distributors/dealers. Warranty varies according to the seller too.
The CNC aluminum version is much lighter than the steel/zinc. The 2.2" is 110g, vs. 178g for the original. I don't agree that the original grinds better, nor do I see a big difference in the finish. The new CNC should have stronger teeth, since 'all CNC' grinders are made from a solid block of metal. The fact that the original has many more teeth may be why the guy says it grinds better. Personally, I don't like a grinder that's loaded with teeth. It's harder to load, since there's little room between teeth. I have grinders of both styles, as far as # of teeth, and haven't found one style to be any better than the other. The new CNC does have fewer holes, but they're bigger. That could also be the reason for the guy's opinion that the original grinds better. If bigger pieces are able to make it to the screen, in this case it's due to the larger holes.
Sure, pick on the guy who can't log in to defend himself... just kiddingmax said:
The admin emailed me a pass to use directly, so let me clarify; Even though I hadn't joined this forum, I read through many threads including this one researching the best grinder and vape to buy, this stuff is all new to me.
I misread where you said: http://www.fuckcombustion.com/viewtopic.php?pid=16133#p16133 "Crusher Outlet seller is the best deal. They say they're the original distributor." as originator. My bad.
So to clarify, I asked them which was better, and they emailed back the quote above.
I was just trying to pass on what I learned for anyone else reading this thread wondering which to buy.
max
Out to lunch
Welcome MiahX 
Glad you finally got registered. I understand you were reporting somone's opinion. I'm just saying I don't necessarily agree with him.
I must say I'm impressed with the quality of the Crusher grinders, especially for the price. Either the original or the new aluminum should do a great job. IMO the decision about which to buy comes down to weight and number of teeth, unless the darker 'chromium' color on the original makes a difference to you. The new CNC comes in uncolored aluminum, or red, blue, or black. There's a huge difference in weight. The original is very heavy for its size, weighing almost an oz. more than the medium 4 piece Space Case, while the new aluminum 'CNC' is quite light (44g less than the SC).
Broken and bent teeth have been reported on the original. Whether this is because it's not 'all CNC' manufactured, or because big, thick stems have been loaded, I don't know. The screen tightness, which is the weak point (not a functional problem though) of the original, has been greatly improved on the new design. It's now as tight as the best of 'em. I haven't been able to test the grinding on the new style much, but I predict it'll be as good as other, more costly name brands. I'll definitely report any deficiency in that area, if I find any.
My opinion so far, is that the new CNC Crusher is an outstanding buy at $17-20 for the 2.2" size. And Chromium Crusher Outlet on eBay is the place to buy, since they offer the best price and a 1 yr. warranty. And if the heavier, toothier, original suits you better, I think that one's a great buy as well (you just may have to be more careful of what you load, as far as stems).
Glad you finally got registered. I understand you were reporting somone's opinion. I'm just saying I don't necessarily agree with him.I must say I'm impressed with the quality of the Crusher grinders, especially for the price. Either the original or the new aluminum should do a great job. IMO the decision about which to buy comes down to weight and number of teeth, unless the darker 'chromium' color on the original makes a difference to you. The new CNC comes in uncolored aluminum, or red, blue, or black. There's a huge difference in weight. The original is very heavy for its size, weighing almost an oz. more than the medium 4 piece Space Case, while the new aluminum 'CNC' is quite light (44g less than the SC).
Broken and bent teeth have been reported on the original. Whether this is because it's not 'all CNC' manufactured, or because big, thick stems have been loaded, I don't know. The screen tightness, which is the weak point (not a functional problem though) of the original, has been greatly improved on the new design. It's now as tight as the best of 'em. I haven't been able to test the grinding on the new style much, but I predict it'll be as good as other, more costly name brands. I'll definitely report any deficiency in that area, if I find any.
My opinion so far, is that the new CNC Crusher is an outstanding buy at $17-20 for the 2.2" size. And Chromium Crusher Outlet on eBay is the place to buy, since they offer the best price and a 1 yr. warranty. And if the heavier, toothier, original suits you better, I think that one's a great buy as well (you just may have to be more careful of what you load, as far as stems).
I just had another chance to try one of those electric pocket grinders, the ones that look like they have a flash light handle. When screwing the lid back on and off, I noticed it ground the plastic and would leave bits of it in the cap, which would mix with what ever your grinding. I have tried a friends before that did not do this and it worked ok, just wanted to let anyone know that owns one or buys one to check before grinding their herb.
I think I'm going to go with the new CNC chromium crusher. Do you think its 100% CNC? Can't it be partially CNCd? I notice they don't say its 100% CNC, only that its CNC....
So other than Max, anyone else get the new CNC chromiums? Max, you get to grind with it yet? How is it?
So other than Max, anyone else get the new CNC chromiums? Max, you get to grind with it yet? How is it?
ILoveRadiohead!
