A detailed guide on the different methods of how to make hash from weed. This article will teach you the different techniques along with their pros and cons.

A Guide on How to Make Hash From Weed

If you’re a connoisseur of cannabis, then you have probably smoked hash before.  However, now that marijuana is becoming even more popular as a medicine, many people are using it who have never used it before. Today we’re going to teach you about hash, tell you how to make hash from cannabis,and outline the different methods of doing so.

Hash or Weed? Pros and Cons

Hash, or hashish, is one of the oldest and most popular preparations for smoking cannabis. It’s quite a bit stronger than standard bud, which has made it very popular for medicinal and recreational users alike.

Not everyone likes hash, though. Some find it too strong, and others don’t like the flavor. While there are different methods of making hash, you can generally assume that it will be similar. For that reason, we have outlined the pros and cons of hash so you can decide whether or not you’d like to try it.

Pros:

  • Hash can be kept for a much longer time than bud without losing much of its potency. Its extended shelf-life makes it useful for people who aren’t able to frequently purchase cannabis.
  • The potency of hash is much greater than that of the bud that it’s made from because it’s a concentrated This makes it ideal for people who don’t like to smoke a large amount of plant material, or for people who simply require a larger dose of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
  • Hash is much easier to travel with, and while we can’t recommend traveling over the border with it, it’s certainly much easier to pack around because it doesn’t require as much space as bud would. You are able to carry the equivalent of an ounce worth of bud in a small baggie that would fit in your pocket.
  • Despite its potency, hash doesn’t have a strong smell. This makes it more difficult to identify and thus easier to hide from people who are sensitive to the smell of THC.
  • Hash contains less tar, and is thus not as hard on the lungs as regular bud.
  • It’s a good alternative to people who don’t like incredibly strong concentrates like shatter.
  • The fairy straightforward hash making process means that even people unfamiliar with making their own preparations can learn how to make hash from weed.

Cons:
 

  • It’s easier to find hash that has contaminants in it. It’s also fairly easy to accidentally include contaminants in your own batches.
  • Some of the ways used to make hashish aren’t healthy, and even though they have less tar, they may be harsher on the lungs.
  • People who enjoy smoking joints will have a harder time doing this with hash.
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The Principles of Hashish Making

The basic hash making process can be summarized as a method of separating the trichomes from bud and condensing them into denser substances to maximize the availability of THC. You might have heard people refer to weed that ‘sparkles with trichomes,’ but do you know what they really are?

What are trichomes and why are they important for making hash?

The trichomes are the part of the marijuana flower that give it a frosty appearance. When you see what is typically regarded as really potent bud, you’re looking at a flower that is covered in an abundance of trichomes.

Some trichomes can be difficult to see, and require that you look very closely at a bud to investigate them. If you look extremely close at a piece of bud, you’ll be able to see thousands of little mushroom-esque crystals. These are the trichomes.

They are what contains the THC – the mother cannabinoid that we are all familiar with – as well as the other cannabinoids that are present in the plant. The trichomes can also be longer and thinner, usually a bit different color than the rest of the bud. These are the hairs, known scientifically as cystolithic hairs, and despite what many of us learned from our stoner friends in high school, these aren’t a rich source of cannabinoids.

The trichomes are what marijuana growers use to determine when they should harvest. Depending on the density and visibility of the trichomes, growers know how to change the result of the end product.

Collecting and pressing trichomes

There are different methods of collecting and pressing trichomes that are all useful for making hash. The most important thing is that you get as many of the juicy, oily trichomes off of the bud and into the end product. We will discuss the different methods of doing this below.

The most important thing to do if you want to make good hash from weed is to make sure that you are using potent bud. The stronger your weed and the more trichomes present, the better your product will be in the end.

That said, it’s very possible to make hash with the trichomes that can be found on the leaves and trimmings of male plants. While male plants don’t flower to the same degree as female plants, who produce the buds we know and love, they have enough THC to make a decent hash.

Now that you understand a bit about trichomes and why they’re important, we’ll let you in on some of the best hash making secrets and methods on the face of the planet.

Best Ways to Make Hash

Finger Hash

Finger hash is the easiest way to make hash and doesn’t require any special equipment. It’s a very traditional method of making hash and is widely practiced in parts of India.

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All you need to make finger hash is clean hands and some marijuana that hasn’t been dried. finger hash can’t be made from dried bud or trimmings. Make sure you wash your hands with organic soap that doesn’t leave any resin.

Put the bud in your hand after taking off all the leaves, put your palms together and roll the bud around. Don’t use too much pressure – you want to separate the trichomes and not mash them into the bud itself.

