How often do you grind?

[damm]

There is a producer in the state of WA that puts the Boveda small packages in the 1/8 jars that they sell. There is a producer that seals their jar lids in wax. They sometimes they sit around a couple months or more.

I've had the Jars sealed with wax (they dip the lids in wax) rather neat; which include a small boveda pack in it.

But i've also picked up a year old oz package of Hindu Kush (From Dockside) and it had reduced in size quite a bit; still potent.

What I do works for me in a legal state; we don't have medical marijuana so I find the product not as good as it could be. Variety of tricks to keep it fresh in the bag; but oxygen is really our worst enemy here.

 

[MinnBobber]

Lastly Changing the moisture content of something that you don't know the moisture content of; seems like a bad practice. We all swear by Boveda packs or moist bread; there's some pottery you can buy that you can soak in water for an hour to rehydrate your bud. But if you don't know where you are; how do you get to your destination?

......................................................................
To expand on steama's comment that you must not know how Boveda's work.
You don't need to know the "starting point" with them as, if relative humidity (RH) is too low they raise it
to 62% OR if the RH is too high, they lower it to 62%. Magic

 

[MileHighHuman]

i definitely think terps and trichomes are damaged from grinding.

But, does FC feel that those terps/trichomes are more valuable than the faster extraction results that you'd get from grinding?

 

[flotntoke]

As this thread derails from grinding to storage, a few things to keep in mind:

• We all have different preferences.
• We all have different suppliers (medical, legal or black market), and it's crazy to think you know what I get or I know what you get. Hell, I seldom know what I'm getting until I get it and have to go from there!
• We all have different "tried and true" methods. Mine may work best for me - not just because I think they do - but because they very well may.
• Most of us are living in different climates - and all of us in different local climates (our homes). For instance, my house is usually cool and dry in the winter, and warm and humid in summer. Part because of my local climate and part because I hate to pay for oil in winter and electric in summer.
  
• Add to all of this, different levels of experience combined with egos that often make us think we're doing best - that is until we find a better way.

In other words.... lighten up Francis!

All of that said, I try to grind only what I need for a few days. Sometimes I get eyes a little bigger than my lungs and end up with a few strains ground and in their own airtight little brown jars. These are usually in the dark, but may travel around with me for a couple days. I don't leave them in the car, so they get about the same heat as my locked up stash, but are often jostled quite a bit. IME things degrade after a day or two, and get even worse after 3 or 4. Pretty much the same as happens to what is pre-ground and left in my little desktop airtight container. Most of the time, anything left on the small tray with something like a beer coaster over it (to keep out dust and dog hair as much as anything else) fairs only a little worse. Though it will dry out a bit more in winter, is damper in summer, and will be affected by the weather and indoor humidity. I can usually revive any of the pre-ground with a quick re-grind, and often do if it has been more than a day. I have a couple little 2 piece grinders. Currently a 1 1/2" Kannastor is what I usually use. I don't find it to be as aromatic or flavorful as fresh ground, but almost as good. And, way better than before the re-grind.

I sometimes just use little nugs, but usually a 2 or 3 piece grinder at home. The nugs don't usually degrade as much or as quickly as pre-ground - even when in exact same containers or on the tray. My 3 piece Kannastor will keep ground almost as well as jars, and better than on tray with cover, if I leave a little in the bottom dish. I have a 4 piece at my girlfriends where I usually spend weekends. Anything I leave in it on the screen on Sunday definitely gets re-ground if I don't get back to it before Wednesday. Again, not as good as first grind IME, but better than if no re-grind.

I don't notice too much difference in flavor of 2/3 or 4 piece grinder, but do think I get a better buzz from them from same amount than I do from 4 piece. Kief is nice to have on hand, but I do prefer to just keep it in the ground and vape all together. I just left an old 4 piece over there a couple years ago and haven't replaced it.

So, let me be clear, for me with my varying stash and other habits, I notice a big difference between pre-ground and grinding when needed. Pre-ground of more than a day is not nearly as good to me, and I could easily tell the difference with a blind taste test with anything I'm already familiar with. I store with Boveda 62% for years now, and have had great results! My stash in the mason jar will stay fresh for more than 6 months if I don't mess with it, and for 8 - 10 weeks if I'm dipping in a couple times a week to pull a gram or two out. I find this a bit too moist for grinding, and even if I do grind it before a bit of a dry - don't find it to do as well for vapor.

I like to pre-dry a gram or so at a time by loosely wrapping it in a piece of paper and putting it on top of my cable converter box from an hour to hour and a half. This dries it just enough for easier more even grinding and leave it at a better dryness for vapor extraction. Haven't checked, but guess it takes it from about 62% down to 50 - 55%. This may be why my pre-ground doesn't hold up as well in my eyes, but I kind of doubt it.

