Shatter is a cannabis extract that looks like glass and shatters when broken. It has a glassy surface and shards, or shards, like glass, when broken in half. Shatter is similar to other cannabis concentrates produced by dabbers. The production process for shatter that has been cured needs to be extremely careful and time-consuming.
What is shatter?
Shatter is a cannabis extract that’s produced by combining cannabis plant material and solvent. Shatter weed is usually translucent in color, though it may be anything from bright, honey-like amber to a darker yellow hue like corn oil.
Shatters are all-inclusive, with the exception of their physical texture, which varies from brittle to taffy-like snap-and-pull and gives some consumers the impression that they’re pull ‘n’ snap. This variation allows one to determine what’s inside an item based on its external appearance.
THC concentrates with a higher amount of THC will have more sap or oil, and the THCA concentration will be far more brittle and glass-like. THC concentrate is a pasty oil that gives shatter greater viscosity at room temperature.
What is CBD shatter?
Many concentrate producers have developed “high-CBD shatter” or “cbd shatter,” which is high in cannabidiol (CBD) and low in THC. CBD shatter, broadly speaking, is intended for those who want the health benefits of the cannabis plant without getting high from THC.
CBD shatter is a fantastic option for medical marijuana patients and others who want to incorporate cannabinoids and terpenes into their regimen. Just be sure to purchase shatter that has been created particularly to contain high amounts of CBD while keeping low levels of THC, as this will enhance any therapeutic benefits while minimizing the psychoactive side effects.
What’s the history of shatter?
Shatter is a relatively new technique to consume marijuana. The craft of hashish production may be traced back to antiquity. In the late 1990s, the process of producing modern cannabis concentrates was enhanced, and what we now know as shatter was created for the first time.
The first full description of hash production methods was published in 1989 by D. Gold, who republished his 1973 work Cannabis Alchemy: The Art of Modern Hashmaking. In 1990, medical technologist Michael Starks released a second edition of his 1977 book Marijuana Chemistry: Genetics Processing and Potency, which gave an in-depth explanation of hash creation techniques.
In the late 1990s, BudderKing was the first to sell budder and shatter in dispensaries in Canada. Cannabis Culture magazine published the procedures for producing these goods in 2005, and by the 2010s, shards had become a popular method of consuming marijuana. Its popularity prompted many dabbers and concentrate users to declare that if something doesn’t break apart, it isn’t worth smoking.
Smoking Shatter
Dabbing is time-consuming due to the variety of extracts utilized, each with its own set of ingestion methods. Dabs are smoked using a dab pen, a dab rig, or a water pipe that has been modified for dabbing.
Dab pens, which are tiny, inconspicuous, and inexpensive, may be used by anybody who wishes to sample concentrates. Despite their small size and unassuming appearance, vaporizers have a number of limitations that might keep them from achieving the required temperature.
Dabbing is the most common method of consuming shatter, wax, and other concentrates. A dab rig is a laboratory instrument that heats cannabis extracts with a metal “nail” or glass banger to create vapors.
To vaporize shatter marijuana concentrates, you’ll need a strong heat source. Many people like to use a handheld torch to raise the temperature of the nail where the dab will be placed. Electric nails, often called e-nails, eliminate the need for an open flame (and minimize the danger of burns and fires).
Dabbers are often hesitant to take a hit and keep the smoke in, as they would with a bong or joint smoking. However, it is not necessary for dab hits, which can irritate the lungs. Before taking a hit, exhale and then inhale the vapor before exhaling it again is the best method. People who frequently cough should use little draws. Dabsters utilize specialized dab rigs to consume shatter, wax, and other concentrates.
Shatter Effects
Because it does not require combustion of plant material, the purer high produced by marijuana shatter is frequently regarded as “cleaner” than other inhaled methods of intake. Due to the clean, more constant high provided by laboratory-made concentrates, many cannabis professionals are switching from flower to concentrate formulations. Shatter delivers THC and other cannabinoids in much larger amounts than flower because to its large 80% THC content. A particularly potent variety of flower might have THC levels ranging from 25 to 30 percent, while shatter has an enormous 80% THC concentration.
Shatter, in other words, provides a powerful high rather quickly. In terms of potency, a single dose of high-THC shatter is more effective than smoking the whole joint. This might cause you to feel lightheaded and sleepy, as well as a sense of weightiness and relaxation.
Storing Shatter
The purity of shatter is the first consideration when creating it, and following precise production and storage techniques may minimize debris. Medicinal concentrates are particularly prone to contamination since patients do not want to take medication that has been tainted with germs or dirt.
