How fine do you grind your herbs?

[His_Highness]

@CarolKing summed it up ^^^^

My personal preferences....
For the MFLB I grind to a consistency between table salt and powder by using a regular grinder and then a small kitchen strainer that has a metal screen with a tiny, tiny, mesh. I wouldn't use this type of powdery grind for my Solo or X-max since I'd have to use screens with a smaller mesh which would affect air flow/resistance or the smaller powdery grind itself would clog things up on its own.

For the Solo and X-max I use a medium grind that has the consistency of crushed red pepper used on pizza or slightly larger than 1/16th of an inch.

I don't 'pack' the MFLB and only do a very light tamp down on the Solo and X-max.

 

[Radio]

Nice to see this thread on first page of Ask FC.. it's been a while hehe.
The optimal grind consistency for me has been whatever my SCS does naturally.. now I just need to start Vaping the contents instead of smoking bongs..

 

[FlyingLow]

you will be a full convert soon enough.

 

[daoist]

I know it is an old topic but i like to add my two cents.
I have an arizer extreme Q. i used to have a grinder that grounds very fine. but it was cheap thing and gets stuck all the time. I bought myself a space case grinder (medium).

The space case grinds coarser then my old grinder. But the space case grinder has better results.
So for extreme Q vaporizer i advise coarser ground. I have grinded finer with the space case by grinding the space case upside down. results with coarser grind were better.

But results may depend on your vaporizer. but for convection vapors i probably would go for coarser grind.

 

[Brewervapesalot]

Nice to see this thread on first page of Ask FC.. it's been a while hehe.
The optimal grind consistency for me has been whatever my SCS does naturally.. now I just need to start Vaping the contents instead of smoking bongs..

I wasn't aware anyone was still smoking; wow, that's just totally unnecessary.

 

[joner]

I usually use my Santa Cruz Shredder Two Peice for most everything I do, only turning back and forth about 5-6 times, to create quite a coarse grind. Exception is my Mighty, I fine grind for that guy, although it still works well with coarse grind.

However, I've been experimenting lately with unground nugs. I've always vaped small, unground nugs in my E-Nano, I kind of pull a piece off a nug (very small, ~0.025g), and it stretches and seems to "flatten out" and that's what I've been using to cover my screen. I've used the same method for my Lotus, worked great (it may have been a little more i'm thinking ~0.05g). Both of these I take a couple hits, then stir/break following each haul.

I put a VERY small (~0.05g) unground round nugget (not pulled flat) in my Tubo the other night, worked flawlessly. Didn't even have to stir that one....I put a little bigger (~0.075g) nug in my Tera, worked great, real good taste, needed to break it up into ~ 4 pieces after vapor trailed off, and got more out of it.

Funny, maybe I didn't put a big enough nug in, but my Mighty didn't seem to want to vape unground nugs at all. I'm thinking maybe if I had a right size nugget to fit somewhat tightly in a dosing capsule (think conduction - this could help bake into the middle of the nug? I dunnooo), that it mayyyy work..? I don't know.....I'm thinking if it needed a stir that the hot dosing capsule would be a pain to open up.

 

[daoist]

Some vaporizers advise put whole nugs in there. others need it superfine grinded, others more coarser grinded.

My extreme q does not like super coarse grind, it does not like super fine either. little bit in between seems to give the best effects for my vaporizer. each vaporizer is different. Quality of the grind may also depend on the humidty level of the herb. if it is to wet on the inside it does not grind very well.

What i usually do is grind the weed and feel it with my fingers if it is to humid. I leave the grinded herb in the grinder but i open up the grinder so air can dry the herb. takes maybe 15 to 30 minutes to make the weed dryer. the but may look dry on the outside but on the inside it is usually to wet. so that is why i prefer the grinded weed over whole buds. i can dry it better, so i get better vape.

 

[Petunia Vanish]

Plastic s&b grinder
Space case grinder

 

[david8613]

I ha a cheap grinder from ebay, looked expensive but I never liked it. When I started to buy storz-bickel products a began to use there plastic grinders, so much better, awesome little grinders, I couldn't believe a plastic grinder could do such a nice job. Honestly I have not brought a high end grinder yet, Its just the prices on some grinders are outrageous. Maybe I gotta try one if its better than the plastic storz-bickel grinder.

