Why you need a grinder.

For newer to more experienced smokers alike, the question of how best to enjoy your herb is always on your mind. If you’ve taken the time to find some nice flower then you probably want to get the most out of it.

Once you have your chosen flower, you'll have to break it down a little before you can smoke. Herein lies the beauty of the herb grinder.

Why you need to grind your herb.

Grinders are one of the most essential pieces in your arsenal. before you touch your pipe, grab your bong or roll a joint your gonna reach for your grinder first every time.

From producing a smoother more enjoyable smoke to making cannabis easier to store and carry, there are plenty of reasons why every smoker needs a grinder in their kit. Many new smokers may hesitate at the upfront cost of a good grinder, but if you are a regular smoker or cannabis consumer of almost any kind you will find the investment to be well worth it pretty fast. Having said that, there are tons of economy options available like our Shell Shock brand acrylic grinder for example.

If your primarily a flower smoker i think its worth investing in a premium grinder like a Santa Cruz or a Northern Lights ceramic coated grinder. A nice grinder can really be the defining difference in making the most of your flower. Herb grinders are available in a variety of sizes colours and materials for every budget and preference.

How to use your herb grinder.

Two and three-piece grinders will simply grind and store your weed. Four- and five-piece grinders have the added benefit of kief catchers. this is a compartment in the bottom of the grinder, situated underneath a metal mesh screen. It will sift off and collect only the most desirable material for you. The four-piece grinder is the most common industry wide.

Step by step how Use a herb grinder:

Load your chosen grinder: remove the lid, break your buds into smaller pieces while removing seeds and stems and insert them evenly into the teeth. If your grinder has a magnetic closure in the center, keep that portion clear of bud.
Grind your weed: put the lid on and gently twist the grinder back and forth. continue grinding until you can feel less resistance indicating the herb has traveled down into the collection chamber. You’ll eventually determine how fine you prefer your weed and how long this takes.
Remove the weed: Carefully unscrew the top layers to open the lower chamber where the ground weed is collected( if your using more than a two piece). Use as much as you'd like or store it for later.
Collect the kief: If you have a four- or five-piece grinder, the kief catcher is the bottom chamber. Kief is a name for dried trichomes(Resin Glands) that break off when you grind the flower. Trichomes contain things THC, CBD, terpenes, and other cannabinoids. When you’ve collected a nice little jar of keif, you can add it to bowls or joints or decarboxylate it for edibles.

Can you grind weed without a grinder?

If you don’t have a grinder yet, you can break down your buds with anything you have available like scissors, a cheese grater, maybe a mortar and pestle, even your hands. I knew a guy that used a shot glass and his thumb and that certainly worked just fine for him. A coffee grinder is an especially good and pretty common option for consistent, finely ground weed.

The major drawback is that whatever you decide to use will get a hard sticky buildup of cannabis resin from the trichomes. Your weed grinder will inevitably get sticky aswell but itll be a small, probably metal and purpose built item thats easy to clean when the build up does get bad.

Why do you even need to grind your weed?

While its true you could just jam that nug in a bowl and torch it i can guarantee it'll be less enjoyable than a nice fluffy aerated bowl of packed flower, and ill definitely say it makes rolling much easier to have some nice fluffy flower.

More exposed surface area leads to a more even vaporisation of trichromes
It’s easier to roll with and will ensure a smoother more even burn in your joints, blunts etc.
Smaller pieces of herb will allow for better airflow and result in the matter being burnt up more completely.
Ground up flower packs into bowls and cones much easier.
You get to save keif for later to top on bowls or coat joints with.

All together grinders will make your smoking life easier so come on down to one of our Shell Shock locations today to check out which options suit you best! Also please check out some of our related blogs on premium grinders as well as some on how to roll a Cannagar(which youll need your grinder for) and how to utilise your saved keif for edibles .