Use gloves or parchment paper to handle shatter marijuana concentrates to keep them as clean and pure as possible. The oils and germs on your hands will be kept away from the shatter by performing this. To avoid losing the sticky residue that often remains when concentrates are removed, always place them on a nonstick surface.
Even if it’s cared for correctly, shatter will soften with time and transform into budder. If it’s left out at room temperature or exposed to heat, this will happen faster. To slow the process down, the material should be kept in an airtight container in a cold, dark location. Parchment paper is available for crumble, wax, and shatter as well as other concentrates. The glass can be lined with parchment paper inside an airtight glass jar to keep the shatter from adhering to it.
When it comes to storing shatter in the freezer, parchment paper is ideal for separating each dab. When freezing shatter, moisture might be an issue. The deterioration of shatter will be accelerated by moisture. To prevent condensation from forming in the storage container, it must be dried wiped.
This silicone storage container is perfect for shattering and other cannabis concentrates.
Frequently asked questions
Is shatter the same as dabs?
Yes and no, in a nutshell. Shatter may be dabbed, but not all dabs are shatter. Dabbing is the use of a tiny water pipe known as a dab rig to consume concentrates. The concentrate is heated in the flat bowl of the device, which has a “nail” to withstand high temperatures and allow it to vaporize. Other forms of cannabis concentrates exist that can also be called dabs, despite the fact that they are not all considered shatter.
When it comes to dabbing concentrated cannabis products, such as shatter, the effect is typically more powerful and full-bodied tastes and aromas, especially when compared to smoking marijuana. Although dabbing marijuana shatter does require special equipment and skill, first-timers may be put off by this. One factor that may influence flavor is the temperature of the nail at the moment of ingestion; for example, it might change.
What are the side effects of shatter?
Whether it’s shatter or other marijuana concentrates, high doses of THC can have unpleasant side effects. Though THC has a number of therapeutic and medicinal uses, excessive use may induce distressing symptoms such as anxiety and paranoia. If you’re new to these substances, start with the smallest dab size that’s effective for you and gradually increase your dosage until you know how they affect you. Because marijuana concentrates contain a lot of THC, caution is advised.
What happens if you eat shatter?
Shatter is a type of concentrated medication that must be decarboxylated (or “heat-activated”) before it can be utilized. This sort of concentrated medicine should only be vaporized using a dab rig, e-rig, vape pen, or vaporizer that decarboxylates the active components so they may interact with the body right away. Consuming shatter that hasn’t been heated will offer you no advantages.
How should I store shatter?
Shatter should be handled with care to retain its sharpness, flavor, and power. If not properly stored, it will lose its sharp consistency, taste, and strength. It degrades if kept in an airtight, lightproof container at room temperature. To keep the concentrate’s consistency for as long as possible, avoid exposing it to excessive heat, moisture, oxygen, UV rays (sunlight), and direct sunlight.
Heat is the enemy of shatter. The cannabinoids are activated as a result of temperature changes. It should not happen right after the substance is put into a container; rather, it should happen after ingestion. Silicone containers, which are commonly available at dispensaries, smoke shops, and many internet merchants, as well as most cannabis concentrates that come in proper containers that can be reused
Why does shatter turn into sugar, budder, or crumble?
Despite their various textures, hues, and consistencies, cannabis extracts all follow the same manufacturing processes. If steps are not followed precisely at any time during production, solutions may be mishandled, or if shatter is handled incorrectly, it may produce something other than translucent glass-like product. Other factors may influence the process. Agitation, high temperatures, residual solvents, or dampness from marijuana plant material might cause cannabis oil to become budder rather than shatter as a result of agitation or excessive temperatures.
How is shatter made?
Despite the fact that shatter is a well-known product, new types of cannabinoids are now available on the market. Cannabinoids extracted using butane (also known as Butane Hash Oil or BHO) may be quite hazardous and illegal in many nations.
The production of this concentrate is similar to other cannabis extracts. The most significant change is in the post-extraction procedure. Shatter is generally generated by forcing a pressurized solvent through a chamber containing plant material. Before it’s removed, the solvent separates the wanted cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant material using a purging method. Cannabis flower buds, cannabis plant trimmings such as trim or shake, and even industrial waste are all good candidates for shatter.
Shatter can be made from a variety of solvents, including butane (which generates butane hash oil or BHO), with various concentrations. CO2-extracted shatter, on the other hand, is used in the production of other cannabis concentrates.