Oxygen definitely plays a role, but when I fill my little brown jars they are usually pretty topped off to start with, so not much of any air in them. I try to keep my longer term stash jars as full as possible to not leave as much room for oxygen, but don't think this is the largest part of the problem. I know someone who knows someone who often has a lot to store. He has displaced oxygen with either nitrogen or carbon dioxide in the past, but has found it isn't really worth it - either with 1 gallon pickle jars or 5 gallon sealed buckets.

 

[Waldorulez]

I grind my weed wit the finishing grinder an keep collecting them have sum grinder cards for my shifter box

 

[damm]

......................................................................
To expand on steama's comment that you must not know how Boveda's work.
You don't need to know the "starting point" with them as, if relative humidity (RH) is too low they raise it
to 62% OR if the RH is too high, they lower it to 62%. Magic

Yeah I don't believe in magic in this area. That's marketing magic; and my own experience indicates that's not true. (Have had it more moist)

i definitely think terps and trichomes are damaged from grinding.

But, does FC feel that those terps/trichomes are more valuable than the faster extraction results that you'd get from grinding?

I think that's pretty much easy to assume we are grinding and smashing and crushing everything here potentially. So if you can get away with breaking it up with your fingers you will be in a happier place.

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

My reality is not doing things that degrade my herb before I vape it. It is not much of a chore to grind no more than a days worth. Especially considering literally everything is better with the herb when you grind what you need as you go.

maybe its my seasonal allergies but ive grinded straight from nug to vaporizer dozens of times now, also done the 1-2 week stash routine so its not like im set in my ways. i just dont perceive a discernible difference or have a different level of enjoyment between the 2 methods.
(in before the "your taste buds suck" comments)

How good is your nose? do you notice how much more you use towards the end of those 1-2weeks? Speaking from my own experience I ended up using more and more towards the end to get there. Sure it is freaking great to always vape freshly ground but you could get away with letting it sit in the grinder for a bit and it doesn't get too bad.

we should just agree to disagree.

 

[Diggy Smalls]

I've really been enjoying the aroma as I break up the weed right there for use. It makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable.
When I used a grinder, all the smell works be unleashed when I did the grinding, and then nothing left for me when it's time to use it.

The smell really affects my perception of tastes...

 

[Chocu1a]

I usually grind 1 gram each of 2 different strains. I keep the ground in small dark amber 8 dram glass jars. Lasts me around a week.
I keep my whole buds in mason jars with boveda packs. They stay nice and fresh for months.

 

[flotntoke]

I usually grind 1 gram each of 2 different strains. I keep the ground in small dark amber 8 dram glass jars. Lasts me around a week.
I keep my whole buds in mason jars with boveda packs. They stay nice and fresh for months.

+1! You can even pick up different sized little brown jars for use with different vapes. I just drop my VC into the smaller ones, and have a few that have a wide enough mouth to drop a 14mm or 18mm male in there for use with MistVape or Milanna.

 

[Chubby]

I grind no more than a gram at least once a day out of an 1/8 of rec weed. When I can grow, I grind an 1/8 at a time cause that's all my old grinder will hold. The smell gives me a chubby.

 

[organicali]

I always grind fresh nugs. I enjoy the process and appreciate the freshness. I also don't go through enough material to warrant needing to grind a bunch ahead of time.

 

[ktmstick]

O K oh kk

 

[TiSteamo]

I take this thread to ask you: do you grind or crumble the weed by hand? How much fine is the weed you put in the chamber? What is better?
I never use the grinder, I always do it by hand.

 

[C No Ego]

I take this thread to ask you: do you grind or crumble the weed by hand? How much fine is the weed you put in the chamber? What is better?
I never use the grinder, I always do it by hand.

you could lose some sticky trichs to the tips... later when your fingertips stick together that is your high sticking there

 

[Madri-Gal]

