Thanks to the progress the legalization movement has made around the world in recent years, dabbing is all the rage these days. Although the method of consuming cannabis concentrates has exploded in popularity, it’s still relatively new in the grand scheme of things. 

Since it’s still such a novel method of smoking, not everyone knows best practices when it comes to even some of the more basic aspects of dabbing. This includes, how to clean a titanium nail! 

In the following article, we explain just how to clean your titanium dab nails. We’ll cover the following:

• What is a titanium nail?
• Why is it important to clean your dab nails?
• How do I clean my titanium nail between dabs? 
• How do I clean caked up residue from my titanium nail?
• How can I clean a really filthy titanium nail?
• What is seasoning a dab rig, why is it important, and how do I do it?

With a load to get through in this guide to cleaning titanium nails, we should get started already! Roll one or pack another bowl and join WeedRepublic as we explain exactly how to clean your titanium! 

What is Titanium Nail?

A dab nail is the name given for the bit on your dab rig that you heat up and apply concentrates too. The high temperature causes almost instant vaporization of waxes and oils, which we inhale for recreation or medicinal uses. A dab nail will typically be ceramic, glass, quartz, or in the case of the nails, we are concentrating on today, titanium. 

Titanium dab nails, such as [insert product] and [insert product], are without a doubt the most hardwearing nails on the market. Unlike glass nails, like  [insert product], you can’t crack them by overheating them. Similarly, being one of the hardest metals on Earth, dropping it won’t break it either. They’re ideal for the clumsy stoner!

There are a couple of things to be aware of when you buy a new titanium dab nail. The first is that overheating the metal can cause a reaction that turns the titanium into titanium dioxide. It’ll look like small white patches on the surface on the dab nail and, whilst not harmful, it will impact how the nail heats up. Dabbing is something of an art and unless you’re using a digital dab torch-like [insert product], you’re going to want the metal to heat up evenly and consistently. This will make it easier for you to dial in that perfect temperature, even without a thermometer. 

The second thing to be aware of is that a titanium dab nail needs special treatment before you use it. This is called seasoning the nail and the end of this article is dedicated to the subject. Don’t worry, it’s very easy and will improve the smoking experience considerably. 

Why is it Important to Keep My Titanium Dab Nail Clean? 

Like with most bits of specialist equipment it’s important to keep a titanium dab nail clean. If you're new to the world of dabbing, get into the habit of regular cleaning. This will mean you probably never have to do a serious deep clean! 

If you’ve got a filthy old titanium nail, use one of Weed Republic’s deep clean methods to restore it to its former glory. Then, keep on top of the job by cleaning during your smoke outs. 

Here’s exactly why it’s important to always dab off a clean nail:

• Residue buildup will affect how the nail heats up. Given that taking the perfect dab is all about getting the perfect temperature, you want it to heat consistently.
• Leftover, burnt on waxes will impact the taste of your future dabs. Wax is expensive, you want it to taste its best!
• If you use your nail with either a ceramic or quartz bowl, the leftover residue will create a barrier between the two surfaces. This will result in a loss of efficiency when heating. 
• Titanium nails that are cleaned regularly do not need replacing as often. This means you’ll have more cash to spend on those delicious and mind-bending concentrates!

How to Clean Your Nail

How to Clean a Dab Rig Nail: Method One

This first method is really quick and easy and it’s the one you should be doing between dabs. It’s not going to tackle any truly filthy titanium nails. For these jobs, WeedRepublic recommends one of our other methods of cleaning. 

Think of this first method as more of an essential part of your dabbing routine. It’ll prolong the life of your titanium nail and also make sure that any dabs your hit from it always taste the best they can do!  

Equipment

• Dab torch (like [insert product]).
•  Metal scraping tool. 

Method: How to Clean a Titanium Nail Quickly

• Heat your nail until it glows red (about 1,000°F). You can do this with the nail still attached to the rig itself. Alternatively, use a clamp or some pliers to hold it whilst heating.
• Take the metal scraping tool and clean your titanium nail with it. The residue should come right off (if it wasn’t already burned off!).

Note: Before taking another dab, it’s important to let the nail cool. Unless you’re using a digital dab torch, you will have no idea how hot you have made the nail since it will get up to temperature much quicker. 

Rather than guess if your dab nail has reached the correct temperature to vaporize cannabis extracts, wait until it cools properly and heats it up again using the timings you usually do to take your perfect dabs. This should stop you from incinerating your extracts, which often results in a black buildup that’s harder to remove, as well as burning off most of the psychoactive compounds before you get a chance to enjoy them!  

How to Clean Dab Nail: Method Two

The second method for cleaning your titanium dab nail is a bit more full-on. It’s ideal for restoring a muckier dab nail but still may struggle with the most stubborn resin deposits. If you have a habit of overheating your titanium nail before dabbing, perhaps you should skip straight to the third method! 

Equipment

• Warm water. 
• Scouring pad (metal thing for doing the washing up) or 800 grit sandpaper.
• Paper towels.