 

[CalyxSmokr]

medium gr8tr
for ssv, lsv, arizer air and enano all does good

 

[daoist]

I ha a cheap grinder from ebay, looked expensive but I never liked it. When I started to buy storz-bickel products a began to use there plastic grinders, so much better, awesome little grinders, I couldn't believe a plastic grinder could do such a nice job. Honestly I have not brought a high end grinder yet, Its just the prices on some grinders are outrageous. Maybe I gotta try one if its better than the plastic storz-bickel grinder.

plastic grinders can break easy (and the plastic pieces may end in your weed). Also cheap grinders may get clocked or stuck with sticky residu after a few times of use.

The more expensive grinders are made from space/aircraft aluminium with medical grade anodised materials or protection layers which also act as non stick layer.

I have for example a 4 piece "space case" medium sized grinder. I use it everyday and never have to clean it, it never gets stuck. It is just a very very good grinder. For me it is totally worth it.

But a space case grinder may be to coarse for an induction volcano vaporizer. But it is perfect for convection vaporizers such as the Airizer Extreme Q. there are other medical grade grinders that can grind finer. Or you can just grind with a space case upside down (so it becomes a two piece grinder) and just keep grinding untill fine enough.

For me personally, medical grade grinders such as the the space case is just far superior to any cheap grinder. trust me. it will be worth it. It is very very very smooth and effortless in operation, even if you use it every day for a year without cleaning it.

 

[david8613]

I'm gonna look into one, what is everyone's opinion on grinders with kief catchers and ones with out? I'm thinking keep it simple is better.

 

[howie105]

IMO grinders are like vapes, in that one needs to match the tool (vape or grinder) to the needs and preferences at hand. What grind and thus grinder that works best in a small load conduction vape is often not the same grind or grinder that will work best in a large capacity convection vape. However I have to admit there are times that I don't bother with a grinder at all because fingers are faster and better.

 

[daoist]

a 4 piece grinder will have a basket to collect the herb.
And with 2 piece grinders you have to grind and then unload on a piece of paper or a dish.
with 4 piece grinders you can easily scoop the weed out with a small spoon from the basket in to the bowl.

It is all a matter of preference though. if you hold a 4 piece grinder upside down, you can grind the same as you would with a two piece grinder. but i like the holes in the 4 pieces grinder, the grind is consistant every time.

But make sure your grind is fine enough (or coarse enough) for your vaporizer. 2 piece or 4 piece does not really matter. just what you prefer best.

 

[Ramahs]

a 4 piece grinder will have a basket to collect the herb.
And with 2 piece grinders you have to grind and then unload on a piece of paper or a dish.
with 4 piece grinders you can easily scoop the weed out with a small spoon from the basket in to the bowl.

It is all a matter of preference though. if you hold a 4 piece grinder upside down, you can grind the same as you would with a two piece grinder. but i like the holes in the 4 pieces grinder, the grind is consistant every time.

But make sure your grind is fine enough (or coarse enough) for your vaporizer. 2 piece or 4 piece does not really matter. just what you prefer best.

What about a 3-piece? That's what I've come to prefer. I get all the kief in my herb as I use the herb, rather than separating it just to add back to a bowl later...and I don't have to dump my herb out onto another surface and lose a bunch of kief that way either.

 

[daoist]

it is all about what you prefer.
the key should be that the grinder grinds fine enough for your vaporizer.
if it is 2, 3 or 4 pieces does not really matter, as long as the grind size is correct. my old grinder grinded super fluffy fine herbs. turns out my space case, which grinds coarser, gives better result.
could be different on other vaporizers. But the space case is great all round use for everything except conduction vaporizers.

 

[Ramahs]

the key should be that the grinder grinds fine enough for your vaporizer.

I disagree. Some people care about trichome loss quite a bit.

 

[daoist]

I disagree. Some people care about trichome loss quite a bit.

and some don't care. they just want 2 piece grinder and use whatever is in there.
some like to collect keef. it is personal preference really. whatever grinder you buy. the trichomes will end up in the grinder. nothing will be lost.

