Herb Grinders

[Relaxed]

OK fellow vape aficionado's, I came here looking to figure out what grinder I should use and I'm more confused than when I started

So what to do? Obviously buy one that hasn't been talked about much! I took a flyer on this one, it looks very well made, and I like the features it has. Especially the two grinding plates, see through side, and the storage.


GR8TR Jar Body Grinder

 

[invertedisdead]

I wasn't necesarrily planning on getting a new grinder... but my friend tried to grind a rosin puck in my old Kannastor and it seems completely ruined!


I think I might hold out for the updated 316SS grinder from United Machining, pretty interested in moving to stainless, just makes a lot of sense to me for a piece of cutlery. It seems a complaint of the older one is the size, but I actually kinda like small grinders as I prefer to only grind one sessions worth at a time.

 

[muunch]

I've switched to toothless grinders, where the herb only touches SS parts.

Need to do some microscope comparisons, but I am assuming the mill approach ends up with less broken (and therefore oxidized) trichs if you are using the appropriate technique for the grinder utilized.

https://www.roielhealth.com/product/crown/

https://vgoodiez.com/products/4-pie...lift-innovations-preorder-shipment-in-transit

The Crown also has the benefit of being able to grind like 2~grams at once due to the fact that there is NOTHING obstructing it.

I still prefer 3pc grinders too, just went 4pc on the Lift as the full kit was worth it, to me.

 

[invertedisdead]

I've switched to toothless grinders, where the herb only touches SS parts.

Need to do some microscope comparisons, but I am assuming the mill approach ends up with less broken (and therefore oxidized) trichs if you are using the appropriate technique for the grinder utilized.

https://www.roielhealth.com/product/crown/

https://vgoodiez.com/products/4-pie...lift-innovations-preorder-shipment-in-transit

The Crown also has the benefit of being able to grind like 2~grams at once due to the fact that there is NOTHING obstructing it.

I still prefer 3pc grinders too, just went 4pc on the Lift as the full kit was worth it, to me.

Hmmmmm very interesting I was not familiar with these! Thank you
Less bursted trichomes is absolutely up my alley!

How would you compare the two?

edit: Just saw this video, holy that looks a million times gentler on those resin heads than a toothed design, super interesting! Might have to get one of these ASAP

https://www.instagram.com/p/B246waNnGSA/

 

[sickmanfraud]

I've switched to toothless grinders, where the herb only touches SS parts.

Need to do some microscope comparisons, but I am assuming the mill approach ends up with less broken (and therefore oxidized) trichs if you are using the appropriate technique for the grinder utilized.

https://www.roielhealth.com/product/crown/

https://vgoodiez.com/products/4-pie...lift-innovations-preorder-shipment-in-transit

The Crown also has the benefit of being able to grind like 2~grams at once due to the fact that there is NOTHING obstructing it.

I still prefer 3pc grinders too, just went 4pc on the Lift as the full kit was worth it, to me.

I have been looking at the Crown herb Mill from Roielhealth but I saw a video by @ohmygodimsohigh and he seemed to be having difficulty with it.

Can you comment on the Roiehealthl and the Lift, why they were worth the $ and what each brings to the table? Thanks

 

[muunch]

Can you comment on the Roiehealthl and the Lift, why they were worth the $ and what each brings to the table? Thanks

The material switch alone was worth it for me personally, but I know many others think the aluminum worry is just hypochondriac type shit so it maybe not a big deal for others...

I also think the less mutilation my buds/trichs go through in the process the better... The toothless grinders have an obvious advantage here.

I don't really have a horse in the race, as I don't benefit from selling anyone on the Lift or the Crown, but I do think perhaps the technique used for both the Lift and the Crown in the video you're talking about was incorrect... it never takes me (or anyone I know with these grinders) that long to grind up some weed using em...

Whether it's worth the money is up to you, but I paid close to what I paid for the Lift (and Crown) for my BCG... which had a 4week+ wait, and showed wear that I personally deemed unacceptable after seeing less than a pound of material...

 

[invertedisdead]

I have been looking at the Crown herb Mill from Roielhealth but I saw a video by @ohmygodimsohigh and he seemed to be having difficulty with it.

Can you comment on the Roiehealthl and the Lift, why they were worth the $ and what each brings to the table? Thanks

Did you check that Instagram video I linked above? It looks very easy to operate, in fact the left to right / right to left twisting is how I always use my grinders so it seems right up my alley. I just watched the clip again and I'm still blown away with how unmolested the green looks. To be honest I still don't really understand how it actually works, dude says it "rolls" the herb through which kinda confuses me but I'm quite impressed. This looks like the closest thing to increasing surface area without bursting so many delicate trichomes that I've seen.

@muunch what situations make you reach for the Crown versus the Lift?

