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Home , Hashish, Hash oil, Kief

Extraction Without Chemicals

In the cannabis industry, extraction refers to the process of extracting or concentrating the most potent compounds from the plants. Extraction essentially removes the oil found in the trichomes from the plant. The resulting products from the extraction process (the concentrates or ) are therefore a highly concentrated and potent form of THC and other . Extracts can increase ’s medical benefits and definitely produce a more potent recreational product. The percent concentration of extracts can vary widely. Some companies claim they are making almost pure (99.9%) THC crystals through proprietary processes. Product such as and Shatter may reach THC levels of 90-95%. Then there is a group of old school extractions such as , Dry Sift, Hash, and that can have concentrations 60-70% greater than raw bud. The extracted concentrates can be in the form of oils, pills, and other forms, and can also be used to make edibles like baked goods, candies, and infused beverages. They are often used in vaporizers. Most extraction methods are extremely complicated processes that should be left to professionals because it involves expensive equipment and exacting technique. Other methods use some pretty harsh chemicals that many people would prefer to avoid. In other words, it usually isn’t something the average home grower is going to attempt. However, there are lower key methods of cannabis extraction, including Kief, Dry Sift, finger hash, ice hash, and rosin. In this article we will give an introduction to these methods.

Kief Kief, often referred to as pollen or dry sift, is the soft, visible crystals that cover the marijuana plant’s flowers, and to some extent, its leaves. The crystal-like powdery substance is highly sticky and extruded from a cannabis plant’s glands. It is a form of trichomes that the cannabis plant naturally manufactures to deter consumption by herbivores and also attract beneficial pollinating insects.

Kief is highly concentrated and often sifted from the plant to use for a more intense psychoactive experience/high. It generally contains around 50 per cent more (or higher) (THC) than the rest of the plant. Even the flowers of the cannabis plant contain only about 12 to 15 per cent THC. The high concentrations of THC in kief makes the crystal-like substance highly coveted by users and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Consumers often sprinkle kief directly onto parts of the marijuana plant before consumption to increase its effects. Kief is also heated and pressurized to make hash or to be added to edibles.

Dry Sift or Dry Sieve

Dry sift hash, or dry sieve hash, is obtained through the use of an extraction process that splits the trichomes of the cannabis plant from the plant’s material utilizing a metal screen. One of the most important aspects of creating dry sieve hash is the thickness of the mesh that the dry plant material is sifted through. The finer the mesh, the greater the purity of the dry sieve hash. For example, a screen with greater micron gage will yield pieces of plant material and not produce as fine of a product. Most hash is manufactured using the lower buds and leaves of the plant; however, dry sieve hash is made using the upper buds and flowers in order to obtain the greatest concentration of trichomes, cannabinoids, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The process of making dry sieve hash is relatively simple. The dried flowers and buds are sprinkled across the surface of a wire mesh screen. The plant material is then vigorously rubbed across the screen to break it down and release the trichome-rich powder. Some manufacturers of dry sieve hash continue to run the powder through additional finer mesh screens to obtain an even finer, richer product. The powder can be smoked, or it can be further heated to create a characteristically hash-appearing product.

Finger Hash

Finger hash refers to the resin that accumulates on a grower's fingers as they process marijuana. This occurs during harvesting or when making marijuana products. The resin is exceptionally potent. During the flowering stage of the cannabis plant, the flowers produce ample trichomes. Trichomes are hair-like sticky filaments that have a crystallized appearance. Picking the flower buds during harvest and handling the leaves of the plant break off the trichomes and they readily stick to the fingertips. Finger hash is often collected off the fingertips after harvesting because the sticky resin contains high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids. An easy way to harvest finger hash is to wear latex gloves during harvest so that the plant’s trichomes stick to the latex fingertips of the gloves. After harvesting, the grower can remove the gloves and place them into a freezer. The cold temperatures make the resin easy to remove from the fingertips of gloves, so it can also be used in making cannabis and medicinal marijuana products.

Ice Hash

Ice hash is also called bubble hash, hash, and sometimes ice water hash. Essentially, it is that has been strained and concentrated using nothing but ice and water, which eliminates the need for harsh chemicals in the extraction process such as isopropyl or butane.

Creating hash requires that resin glands be separated from cannabis plant material, filtered, and then concentrated. There are many ways to achieve this. One of the most common is called quick washing, which relies on . However, another option is to create ice hash. Essentially, ice hash is created by using ice and water to filter out resin glands from plant material, and then concentrate them without the use of alcohol or other chemicals. The result is a higher-quality hashish with better flavor and a more refined aroma. There will be no leftover to create harsh flavors, or that might lead to unwanted complications. There are numerous instructional videos on YouTube on the procedure.

Rosin

The rosin extraction process is a cannabis extraction process that utilizes a combination of heat and pressure to squeeze resin cannabis. The rosin extraction process can be used on cannabis plant material such as the flowers or buds. The process is also frequently applied to hash and kief to create a full-melt hash oil. Many people refer to the finalized product of the rosin extraction process as ‘rosin’. Rosin is basically the concentrate product known as shatter, but without the by- products that are a hallmark of the shatter concentrate. During the rosin extraction process, only heat and pressure are utilized so the resulting product is clean of any solvents such as butane or hydrocarbons, which are commonly used in other extraction procedures. You can use a set-up as simple as hair straightener with parchment paper to some rosin from a bud. This will give a very small amount of rosin. If you are serious about making your own rosin it is worth investing in a rosin press.