 

[LesPlenty]

(and the plastic pieces may end in your weed)

My S&B shed some plastic, took away from the aluminium taste for sure.

what is everyone's opinion on grinders with kief catchers

I like kief catchers this much,

nothing will be lost.

I wasted 12 months worth of kief collected this way when I tried to press it, just too dirty/contaminated for that purpose, better off vaped when it is ground, who wants watered down buds!
My 62mm SLX has a finer grind than the 88mm SpaceCase but it is too small for me (It barely holds enough in its catch are for one Plenty bowl.

 

[Ramahs]

and some don't care. they just want 2 piece grinder and use whatever is in there.
some like to collect keef. it is personal preference really. whatever grinder you buy. the trichomes will end up in the grinder. nothing will be lost.

I don't save kief. I want it in my herb when I use it the first time. But dumping your herb out of a 2-piece onto another surface seems to have the highest likelyhood of trichome loss of any of the three popular grinder configurations (2-piece, 3-piece, or 4-piece).

 

[daoist]

well dont buy a two piece grinder if you dont like it.

 

[Ramahs]

well dont buy a two piece grinder if you dont like it.

Well, yeah. That's the idea.

 

[Alexis]

I don't save kief. I want it in my herb when I use it the first time. But dumping your herb out of a 2-piece onto another surface seems to have the highest likelyhood of trichome loss of any of the three popular grinder configurations (2-piece, 3-piece, or 4-piece).

It should not make too much difference, as long as you can actually get the herb and crystals onto the surface (I use folded pieces of card), and gathter it all up (I use a bank card), then loss of trichs should be minimal.

I hate losing trichs. That's why I dont like using my Gr8tr. To brush all that resin and crystal off each surface which it sticks to, I'm so careful about it, so as not to lose any.

But the resin just pings all over the place in all directions. And I am OCD about this.
So for sure some loss is inevitable, but I take great (PITA) care evefy aongle time, to very gently brush out every bit of dust and gather safely in the middle of the card using a bank card edge.

Soon I will have the ZAM and even the BCG to play with.

I am the same. I dont collect kief. I want all of that goodness to go into my vape wlong with the rest. I like my cherry with my cake, not taken off and put in a jar until it's full to say "oh my, look at all these cherries I have collected from eating less tasty and fillling cakes for the past 2 months."

 

[daoist]

i have a space case which are know for great keef catching capabilities.
I collect the keef in the bottom of the grinder and i still get blazed.
Also if you buy medical grade anodized grinder, not so much keef will get stuck.
That is the difference between the cheap grinders and expensive grinders.

you get what you pay for.
cheap grinders get stuck ang clogged after a few times using it.
expensive grinders you basicly never have to clean them.
i even grinded hash in my spacecase, still no need to clean it.

 

[Alexis]

cheap grinders get stuck ang clogged after a few times using it.
expensive grinders you basicly never have to clean them.

Well I suppose at about $60, we could call the Kannastor Gr8tr v2 "middle class." ?

The thing is I really prefer the fine plate which has incredibly tiny holes and arguably the finest grind out of any grinder on the market still and to be fair when it's just been cleaned it works very smoothly and there's not much brushing or sticking to be done but after a little while until it gums up it really is very sticky or rather so many different serfacee areas and indentations and unscrewing and brushing from different angles etc and generally more and more stuff will stick to it with time between cleanings and I'm pretty lazy about that as well.

I mean, it is more the design and shape/construction of the Gr8tr, with so many knooks, crannies and surfaces for Herb and resin to adhere to.

The course plate has huge holes and is nowhere near the same issue but the grind just isn't fine enough for my preference. If I just cleaned the Gr8tr frequently enough I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem.

Looking forward to having the Zam on hand. A the BCG may also be mysteriously heading my way soon, but until I actually have it in my hands it still seems a bit surreal thinking that I will have at last possibly my dream grinder after several years using grinders which I kind of dreaded each time especially for a small amount of herb when I don't want to grind a big lot

Both the Zam and BCG look much better in terms of maintenance between and during individual grinds.