5 Tips on How To Make Your Joint Burn Slower
- 1. Always grind your marijuana, using a grinder if possible
- 2. Check that your buds are well dried and cured
- 3. Use the right rolling papers to make joints last longer
- 4. Add concentrates to make joints last longer
- 4. a. Use honey to make your joints burn slower, and taste sweeter!
- 5. Tighten up your joints as you roll for a slower burn
- 6. How to fix an unevenly burning joint
- 7. Other options for cannabis consumption
- 8. The bottom line
Rolling a joint can be much of an art, it's a skill that requires lots of practice and patience. Don't you remember how awful those first few joints you've rolled were? Rather than joints, those things resembled more a wrapped candy probably. Oh if only there was a "how to roll a joint" school, sigh. Just kidding, no one likes school and why would we get it involved with such a pleasurable thing as smoking marijuana. Besides, learning how to roll a joint isn't all that bad, it's a process of constant improvement, the more you try the better you get at it. And I guess we'll have to smoke all those joints too, whoops.
However, being able to roll a joint is slightly more complicated than we thought. Being good at rolling means that your joint not only looks well rolled but also burns evenly, without having to grab the lighter every few puffs. Once you get the hang of it, the next step is rolling in a way that you extend the life of a joint as much as possible.
There are several methods that you can use to make a joint burn slower and last longer, these include:
- Grinding your marijuana;
- Using slow-burn rolling papers;
- Making a joint rolled in wax, or the classic shatter joint;
- Rolling a kief joint, and more.
Let's go through each of these methods and more to make joints burn slower.
1. Always Grind Your Marijuana, Using a Grinder If Possible
The number one rule about almost every method of marijuana consumption is: grind your buds! Seriously, don't underestimate the power of the grinder. Skipping the grinding part of rolling a joint is almost as bad as not putting on sunscreen before heading to the beach. Grinding weed isn't just great for comfort as you roll, making the bits smaller and easier to handle, but for ensuring that your joint burns evenly and bigger bits don't block it, making your joint disappear in smoke. This is why choosing the right grinder is essential.
Lastly, make sure that you don't over grind your buds since powderish weed will end up blocking your joint and preventing an even burn as well. If you find yourself without a grinder, check out the following article on ways to grind cannabis without a grinder:
If the grinding part isn't the issue, read ahead to find the best ways to make your joints burn slower.
2. Check That Your Buds Are Well Dried And Cured
Drying and curing your cannabis buds are the most essential and final parts of the growing process of marijuana plants. Again with the analogies, it's like planning out the perfect party and forgetting about the music. When you dry and cure your buds, not only you're allowing them to reach their maximum potency, but you are also making sure that, when you're ready for the moment of consumption, these guys burn evenly.
| Time For Drying Buds | Time For Curing Buds |
|---|---|
| Hang your buds from 5 to 15 days after harvest. | Let the buds cure in airtight containers for 2-3 weeks, ventilating the jar for some minutes every day. |
Most likely you know what we're talking about, chances are that you have at least once smoked buds that were yet too wet to be consumed, and you surely remember how much of a nightmare that was. When you smoke buds that aren't well dried or cured, this results in a joint that requires a lighter for every puff, if it hasn't blocked completely.
On the other hand, sometimes weed buds are way too dry for their consumption, which in turn, causes your joint to burn way too fast. Ideally, you should dry your buds for two weeks to 20 days, and store them in an air-tight jar in a dark and cool place to preserve their optimal state. When you use well-dried and cured buds, for sure you'll notice how your joints burn evenly and at a controlled pace.
3. Use The Right Rolling Papers To Make Joints Last Longer
Another crucial aspect concerning the speed at which your joint burns is involving the type of rolling papers you're using. Yes, something as simple as the rolling paper can completely change your joint's game.
The first rule about rolling papers is never, ever, use tobacco papers. Tobacco papers are specially made for cigars never to stop burning, so if you don't want your joint to consume itself while you wait in between puffs, skip these guys. Bleached rolling papers are also quite bad, being full of chemicals and so on, so opt for organic options made of hemp, rice, or any other organic source. The color says it all: if it's white then it's a no-go.
As a general rule, the thicker the paper, the faster it will burn, so search for the thinnest rolling papers you can find if you're looking for your joint to burn slower and last longer.
Lastly, the slowest burning rolling papers we've ever tried are those made of cellulose, the ones that are transparent. Clear rolling papers not only are made of natural resources, but they also ensure a notoriously slower burn, ideal to make your joints last longer.
4. Add Concentrates To Make Joints Last Longer
If you're looking to make your joints burn slower, one good way of doing this is by adding wax, shatter or hash oil to the mix. Besides, not only will they burn at a slower rate but they will also get you oh so much higher. The thick and sticky consistency of cannabis concentrates is great for making fire fight a little to burn your joint. You can add the wax or oil all along the inside or outside of your joint, whichever way you prefer, making sure you've spread it evenly.
Now, keeping in mind that you've just added a stronger concentration of cannabis into your shatter joint, this means you'll also need to smoke less to get as high. So, take it slow as you smoke, checking that you don't smoke too much that you end up feeling not too well.
Use Honey To Make Your Joints Burn Slower, And Taste Sweeter!
Using honey to make your joints burn at a slower rate is almost like using concentrates to do so, only you skip the potency that these guys come along with. However, honey is another wonder that nature has given us, and it's great for many things, from healing a cold, to even dying our hair, or making joints last longer! Coat your joints in honey and enjoy the sweet blend for prolonged periods of time.
Honey's sticky and thicker consistency will also make the paper consume at a slower speed. But don't soak your paper completely wet, a thin line of honey inside or outside will do. Some people even use it as glue to roll a kief joint, add pollen, or more grinded weed on the outside for a stronger effect and flavor.
Don't put honey near the crutch though or you'll end up with sticky hands and fingers, but hey at least it tastes good.
5. Tighten Up Your Joints As You Roll For A Slower Burn
One last way of making your joints last longer and burn slower resides in the way you roll, again. Remember when we said that being a master at the art of rolling joints involved more than just making it look nice? This is one of the reasons why. A well-rolled joint is one that burns evenly and doesn't smoke itself. At the same time, your joint should be rolled in the perfect mid-level of loose but not too loose, and the same goes for tightness, tight but not too tight that you can't smoke.
Air-flow is essential when rolling and smoking a joint. Therefore, learn how to roll one in the precise and ideal tightness for an even and slow burn. If your joint is too airy, then it will burn off fast and uneven, with some sides burning further up to the crutch than the other. So, apply some pressure as you roll and make sure there are no stems or chunks of weed making the filling uneven, which will translate into an uneven burn. And never ever forget about the final touch of the poking object: push the weed in a little once you have finished rolling your candle.
6. How to Fix an Unevenly Burning Joint
Ok, so you have diligently followed all of the above tips. You have what looks like the perfect joint in front of you, a real piece of art and something to be proud of. All of your friends are looking at you expectantly, thinking “when is he going to light up that thing of beauty and pass it my way?”
So you do everyone a favor. Out comes the lighter as the joint hits your lips, and the fuego erupts spitting pure heat directly at that doobie. But, oh no - the joint canoes and starts to burn unevenly. That stick of pure heaven is all of a sudden not looking so perfect. An unevenly burning joint is pretty common, even for the most experienced rollers among us. Let’s run through the top tips to help get your joint back on track.
- Roll backwards - Roll backwards? Sounds interesting… It’s actually really simple, and this technique can make a huge difference to the way a spliff burns. This is thanks to the fact that there is zero overlapping paper, making it way less likely that there will be any unevenness in the burn.
- Organization is key - to get an even burn, you need to make sure that the bud is laid out in an orderly fashion and is ground up as evenly as possible. We want the grinder to produce nice, small, uniform grains of weed that are not too hefty but also not powder-like at all.
- Pack it down before you spark it up - A great tip is when rolling, leave the roach or filter hanging out about a quarter of the way. This is so that when the rolling is done, you can push the roach in which will help with the weed being evenly packed right down to the end. You can also grab a pen or pencil and use the end to softly pack the weed down from the top. Don’t overdo it or you may find that the joint becomes unsmokeable, but a light push will help it all burn super evenly.
- Don’t rush - This can be applied in a few different ways. First up, slowly and evenly light the jazz cigarette before you start toking away. One of the most common downfalls for novice smokers is to expect a hand-rolled joint to behave in the same way as a boxed cigarette. This is simply not the case, as there will be way more inconsistencies in the joint which affects the burn rate. You should also keep in mind that the faster you smoke the joint, the more likely it will canoe. Nice, slow tokes are what we are looking for. What’s the rush? It is a weed, after all, so just chill.
- Rotate the joint - We all know that heat rises, yeah? Well, use this to your advantage and rotate the joint so the unburnt part is above the canoeing side. This will help force a more even burn.
7. Other Options for Cannabis Consumption
Okay, there we are then. All the top tips to help you not only roll perfectly burning joints but also how to save one if it's burning a little weirdly. But what if, like many of us out there, you have tried for years to learn how to roll not even a perfect, but even just a decent joint, and the skill still evades you? What other options are there out there? Well then friends, sit back as we run through all the top products on the market for the rolling impaired among us.
Rolling Machines
Let's start out with the most obvious - rolling machines. These come in all shapes and sizes, but the main thing to consider is that you can still enjoy rolling your own joints, but with a fraction of the effort. Rolling machines take all the guesswork and inaccuracy out of hand rolling and make for perfect, uniform joints every time.
Keep in mind, you still need to grind up the weed to perfection if you want an evenly and slow-burning joint. And using a rolling machine is a bit of a skill in itself, albeit much easier than rolling yourself. Grab one from your local head shop and practice, practice, practice.
Edibles
And last but not least, edibles. With the rise in popularity of marijuana-infused treats, there has been a massive influx of edibles hitting the market, from your classic brownies to gummy worms, popcorn, and almost anything in between. And last but not least, edibles. With the rise in popularity of marijuana-infused treats, there has been a massive influx of edibles hitting the market, from your classic brownies to gummy worms, popcorn, and almost anything in between. These are great options for those who dislike the idea of smoking or vaping, but once again, they can be super powerful.
If you are just starting out on your weed journey, don't fall into the trap that catches so many. Start out low and slow when it comes to edibles, as even the smallest amount can have a major effect on your body. Look for options that have 10mg or less of THC when just starting out, and if you can find products that also contain high levels of CBD then you are in for an even better experience.
Vaporizers
Another popular option is vaporizers. These are a great choice if you don't want to deal with the hassle of rolling joints or just simply don't want to smoke your cannabis. There are several types of vapes available on the market today -
- Dry herb vaporizers - these are designed to hold weed flower (just like you would use in a bong or joining), and heat the dank stuff to a certain temperature, just enough to vaporize the trichomes (the crystals where all the cannabinoids and terpenes reside) without burning any of the plant material. These are perfect for the stoners among us who love consuming flower products, and the growers out there who have a bunch of bud at the ready at all times. The vaped flower can then be taken out of the pen and used to make cannabutter, as most dry herb vapes do not release every little bit of goodness from the bud.
- Wax or concentrate vape pens - Any upstanding stoner in the current age will have seen these floating around. They are designed to hold waxes and other concentrates, such as shatter or crumble. These little pens heat up the concentrate to a certain temperature and create big clouds of vaporized cannabis goodness. But unlike dry herb vapes, the concentrates cannot be taken out of the pen and repurposed for other uses, as these are much more efficient at vaping the entire contents, as there is no plant material to contend with.
- Tabletop vaporizers - Now these big boys can be filled with either flowers or concentrates, depending on how they are set up. The thing that sets them apart from the last two options is the size. They are much bigger and bulkier, so not as portable. But if you are looking for a more relaxed vaping experience, these could be worth considering, but keep in mind that they pack an almighty punch. Many a young cannabis enthusiast has been caught off guard by the power of herb vaporizers.
Bongs and Pipes
Ah, the classic fan favorites. These long-used forms of smoking implements take all the guesswork out of rolling a joint but still give you all the cannabis benefits, and quickly. Bongs like the classic gravity bong or water pipe provide a smooth and tasty hit, as the water filters out some of the harsher elements associated with smoking. And for those of us with a bit more of a classic touch, pipes like the iconic chillums or Sherlock pipes are still widely used for smoking buds.
These great little pieces of glass can generally hold a fair bit of bud, so you don't have to worry about constantly having to reload your pipe. Again, keep in mind, bongs and pipes can give you a real kick - especially if you are not used to them.
8. The Bottom Line
Never underestimate the importance of rolling a joint properly. Whether you roll a joint with love, and some technique too, will make or break your smoking experience. Let's aim for the make part and leave the break behind.
It's important that you learn from your mistakes as you roll your weed ciggies, so pay special attention to identifying where it all went wrong so that the next time you roll you totally nail it. The best advice we can give you as you roll is to be patient and take your time, don't stress, and if it gets too hard you can always undo it and start all over again until you're pleased. Don't forget to comment on what was your favorite method for making your joints burn slower and last longer!
