As is the case with other methods of consuming weed, people in the cannabis community feel differently about blunts. Many swear by it as their preferred way of smoking weed. Others, however, aren’t too crazy about the flavors and smells that the tobacco leaves impart on the smoking experience.
While it’s good to consider all these opinions, it’s best to explore and experiment on your own to develop personal tastes and preferences. Then you can contribute to the conversation. First things first, learn how to roll a blunt.
Besides ensuring that you get an excellent blunt to smoke, being able to roll a blunt properly also earns you the approval of fellow weed smokers. This article provides a step-by-step guide for learning how to roll a blunt.
What Is a Blunt?
A blunt is a weed rolled in a tobacco wrapper. It's often used interchangeably with the terms joint and spliff, but they differ in weed content, wrapping material color, size and flavor. A blunt contains only weed. You can use any weed strain you want, but it's no longer a blunt if you add any non-cannabis product.
One of the defining characteristics of a blunt is that it's brown and is typically thicker and longer than a joint because it's wrapped in emptied-out cigar wrap or tobacco paper. The thickness may vary depending on the amount of weed you use and the size of the wrapping material. The wrapping material also influences the flavor, which features the flavor of tobacco.
Why Roll a Blunt?
Blunts are popular for several reasons.
- Flavor and Taste. Unlike joints, you can make a blunt with the taste of your choice by buying a cigar that's cherry-flavored, vanilla-flavored, or no added flavor.
- Portable. A blunt is easy to make and carry around. You can use a cigarette case to hold a few blunts.
- Slow Burn. The thick wrapping material for blunts makes it a slow burn that lasts long. You can save some for later.
- Heightened Effects. The cigar wrap enhances the flavor profile of your blunt and gives it a bit of a buzz.
What Do You Need To Roll a Blunt?
Here's what you need to roll a blunt.
- Weed. You can use any strain of weed in your blunt. Go for the one that achieved your desired effect.
- Weed Grinder. The weed in your blunt should be ground evenly and smoothly. Use a grinder that can easily break apart even the stickiest, closely packed weed.
- Rolling Tray. A tray holds all your stuff and contains any mess you may make. Plastic trays are great because they're cheap and easy to carry around.
- Hemp Wraps. The blunt wrap is essential to the blunt-smoking experience. Explore different blunt wrap options, such as Swisher Sweets, hemp wraps, and the iconic Backwoods.
- Lighter. You need something to set off your blunt. Get an affordable lighter that's reliable, durable, and compact so that it's easy to carry around.
- Sharp Tool. You need a sharp cutting tool, such as a razor blade or a small knife, to split the cigar before you empty it. The more portable the tool is, the better.
Once you gather all these components, you're ready to start rolling the blunt.
How To Roll a Blunt
Step 1: Grind the Weed
The first step is to grind the weed to turn it into a shake. You can do it the traditional way by hand, but a grinder does the job more efficiently. It achieves a consistent grind that burns more smoothly.
Step 2: Prepare the Blunt Wrap
You can use the tobacco wrap from a cigar or buy a ready-made blunt wrap. If you choose to use the wrap from a cigar, split it using a cutting tool like a razor blade or small knife and empty out the tobacco. On the other hand, if you go with a ready-made blunt wrap, you can skip the next step and go to step four.
Step 3: Wet the Blunt Wrap
Wetting the blunt wrap from the cigar makes it more flexible and easier to handle. You can wet the tobacco leaf by licking it or applying a little water using your fingertip. The latter is a more sanitary option if you're rolling a blunt to share with others.
Step 4: Place Weed in the Wrap
Once you moisten the wrap, the next step is placing some weed on it. For a beginner, one or two grams of weed should be enough. If you're a bit more experienced or plan to share the blunt with others, then you might want to place more weed on the wrap. Either way, the amount needs to be substantial enough to roll the blunt.
Step 5: Roll Up the Blunt Wrap
The most common way of rolling a blunt is by hand. You can also use a blunt rolling machine, but you still need to know how to do it with your hands if the machine is unavailable. Rolling the wrap is a simple yet delicate process that needs some finesse, but you get better at it the more blunts you roll.
Support the blunt using the middle, ring and little fingers of both your hands, then use your index fingers and thumbs to shape the blunt into a cylinder that contains the weed. Alternately, you can have the thickness taper slightly toward the end from which you'll smoke the blunt.
Step 6: Seal the Blunt
Once you get the desired shape and the weed is properly packed in, you need to seal the blunt so that it doesn't fall apart as you smoke it. If you did step five correctly, the wrap should tuck under itself, covering the weed completely.
Lick the inside of the edge to moisten it, then gently press down on it as you would an envelope. If you did step four right, the blunt seals easily without cracking.
Step 7: Light and Inhale
You're on the home stretch. Before you partake of your blunt, be sure to bake it by running the lighter flame along the seam, keeping some distance between the flame and the blunt. Doing so removes makes the seal better and removes excess moisture.
Your blunt is now ready to enjoy. Light it up and inhale the ganja. If you're sharing it with friends, take a few hits and pass it along.
What To Pay Attention to When Rolling a Blunt？
Rolling a blunt is a simple but delicate process. Some of the steps require some finesse. Practice often until you’re able to do it in your sleep. You need to keep in mind two more things as you learn how to roll a blunt.
Don’t Forget to Bake the Blunt
Once you have done all the steps, you need to bake the blunt before lighting it up and smoking it. Baking a blunt means running the flame of your lighter along the seam. Heat radiates from the flame to the blunt’s seam, making it better.
Just be sure not to hold the flame too close to the seam to avoid igniting the blunt. You want to hold the flame just close enough to remove excess moisture from the seam and trigger a chemical reaction that further seals the seam.
Don’t Pack Your Blunt Too Tightly/Loosely
An excellent blunt packs in just the right amount of weed for a great smoking session. If you pack your blunt too tightly, airflow will be restricted, and it’ll be hard to smoke your blunt.
On the other hand, if you pack your blunt too loosely, it might not hold the weed, and some of it might fall out. Tiny pieces of weed might even find their way into your mouth. These are known as “Scooby Snacks”.
A loosely packed blunt might also burn too quickly and diminish your smoking experience. Ultimately, though, there’s no hard and fast rule to how packed in the weed in your blunt should be. As you roll more blunts, you’ll figure out how densely you prefer your blunt to be.
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