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If you’ve ever wondered where the potent psychoactive effects of cannabis come from, look no further than weed resin. Weed resin is the sticky substance that you’ll notice whenever you touch your marijuana buds or look at the resin glands that grow all over your weed. Resin is grown from the crystal-like trichomes of weed where the cannabinoids and terpenes are produced.

The strength of each strain of weed often depends on how much resin it produces. Since the resin of weed is packed with THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids and terpenes, it’s often extracted to create powerful cannabis concentrates. Extracts such as Hash, Shatter, and Live Resin can often contain up to 80-90% THC, making them startlingly potent.

There are many ways to extract and use weed resin. For instance, it’s often extracted using solvents before being purged and formed into various types of cannabis concentrates. Resin can also be used as a cannabis concentrate by itself to enhance the effects of a joint or bowl. So how exactly is weed resin extracted and used? Here’s everything you need to know about weed resin.

What Is Weed Resin?

Weed resin refers to the sticky coating you’ll find on pretty much any strain of weed. Each strain of weed has different levels of resin, and buds with more resin usually give you stronger effects. This is because the resin is where the cannabinoids and terpenes of cannabis are produced.

Since it’s the THC in the resin of weed that gives you the psychoactive effects of cannabis, many cannabis growers breed plants specifically to grow more resin. When you smoke or vape weed, you’ll get the effects of the cannabinoids and terpenes grown in the resin. However, for extra-strong effects, the resin of weed is often extracted into more concentrated forms such as Hash and Shatter.

Resin comes from the trichomes of weed- the crystal-like resin glands that grow all over marijuana flowers. Many of these trichomes can be seen by the naked eye, although there are also smaller trichomes that require a microscope to be seen. The terms resin and trichomes are often used interchangeably.

The trichomes or resin of your buds can be used in many ways. In olden times, “charas” or finger hash was created by rolling weed between your hands before scraping the resin and compressing it into a ball of hash. Nowadays, there are much better ways to extract resin into all kinds of potent cannabis concentrates.

How To Extract Resin From Your Weed

Since THC is produced in the resin glands of weed, the trichomes are often extracted to create potent cannabis concentrates. These products contain significantly higher levels of THC than weed, meaning they can get you seriously high even if you only use a small amount. There are many extraction methods used to create these products.

Extracting the THC-rich resin from weed usually involves using solvents and special lab equipment. For instance, cannabis extracts are often obtained by filling an extraction tube with weed and blasting the weed with solvents such as butane. While this method can be carried out at home, dealing with solvents is dangerous and it’s usually better to buy high-quality cannabis concentrates.

After being extracted, these extracts often go through a purging process to remove the solvents. Some are also reinfused with terpenes to enhance the flavor and effects of the finished products. This is how you end up with the purest and most potent cannabis extracts.

While some extraction methods involve special equipment and time-consuming processes, others are simple enough to carry out at home. For instance, simply applying heat and pressure to weed wrapped in parchment paper can result in extracting Rosin. Finger Hash or Charas can be made simply by rubbing marijuana buds and scraping the resin together into a ball. It’s also easy to extract kief- a concentrated product with many uses.

How To Collect Kief From Your Weed

Many users take advantage of the resin from their marijuana buds by collecting the kief. Kief refers to the dust-like particles that break away from your buds when you grind your weed. These are made up of dried trichomes, and once you have a nice stash of kief, you can use it to enhance your joints and bowls or even make cannabis concentrates.

The easiest way to collect a stash of kief is to simply scrape it from your weed grinder. Every time you grind weed with a grinder, small pieces of kief break away from your buds. Eventually, you’ll end up with a big enough stash to use by itself.

It can take a while to collect kief with a regular two-piece grinder, especially since you’ll most likely empty your kief as you empty your weed. However, some grinders come with an extra chamber for kief collection. When you grind your weed, the kief will fall through a mesh and into a kief chamber. After a while of grinding, you’ll have an impressive stash of kief.

There are quicker ways to collect kief. For instance, you can sift your buds through a silkscreen until enough dried resin breaks away from the weed. Alternatively, you can also use a Pollen Box. Simply put your weed in the top of the box and shake it until you’ve collected enough kief. While these methods can be effective, they’re also time-consuming.

One of the best ways to collect a nice stash of kief is to use dry ice. This involves using special Dry Ice Extraction Bags- these bags are covered in a mesh that your kief falls through after being separated from the buds. You fill the extraction bag with your weed and dry ice and collect the kief that falls through.

What Products Are Made From Resin?

Fresh resin is often extracted from cannabis buds to create powerful cannabis concentrates. The methods used to make these concentrates can vary, but they’re all packed with THC, meaning they can give you a very strong high even when you use a small amount. Here are some of the most popular cannabis extracts made with resin.