You will notice a dark resin begin to appear on your hands. This is what you will scrape off and turn into hash, simply by pressing it together with your hands into a little ball.

Pros:

  • Doesn’t require any equipment
  • Can be done basically anywhere at any time
  • A wholesome experience that can feel spiritual
  • Cheap and cost-effective

Cons:

  • Takes a long time to yield a good amount of hash
  • Can be messy and certainly very sticky
  • You can’t do large extractions on leaf or trimmings

Silkscreen Sifting

This is another form of hashish making that’s very easy and doesn’t require a huge setup. What you’re basically doing is sifting your cannabis through a fine screen to make some kief. This kief you will later press into a ball or brick of hash.

You will need some trimmings or finely ground marijuana, a silkscreen, a sheet of baking paper, and a credit card or library card or something similar.

Put the baking paper down on a flat surface, making sure that it’s a bit larger than your silkscreen. Then, put the silk screen atop the paper and put the marijuana on the silk screen.

Move the trimmings about the screen with your hands to help get the THC off the bud. You will see kief collecting under the screen. This you can compress into a ball of hash once it’s all done.

Pros:

  • Doesn’t require a lot of equipment
  • You can work with larger amounts of bud than when making finger hash
  • Not a lot of cleanup required

Cons:

  • Not good for making bulk amounts of hash
  • Requires a decent amount of space to work with

Blending Hash

This is another simple method for making hashish that will only require equipment that you likely already have at home. You’ll need a blender, a silk screen, a coffee filter, some ice water, and a big jar – and, of course, your marijuana.

Put your ground up cannabis in the blender with some water and ice, enough to cover the marijuana. Turn on the blender until you have a nice, frothy mixture of water and weed.

Drain the stuff through your silk screen and into the jar. Give it some time, about half an hour or until you see the hash settling at the bottom. This is what you’ll be turning into hash.

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Pour out two thirds of the water slowly so you don’t lose any of the goods, then refill the jar with more ice water and let it settle. Repeat these steps a few times, only letting the hash settle for a few minutes, to get rid of all the plant material.

Finally, strain the rest of it through your coffee filter. Dry the remaining mixture and you can turn the remainder into blocks or balls of hash.

Pros:

  • Can be done with household equipment
  • Easy to do

Cons:

  • Can take a bit of time
  • Easy to make a mess

Making Bubble Hash

Bubble hash is a fairly simple method to make hash using cold water and agitation. You also need some bubble bags, which are fairly recent developments. Making bubble hash is fairly simple once you get the equipment.

You’ll need bubble bags, which can be purchased from head shops. You’ll need ice water, an agitator like a spoon or a beater, 2 buckets, and your cannabis.

Put your ground up weed in a bucket with a lot of ice and enough water to cover the marijuana. Stir it for 10-15 minutes. The trichomes will become rigid and break off. Since they are not water soluble, they’re easy to separate.

Put your mesh bags over the other bucket, then pour your mix into the bucket so the water filters out. Then, pull the first bag out, pour more water through it to filter it again, and keep doing this until you have pure hash.

Pros:

  • Simple and effective
  • Can be used to make relatively small yields

Cons:

  • Requires quite a bit of space
  • You need to get special bubble bags
  • Can be a bit time consuming

Using a Mechanical Drum

This is definitely the most professional way that you can make hash, and it will require special equipment. The drum is basically a big, self-spinning silk screen that separates all the trichomes for you. It’ll cost you quite a bit of cash, though. If you’re wondering how to make kief quick, this is your best bet.

A mechanical drum is also known as a pollinator, and they are considered highly effective tools for making hash, among other things.

To make hash, all you need is your pot and your drum. Put the cannabis in the drum and turn it on – it’ll spin, the bud will rub against it, and the kief will be separated for you to make into hash.

Pros:

  • Professional and easy to make
  • You can make a big yield

Cons:

  • Requires expensive equipment
  • Requires a special place for you to make the hash

Common mistakes and tips for hashish making

While making hash can be quite simple, nobody’s perfect. It can be easy to make mistakes, and there are some tips that can make the process easier.

Common mistakes:

  • Don’t get too excited and over-mix when you’re making bubble hash. Take your time – you’ll catch all the trichomes eventually.
  • Make sure that you dry your hash thoroughly. If you don’t dry it properly there can be problems.

Tips:

  • While you can make hash with trimmings and low-grade bud, obviously stronger bud will make stronger hash
  • When using ice, use a lot of it. The more, the better.
  • You can easily dry your hash on dessicated cardboard. It won’t stick and will be well-ventilated.

Hopefully you’ve learned something from this article, and you’ll be able to make some great hash.