When my grinder is empty, I go to my medicine cabinet, select something, grind it up, then vape. I don't like to grind more than I'd use in a day, but can't always predict how much I'll get through. If my bud is very sticky, I like it to dry a bit, but if it sits too long it looses flavor, so I try to get through it all. That's why I grind it, to vape it, so I try to get on with it, but my stoner brain can misjudge, and there can be some left. If I were going to vape away from home, I'd grind a bit to take with me so as not to need to carry a grinder, but that hasn't come up yet. I just break off small nuggets for use in my Air and Solo, and don't grind at all, so if I took one out, I'd just bring nuggets . I prefer the smell of fresh ground cannabis, and I don't grind for the week, or anything. I can't see where that would save me effort, or improve my meds, and it's never occurred to me as being desirable enough to try it. Madri-Guy prefers I keep a bit in the grinder, so if I wake up with a migraine, he can quickly load a vape for me, but now that I have the Solo and Air, I think we can skip it. I'm thinking of trying scissors, just to try it. Just need to figure out which type of scissors I want.
Anyway, I grind daily, and if I'm particularly industrious, it can be more than that. Some days I will have more than one grinder going, for variety, and on the weekend I can have three, but I try to go through them so there is nothing left at the end of the day. I can't imagine grinding enough for the week, or anything. I don't care if anyone else does, and I'm sure there are those with good reason to do so, I just don't do it. I will say, when I was having to purchase cannabis, I ground up less, far less often. Then it was more about just grinding my allotment for the moment. Rough times, and may they never return.

 

[TiSteamo]

you could lose some sticky trichs to the tips... later when your fingertips stick together that is your high sticking there

Actually, all the sticky, fragrant, sensual, precious resin, I find it at the end on the filter of the mouthpiece!

Perhaps using the grinder has to do with bigger clouds? (better draft for more air passage)?

Am I reinventing the wheel?

 

[MinnBobber]

....
. I'm thinking of trying scissors, just to try it. Just need to figure out which type of scissors I want.

..........................................................

I rarely grind. I did try scissors but found that a good quality medical tweezer was the most gentle/ disturbed those trichomes the least.
You gently twist off individual calyxes for the "least disturbed" flowers

 

[Madri-Gal]

Actually, all the sticky, fragrant, sensual, precious resin, I find it at the end on the filter of the mouthpiece!

Perhaps using the grinder has to do with bigger clouds? (better draft for more air passage)?

Am I reinventing the wheel?

I'm not sure. What was reinvented ? How often do you grind, or not grind in your case ? How much at a time ? Whatever you are doing seems to work for you, so I wouldn't change a thing if I were you. One thing I have confidence in, is my fellow FC members and I will figure out how to get our cannabis vaped, one way or another. I just enjoy reading about how it all goes.

 

[Madri-Gal]

..........................................................

I rarely grind. I did try scissors but found that a good quality medical tweezer was the most gentle/ disturbed those trichomes the least.
You gently twist off individual calyxes for the "least disturbed" flowers

That's what I thought about the scissors. I've ordered several pair, but Madri-Guy ends up throwing them in his nursing bag. I might try again, and throw in a few pair so he's also happy. As far as the tweezers go, you are a wonder. I'm glad you found a method you like. It sounds fascinating. It's not for me, but I'm thrilled to think of someone gently tweezing calyx. It sounds so restful and elegant.

 

[TiSteamo]

I'm not sure. What was reinvented ? How often do you grind, or not grind in your case ? How much at a time ? Whatever you are doing seems to work for you, so I wouldn't change a thing if I were you. One thing I have confidence in, is my fellow FC members and I will figure out how to get our cannabis vaped, one way or another. I just enjoy reading about how it all goes.

It's like saying "did I say something obvious?"

I never ever ever never grind.
As you can see, however, it works the same!

I just wondered if my method was "the most effective" for savoring our flowers.

 

[Madri-Gal]

It's like saying "did I say something obvious?"

I never ever ever never grind.
As you can see, however, it works the same!

I just wondered if my method was "the most effective" for savoring our flowers.

I should have said "processed for vaping" not grinding. That's for sure. As for "the most effective", I'd love to hear of other options. With grinding out of the question, and scissors covered, we have @MinnBobber and the tweezer method, and I guess you could gently tear with hands, use knives, a pastry cutter, a pizza cutter, a fork. I have a jar you throw onions or parsley in, and you push a plunger at the top, and blades at the bottom chop. If I were stoned enough, I'd try that, but if I were stoned enough, I'd use a food processor, just to see what happens. Can always make Canna butter with it, if I don't like what I see. I like that it's a versatile plant, and if you can get your hands on it, there will be a way to do something with it.

 

[Maninthemachine]

Whenever I vape flower ...which doesn’t happen anymore haha. 710 life has taken over

 

[Madri-Gal]

Whenever I vape flower ...which doesn’t happen anymore haha. 710 life has taken over

That's wonderful ! I wonder how much one would have to grow to be able to switch. X number of plants and a dab press would set a person up.

 

[Maninthemachine]

That's wonderful ! I wonder how much one would have to grow to be able to switch. X number of plants and a dab press would set a person up.

It’s all about who you know and the relationship with said person
Plates definitely work ! But don’t expect much return. Squishing hash is where it’s at imo. Waterfall just gushes down