Hash - Hash is one of the most popular types of cannabis concentrates, as well as one of the easiest to make. Hash is usually made out of dried trichome particles (kief) that have been compressed to create a solid block of concentrated cannabis. There are different types of Hash, some of which involve more complicated creation processes. Whichever way, it’s a strong extract that you can crumble into pieces for use in a joint, bowl or vaporizer.

Shatter - Shatter is another popular cannabis extract but unlike the dark, crumbly form of Hash, Shatter is translucent, amber, and looks similar to glass. This concentrate will Shatter into pieces when snapped, hence the name. However, you can also burn it to make it soft and pliable, making it much easier to mix into joints or bows. It’s also great for vaping and dabbing.

Rosin - Rosin is a concentrate that’s made by applying heat and pressure to marijuana buds or kief. Many users make Rosin at home simply using a hair straightener and some cannabis wrapped in parchment paper. However, higher quantities can be made using a Rosin Press. Rosin looks similar to Shatter only it’s runnier and more oil-like.

Live Resin - Live Resin is one of the purest and strongest types of cannabis concentrates, as well as being one of the most difficult to make. Live Resin is made by flash-freezing cannabis buds directly after harvesting before undergoing an extraction and purging process. Live Resin is known for having high levels of THC and terpenes.

How To Make Hash At Home

If you want to put the fresh resin of your cannabis buds to good use, you might want to try making Hash at home. Making Hash usually involves extracting kief from your buds and compressing it into a solid block of Hash. There are a few effective ways to make homemade Hash, although the quality will vary.

The easiest way to make homemade Hash is by rubbing your cannabis buds between your palms to catch the sticky resin on your hands. You can then scrape the resin off and press it into a small ball of Finger Hash. With that said, this is the weakest and least effective form of Hash.

One of the best ways to make Hash is to collect a stash of kief using a grinder, Dry Ice Extraction Bags or Pollen Box (you can also buy Kief online) before compressing it using a Pollen Press. All you have to do is remove the top cap and pin from your Pollen Press, fill it with kief, reapply the pin and cap and twist it tight. Tighten the cap every hour for around 8 hours and when you remove it, you’ll have a cylindrical block of Hash that you can cut into coins.

Alternatively, you can make a block of Hash using a stash of kief and a jar of hot water. Start by wrapping your kief into parchment paper to create a small package. Fill an airtight jar with hot water and roll it firmly over your package of kief for around 8-10 minutes until the kief turns into a hard block of Hash. Put it in the fridge for around 30 minutes to loosen the paper and unwrap your block of Hash.

How To Make Rosin At Home

Another great way to make a high-THC resin concentrate at home is to create Rosin using a hair straightener. You can either use cannabis buds, a stash of kief or even some bubble Hash. You’ll also need some parchment paper and a large enough hair straightener to press down on your product.

Start by placing your weed between two pieces of parchment paper. It’s important to leave plenty of space at the edges of the paper to collect the Rosin. If you’re using kief or Hash, place your stash in a fine rosin screen or mesh bag and place the bag between two pieces of parchment paper.

Apply some heat-resistant gloves and turn your hair straightener on. Usually, a heat setting of 250-330°F will give the best results. The lower end of this range will give you a more stable product whereas higher temperatures will give you a runnier, sap-like extract. It’s best to start low and increase the temperature as you go.

Place your wrapped cannabis between the irons of your hair straightener and press down firmly for around 10-30 seconds. You may need to repeat this process a few times to collect as much Rosin as possible. Once you’re satisfied with the results, collect the Rosin using a dabber or collection tool. It’s best to keep your Rosin in a small, glass container and use a small amount when you want to smoke, vape or dab it.

What About The Resin On Your Pipe/Bong?

While resin often refers to the fresh resin that grows on your cannabis buds, it can also refer to the burnt resin that collects on your smoking devices. When you smoke weed or concentrates in a Pipe, Bong or another smoke device, you often end up with sticky, black burnt resin on your bowl.

Some users associate resin simply with burnt resin as opposed to trichomes. However, it’s important to note that you should not try to consume burnt resin the same way you would fresh resin. Although it can be scraped away from your bowl and formed into a ball of resin, most of the THC is lost and it contains high levels of carbon, making it harsh and unhealthy to smoke.

If you notice burnt resin building up in your bowl, it’s best to clean it thoroughly. Scrape the resin away from the glass and clean your bowl using 90-100% isopropyl alcohol. This will result in cleaner and smoother hits next time you use your Pipe or Bong.

Conclusion

Resin is the sap-like material that grows from the trichomes of your cannabis buds. This is where most of the THC is produced, along with other cannabinoids and terpenes. While you should avoid burnt resin- the gooey substance you’ll often find on the bowl of your Bong and Pipe- fresh resin is ideal for enhancing your weed or creating cannabis concentrates.

Many high-THC extracts are created by extracting the trichomes of weed into a highly-concentrated product. Popular examples include Hash, Shatter, Live Resin, and Rosin. You can find these products and many more online at Leaf2Go.ca.