 

[SquirrelMaster]

@invertedisdead
Yeah I still don't get how this thing grinds even after watching the video . It would appear to crush the flower but it comes out looking really nice! I can't tell the consistency but it looks fairly fine (which I'm avoiding)

@muunch
Comparing the BCG to others, which would you say has a grind comparable to the BCG medium plate? I have a HerbRipper XL and my medium is more medium/fine so I'm leery of making another expensive grinder purchase without knowing what the final grind will look like. Also how do you access the kief on the Crown? If the screen is removed are you left with a groove where it would sit? That's my big issue with buying a Lift as they have no intentions of increasing the bottom section height (I was the first to ask ) and spending so much for the 4 piece to then remove the screen and have that area exposed to collect kief will drive my OCD brain insane. But God damn do I want that all stainless steel version, not only does it look amazing but the added weight helps in grinding too. Here's part of a front from Lift:
"All operations and grind consistency are the same with all versions (Stainless Steel and Aluminum) - it is the exact same design. But the Spinner on the Stainless Steel version is so much heavier that the momentum of the mass when it is spun makes it continue spinning - it also dampens the cutting, so it feels so much smoother."

I don't remember where I've experienced this before but I know exactly how it would feel and it excites me so much I'm trying to convince myself that I need a good 4 piece (I really don't, I like using everything in one shot.


The United Machining grinder produces a finer grind IIRC so I'd be curious to know if their new version is similar.

 

[invertedisdead]

@SquirrelMaster check this one out, he explains it a little better in this clip... still seems like there's a little voodoo in there too!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B24_7b8nyPy/

"No cutting! The rotor grabs the bud, rolls it against the grind screen, and it breaks apart the way it already naturally wants to. The grind screens aren't sharp, and do no cutting. They only act as a sift to let the broken up bud fall through to the collection chamber once it's reduced to a size that will allow it to fall through the holes. So for example, our included 'fine' grind screen would require smaller particles to form before they'd be able to fall through for collection."

 

[SquirrelMaster]

@invertedisdead
Black magic for sure lol. I'd like to see a close up of the ground herb because I can't help but think it would crush the trichromes, though I don't think it does.

 

[CANtalk]

Thx. The teeth are the same color as the grinder, however the grinder plate is unanodized (different). I like having the grinding plate unanodized, it's less foreign material than can wear with use and end up in with flower. I've had no problems with reliability so far. My ~4 yr old grinder is this way and it works fine still. I have a friend doing the same with a ~ yr old grinder. No glue is involved in any of these. I'll see how the new grinder works over the next few years.

Let me bump my earlier post with new info. Thinking about anodizing more, I wrong to characterize that shiny silver colored aluminum surface as unanodized... it's definitely anodized since unanodized aluminum oxidizes fairly quickly and darkens in color over some time (weeks). I watched that happen with a grinder recently after accidentally stripping the anodizing off (with an aggressive cleaner).

I've followed this thread for over a year now and it's great to see new tech and options coming out recently (SS grinders and different types of grinding mechanisms); much appreciated posts . It's part of the reason I've been interested in cheap grinder options in the last 6-9 months, the grinder market continues to evolve and mature. Good stuff.

SS grinders are appealing and it's great to see the new United Machining option generate interest . I really like the idea of that toothless grinder as well @muunch . I'd guess over the next number of months there will be other SS and toothless grinders offered.

I used that new Vivosun / Kozo grinder for the first time today, in three piece setup (no separate kief collection chamber) and I like it so far. It will tie me over very nicely until I get serious about a grinder.

 

[TommyDee]

@SquirrelMaster check this one out, he explains it a little better in this clip... still seems like there's a little voodoo in there too!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B24_7b8nyPy/

"No cutting! The rotor grabs the bud, rolls it against the grind screen, and it breaks apart the way it already naturally wants to. The grind screens aren't sharp, and do no cutting. They only act as a sift to let the broken up bud fall through to the collection chamber once it's reduced to a size that will allow it to fall through the holes. So for example, our included 'fine' grind screen would require smaller particles to form before they'd be able to fall through for collection."

It must do something like me doing the finish grind in a strainer. No edges but the leaves are broken down to fall through the grate. Leaf stalks are stripped of everything usable. This is after the initial grind. How this process can protect tricomes, I haven't a clue. My process just sticks them to my fingertips.

 

[muunch]

Comparing the BCG to others, which would you say has a grind comparable to the BCG medium plate?

The "standard" Crown screen is slightly more coarse than the BCG medium plate.

I don't have my BCG anymore so can't really draw any comparisons in that regard. I've also only had the Lift a day so far, so I'm definitely not qualified to speak on which I like better yet... It does seem that Crown will require occasional maintenance, as performance does decrease as the "rotor" gets covered, but it still works just fine... it's just obviously not nearly as smooth as it was when it was clean.

The Crown "sifting" mechanism is kinda neat too, as sometimes it'll end up catching lots of the stems in your bud.

They're both solid grinders, but so is the BCG. It's hard to go wrong, and it's even harder to say any one is objectively better than the other, as we all have different desires/use-cases.