Well-Known Member
I've read about people breaking grinder teeth on the sharpstone not sure if that happens as often with the chromium crusher (zinc and steel version at least). I myself would probably go for the chromium crusher if I had to choose. Some people complain about the mesh density being too high on the chromium but in my opinion a grinder should grind well first and produce kief second.jx80 said:
The new all CNC'd chromium looks like it could be a great buy. I'm not sure how those larger triangle shaped holes would affect grind quality though. I would think it would make for a coarser and possibly more uneven grind but I would wait to hear from max before jumping to that conclusion.
I have been more than happy with my Mix'N'Ball classic so far so I definitely think you can get a decent quality grinder for $30 or under.
I've ground up about 2.5 grams of dry herb so far and here is my kief production.
Now I'm just trying to find an adequate container to store the stuff in. Still looking around for a tiny glass bottle but haven't found anything that would work really well yet.
max
Out to lunch
All CNC made or partially CNC is a good question. The eBay seller 'Kelly's Great Products' has the only reference I've seen to fully/not fully CNC'd. I think the new Crusher is 100% CNC made and I would think the same would apply to other name brands.ballin1 said:
I've done one grinding test with it. It did a very quick and thorough job, but the herb (which is all I currently have) was very dry, so maybe not the best for a good test.
The four holes in the middle have a rounded triangular shape. The eight around the outside have a rounded rectangular shape and are larger, length wise. I got a nice grind, fine and even, but again, the herb was very dry.ILoveRadiohead! said:
Here's the difference between the two CC styles, as far as teeth and holes, and I'd say they've gone from one extreme (many holes and teeth) to the other (fewest teeth and holes I've seen on a grinder this size):
old style- 45 holes, 24 bottom teeth, 30 top
new style- 12 holes, 12 bottom teeth, 16 top
For contrast, the much larger 3" Mendo has 56 holes, 40 bottom teeth, and 48 on top. This one has too many teeth (hard to load) for my taste, so the original Crusher is really overpopulated with teeth and holes IMO. You really do have to 'crush' before you grind, unless you break up the bud into really small pieces before loading, and that's a pain in the ass. And crushing dry bud before you can get the top down can result in pieces popping out all over. So while the original Crusher is fine as far as quality, it gets a thumbs down from me as far as the design. I suspect that's why they've gone in the opposite direction with the new one.
From the limited amount of grinding I've done with the new style Crusher, I'd say that more distance between fewer holes compensates for the larger hole size. And you'd think that they would have done quite a bit of testing with this style before producing it too, since it's such a different design from the previous one. Since I prefer fewer teeth for easy loading, I'm very happy with the new design. And my favorite brand, MixnBall, also uses the fewer teeth design, so I know it works well. And if the bud I'm grinding isn't so dry, and doesn't provide a fine enough consistency for the PD, I normally just dump it back in and grind again. I also have my 1.75" Kelly's grinder with smaller holes.
MnB Triple Screen-2 3/8" - 26 holes, 16 bottom teeth, 22 top
I'd say the new CNC Crusher, from CC Outlet on eBay, is the best buy in a 4 piece grinder. You get a 1 year warranty, whereas I've seen nobody offer a warranty on the Sharpstone. Since my bad experience with a defective TrueBlendz (no warranty), I require a guarantee on any grinder I buy. You can get a 2.2" CC for as little as $17 w/free shipping, and a 2.5" for $20. The MnB Classic Screen is $30 delivered (US) on eBay, but he's out of stock, and you have to order $50 worth of stuff from the MnB site to get it for $30 w/free shipping. I like the organic anodized finish on the MixnBalls, but the new CC seems to do an excellent job, weighs an oz. less than the Classic Screen, and $17 for this kind of quality and a 1 yr. warranty is outstanding. Both of these brands prove to me that you don't have to pay $50 or more to get a high quality screen grinder, and I have the Mendo and Space Case for comparison.
max
Out to lunch
The screen in the new CC seems to be not quite as fine as the older model. I got a decent amount of kief. Don't know where you plan to carry a grinder. Any screen grinder is going to be a big lump for a pants pocket. Comparing the 2.2" size (which I like better than a 2.5"-just personal preference) to my 1 3/4" screen grinder, the smaller one is almost as high and almost as heavy (96g vs. 110). The new CC is very lightweight.
Best kief container I've found is a 1 oz. glass jar. The one I have is the one pictured here- http://www.minimus.biz/detail.aspx?ID=8617. In trying to find more, I found that these, filled with preserves or jam, are cheaper than empty ones. Small, wide mouth jars are hard to find. minimus.biz is the best source I've found, but shipping costs more than a half dozen jars unless you can find $20 worth of products you want.ILoveRadiohead! said:
ILoveRadiohead!
Well-Known Member
Hmm I might check out a few local grocery stores and check out the jam section. I've been using baby food jars for storing dry bud and was thinking about using one of those for kief but I think it still would verge on the largish side (even though overall is a pretty small jar - 2.5 oz maybe).max said: