To grind or not to grind!

[MattS]

So everytime I approach a trip to Amsterdam, I find myself researching grinders. I always smoke from a gandalf style pipe and just find it really relaxing. I sit with my bag of weed and read a good book/watch a TV series on my tablet and just smoke every 15/20 mins or so, usually accompanied by a coffee and food

Now I always consider a grinder, then decide against it because i keep reading about how they can make your pipe hits harsher. Your weed might last for a little longer/more per toke, but hotter. I like to enjoy my smoke and don't mind sacrificing a wee bit of lost thc for the privilege. I usually leave everything in Amsterdam, to save the bother at the airport so adding a grinder on top of the pipe didn't make much sense anyway.

However I guess I'm wondering if anyone can confirm or dispel the myth of grinding making for a harsher pipe smoke? I could be missing out on a milky smooth smoke for all I know

[OneHighMofo]

I always grind for the vaporiser. I find the hits smoother, tastier and more plentiful - especially with a fine grind.
For rolling pure joints. Grinding is also a must to ensure even burning .
Bongs/pipes? I find that the burn is more even when the material is ground - but I find the hit 'airier" which can be a good or bad thing dependent on your tastes. For me - finger crunch is generally good enough as a i like a little restriction on the hit when hitting bowls of flower.

[tot ziens]

More exposure means more efficiency. Grinding is more economical and essential imo.

[MattS]

But I care more for a pleasant smoke than I do about the economy of value for money. I'm quite surgical when I'm preparing my bowl too. I hold the nug with tweezers and cut at the bud with little scissors nothing but flower for me! It's probably too tedious for most, but I'm only smoking a bowl every 20 mins or so anyway

[tot ziens]

I get that. I only smoke through water (bong or bubbler) when possible and it can produce a stronger more efficient toke when finely ground.

It not necessarily about the cost more the effect.

Every way cannabis is consumed is the correct way.

[MattS]

Well I agree with that wholeheartedly I guess I could also buy a cheap grinder and see how i got on!

[MattS]

Just a question regarding grinders, how do you approach different strains? I usually buy in 1g amounts because I like to experience lots Should I just smoke the gram, wash the grinder then grind a different strain? Or is grinding a different strain in an unwashed grinder making very little difference to its flavour?

[Kenshiro]

Don't wash the grinder out..just bang it onto a table to get residual dust out from another strain and that should suffice.

[CopenhagenCouple]

Don't wash the grinder out..

Agreed! Never, ever, wash out your grinder unless you have at least few hours and a nice warm and dry place to dry it out in. Otherwise you are going to end up with a fooked grinder and a lot of nice weed stuck on it instead of going in your pipe. This goes double if you have a three+ chamber grinder with a kif-screen (talking from bad experience here… ).

With respect to the flavor cross contamination I would say that it is much more likely to happen in the pipe if you don’t clean at least the bowl between strains, as sNc wrote it shouldn’t be a problem if you bang the grinder on the table (or the two pieces together) before grinding a new strain.

Also agree with OHMF and tot ziens that grinding is the way to go if you are smoking joints, hitting bongs or similar for the best burn (and thus taste).

I am only talking burn and taste here, as a lot of people would argue that the pleasure of breaking apart the weed by hand seals the deal. Then again others (including the two of us) would argue that you lose trichs and risk the why-did-I-fucking-do-that-again-fuck-me-it-sucks-stupid!-stupid!-stupid!-stick-under-the-nail every time you fondle your flower. So let’s not get in to that again…

Neither of us are big pipe smokers, but when it comes to rolling a good joint that smokes and tastes well we don’t think it is even worth much debate, grinding wins hand down. Unless you are one of those people who grind their weed to fine dust, then not even Mrs. CC’s joint rolling skills can save you.

Mr. CC

[choppermike]

Mrs. CC’s joint rolling skills

... exquisite Origami

[macky]

Mrs. CC’s joint rolling skills

... exquisite Origami