 

[SquirrelMaster]

The "standard" Crown screen is slightly more coarse than the BCG medium plate.

I don't have my BCG anymore so can't really draw any comparisons in that regard. I've also only had the Lift a day so far, so I'm definitely not qualified to speak on which I like better yet... It does seem that Crown will require occasional maintenance, as performance does decrease as the "rotor" gets covered, but it still works just fine... it's just obviously not nearly as smooth as it was when it was clean.

The Crown "sifting" mechanism is kinda neat too, as sometimes it'll end up catching lots of the stems in your bud.

They're both solid grinders, but so is the BCG. It's hard to go wrong, and it's even harder to say any one is objectively better than the other, as we all have different desires/use-cases.

I didn't even notice it came with different screens, is there 2 in total? If you get a chance can you post a picture of the resulting grinds from each?

 

[muunch]

I didn't even notice it came with different screens, is there 2 in total? If you get a chance can you post a picture of the resulting grinds from each?

Sure - I will try and dig up the photos from when I had my BCG as well and compared Crown to BCG grind... and also post pics of how to access the kief chamber... It maybe hard to describe, but there's another small ridge around where the top portion of the Crown meets the bottom... if you screw that counter-clockwise, the herb chamber+screen lift up (and have an extruding bottom ring with threads on the outside) to reveal the kief chamber, which is the bottom of the grinder.

It comes with the regular screen, and another, finer screen. That one is between the BCG fine and BCG medium. The regular one is between BCG coarse and medium.

You can also just remove the kief screen/herb chamber portion, and use the Crown as 3 piece... but then the threads are in the interior of what's now the herb chamber... and there is a small portion of the aluminum body your ground up weed will likely touch after it passes thru the grates... so I use it with the screen still.

They did tell me they have plans to make a straight bottom piece for those that don't want to collect kief, but I'm not sure when it will come... They're also only like 2 hours from me, so hopefully I'll be able to pay a visit soon!

fwiw, The Crown can definitely grind a lot more at once, and hold a lot more in total than the Lift.

 

[lauri melissa]

I was just contacted by nvgrinder.com. Their grinders are ceramic or stainless steel or anodized aluminum. They are out of Austria. But, they do ship worldwide! I am looking at their stainless steel one looks really good. Oh, heck, all of them look pretty good.

 

[Planck]

aluminum oxidizes fairly quickly and darkens in color over some time (weeks). I watched that happen with a grinder recently after accidentally stripping the anodizing off (with an aggressive cleaner).

Fairly quickly being immediately on exposure to oxygen. Thermite is a classic example of aluminum's oxidizing tendencies. Aluminum oxide has excellent chemical resistance. Odds are you may have just removed the sealer and dye with an aggressive cleaner.

 

[Ramahs]

For that Crown Herb Mill, it looks like you're just grating the herb, like a cheese grater, or simply a grinder card...which is simply rubbing your herb against a flat surface with holes in it till the herb caught on the edges of the holes is sheared off.

That just seems so much more damaging to the soft supple trichomes than normal grinding.

 

[muunch]

For that Crown Herb Mill, it looks like you're just grating the herb, like a cheese grater, or simply a grinder card...which is simply rubbing your herb against a flat surface with holes in it till the herb caught on the edges of the holes is sheared off.

That just seems so much more damaging to the soft supple trichomes than normal grinding.

Did you watch the video or check out the quotes posted above?

"The rotor grabs the bud, rolls it against the grind screen, and it breaks apart the way it already naturally wants to."

It's not the same as a grater, or grinder card ime.

 

[Doktor Dub]

Crown Herb Mill: i want to like this but i wonder how it works with sticky / a bit moister bud.

in case anybody plans to give it a try and did not see the code: the maker says "welcometocrown" will safe some cash on IG.

Have a great day!

 

[TommyDee]

I'm actually liking this design concept. And it looks like the kief screen is optional. If you look carefully at this image, there is a small gap that could take up the screen clearance on the opposite flange.

 

[Ramahs]

Did you watch the video or check out the quotes posted above?

"The rotor grabs the bud, rolls it against the grind screen, and it breaks apart the way it already naturally wants to."

It's not the same as a grater, or grinder card ime.

Yes, I watched the video. Their claims just don't seem to make any damn sense to me, not with the pictures/video I was seeing that show what the grinder is and how it functions.

I didn't see the buds "rolling". LoLz. That's just ridiculous.
It's just a larger version of the MFLB finishing grinder.

And they're trying to make it sound revolutionary.
Nope, there have been plenty of other grater-style grinders that do the same thing

 

[TommyDee]

What I like is that they kept the lighter weight of the aluminum and kept the contact surfaces stainless steel.
One reservation - the spin-on top plate says it will only function in one direction unless you really tighten it. And if you really tighten it, it won't be that easy to remove.

 

[nonamekevin]

Very interesting grinder indeed! Thanks for sharing that, I think that will be the next one I pick up.

 

[CANtalk]

Lots of interesting options out there.