Method

• Remove the titanium nail from your dab rig.
• Run the tap in your house so that the water becomes warm but not too hot to the touch that it burns. 
• Use your sandpaper or scouring pad to scratch away at the resin buildup. It will take a bit of elbow grease to get the nail totally clean. Don’t worry, you won’t damage the titanium - it’s really tough stuff!
• When you’ve finished cleaning, continue running underwater to rinse any extra material away.
• Dry your nail with the paper towels and heat it up again for another hit! 

This method is great because it doesn’t rely on any specialist products (you can pick a scouring pad up at the supermarket or sandpaper at a hardware store) or chemicals, like rubbing alcohol. The problem with it is that it does take a fair bit more effort (when compared with method three, that is!)

How to Clean a Titanium Dab Nail: Method Three

This final dabbing nail cleaning tutorial is by far the best for the very dirtiest of titanium nails. However, it does rely on the use of chemicals (rubbing alcohol) and will take a while to get the thing totally clean. It’s worth the wait though because all that crud will come off effortlessly this way!

Equipment

• Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol (aim for as high a percentage as you can get your hands on. Anything over 90% should work great.)
• Ziploc bags. 
• Salt. Coarse natural salt works great.
• Scouring pad or rough sponge. 
• Paper towels.
• Freshwater (optional). 

Method

• In your Ziploc bag, mix a teaspoon or two of salt with about 150ml of rubbing alcohol. Don’t worry about being exact. You just want enough alcohol to get all over the dab nail. 
• Take your titanium nail off your dab rig. 
• Dismantle the titanium nail (if it has removable parts like a cup etc.)
• Put all the parts of your dab nail into the bag with the alcohol and salt mixture. 
• Seal the bag.
• Give it all a good shake around and make sure the mixture gets all over the nail. 
• Leave the titanium dab nail in the solution overnight.
• The following day, you can remove the pieces and scrub off any resins with the scouring pad or sponge. They should come right off. 
• If you’re planning on hitting your dab rig immediately after this cleaning process, we recommend giving it a quick rinse in water before drying with a paper towel. This will make sure there is no excess alcohol on the surface of the dab nail, which would be unpleasant to inhale. 

How to Season a Titanium Dab Nail

If you’ve ever bought a brand new titanium dab nail, you might well know that they can taste kind of gross on the first few uses. This is because various impurities in the titanium are left behind, which, as the device is heated initially, will impart metallic tastes to your cannabis concentrates. We don’t need to tell you that this is bad!

What is seasoning a Dab Nail?

Seasoning is the name given for preparing a new titanium dab nail for smoking. It’s the process used to get rid of any nasty tasting metal vapors before we can take a hit. It’s all about making sure that even that first blast on a new titanium dab nail tastes great!

Why is it important? 

Seasoning your titanium is important because dab nails, like [insert product], aren’t particularly cheap. If you’re spending money on something, you’re going to want it to perform perfectly right out of the box! 

People also spend time and effort in creating cannabis concentrates. These are usually pretty expensive too. It, therefore, makes little sense to smoke without seasoning first. The concentrate maker will have probably worked hard to make sure that their product tastes as good as possible. It was a bit of a waste of time if you then choose to give it a metallic taste by smoking it on a non-seasoned nail!

How to Season a Titanium Dab Nail

Equipment

• Dabbing torch (a product like [insert product] will work great). 
• Coldwater. 
• Jug or washing up bowl. 
• Pliers. 
• Ice. 

Method

• Fill the jug with cold water.
• Add ice to the water and leave it for a few minutes to get the liquid nice and chilled. 
• Hold your new titanium dab nail between the pliers. This will stop you from burning your fingers.
• Heat the dab nail until it glows red. This will get any impurities in the metal to evaporate from its surface.
• Submerge the titanium nail in the water. You should hear a sizzle and see some bubbles from the water. This is good!
• Repeat the heating and cooling two or three more times. 
• Viola! You have a perfectly seasoned dab nail! It’s time to take a hit from that brand spanking new nail!

Make Each Dab Perfect!

Cleaning and seasoning are just two aspects of making sure your dabs are perfect. A perfect dab means you’ve vaped all your concentrate without burning any THC off or leaving any stubborn black residue behind. 

A large part of taking the perfect dab is getting your temperatures dialed in. Most concentrates will vape nicely at between 350°F and 400°F. If you’re not using a digital torch, you should experiment with different cooling times from a red hot nail. If you find you’ve still concentrates left over after a dab, reduce the cooling time. If you find black residue left behind, increase the cooling time. Once you’ve got it perfect, still with that cooling time. Use a timer to ensure you hit that sweet temperature spot.

Remember that any build-up will impact both the heating and cooling time of a titanium nail. Keeping your nail clean will allow you to heat the device consistently and help a lot when it comes to finding that perfect temperature. Happy dabbing.

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Written by Megan Medeiros (BA)

Megan Medeiros has a bachelor’s degree in English and is currently working on a master’s in English at James Madison University. She's the owner and operator of Medeiros Writing, and has been working as a cannabis writer for the past three years, mostly following the legal climate of marijuana, especially in areas like California, Colorado, Oregon, Canada, and other legal areas.

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