how and why?

[yamama]

ive ran serval bubble runs in my time, from trim to buds but usually end up with the same result, a light tan coloured an a slightly darker hash. always dry it on some cardboard an the finished product looks like this

On my last run which was made up of 7 different types of plant trim i got a completly different result, it was more like balls of goo, very shinny, didnt go to dust like normal an was able to roll it all together with no heat.
when rolled it looked like some of the pics ive saw in this forum of the water hash that looks like marble with different colours swirled threw it.

when you tried to skin up it was like workin with oil, sticks to everything in sight and was insanly strong. i put it into one of my glass jars that i use for all my bubbles an left it for a few days. when i opened the jar again the hash had lost all the oil like features, when i touched it it broke up into like a mushy powder, so i put it back out on the carboard to dry out again an now its is the picture above :( doesnt look anything like the first go, wont stick without lots of heat an isnt as strong as it was.

now comes the questions, what have i done wrong? how did i end up with the marble effect in the first place? was it strain related or? was i meant to freeze it alittle before placing in the jar? so many more but u get the general jist from a sadden bubbler so if any of you bubble wizzards out there could lend a hand with my problems i be very grateful.

ps please excuse the grammer, had a morrocan hash joint an 3 cheese joints for breakfast lol

 

[Hash Man]

It sounds like you pressed the bubble before it was dry enough. When water is pressed into a ball with hash, you get the marble effect... and while its fresh you are able to play with it like playdo... but after you put it up, inside a sealed jar none the less, the water inside your hash degrades the chunk and it will break up easily upon reexamination.How long did you wait for the hash to dry before you pressed it??

 

[THC Toker]

I would have to say that I agree with Hash man it sounds like the hash contained too much water when you pressed it, consequently it then went mouldy which is why it has turned white and gone mushy, shame that.

 

[Blaze]

Stop drying it on cardboard and you will see an increase in quality - the cardboard soaks up all those oils.

 

[Hash Man]

good tip blaze, never thought of that before, but i have for sure wasted hash when the cardboard got a bit soggy and lost trichs... im gonna try to dry it on wax paper or something next time.

 

[yamama]

got to the bottom of this as i was sure as hell i didnt press it early, my smart ass bro thought it would be a great idea to press the water out of it with a spoon while it was on the card. this is why i hadnt saw in any of my other runs as i usually let it sit on the card for a few hour before i try to break it up with a cc to dry easier.
what do you guys recommend for drying it on, wax paper is like baking paper no?

 

[Fred]

Great tips here. I have been drying on cardboard forever. I grabbed some bubblebags from bubbleman in 2003 and been making it ever since following bubblemans directions. It's in the feb/mar issue of CC mag issue #41. It's quite a read but basically it states by pressing and crushing glands to make hardend bubblehash breaks the glands and starts them on the road to cannabinoid deterioration. It is best to lay your precious glands uncrushed onto cardboard or some other neutral desiccant. Let them dry for 5-7 days and then store in a cool dark place. It does not say anywhere to heat or freeze or anything. I have follwed this very simple method for 7 years now. Ran over 50 5 gal batches this way and have been very happy every time. Made a lot of other people happy too.

I think this article is a must read those loving hash and want a quick few page read that tells the whole story of hashish and list good books too. It teaches bubblemans old school methods of making bubblehash. Benefits of different micron size screens etc....this is just how i feel about it. A lot of different opinions out there. A lot of years past as well. I will try something else to dry on. I think it could possibly effect the terpines. Glues etc...might not be a bad idea to find something else. I am feeling unwaxed unbleached parchment though. Any other suggestions out there. Maybe even unbleached filter paper???

Two things will make it marble and get all mushy. Too much water and too much heat. I like mine a lil chunky dried 5 days in 45% humidity unpressed until I am gonna use it.....nothing fancy.

fred

 

[Seamaiden]

I've had a chance to see Blaze make his fine, fine hash, and to smoke it as well. I'm gonna listen to him.

He puts his on a glass plate, watches it, then stores in parchment to cure, if I recollect. I let mine get WAY too dry (dried out overnight), now it's crumbly and sandy and I'm not going to worry much about trying to get it to stick together now.

 

[Fred]

Yeah that sounds like a good idea. I am gonna run some today and do just that. I'll let you guys know if I can see a difference.

Thanks again for the tip. I really like the idea of doing it this way. Rep+

fred

 

[ColasQueen]

I've only made bubble hash a few times, and everytime I learn more. I freeze all trim, bud trim. Much better return. I made the mistake of using a kitchen mixer and got "green" results from breaking the cholorphyl up...now only use wooden spoons :-)
I dry on cardboard the first day and then move it to parchment paper. Once totally dry and chopped up, I put 3 gms in a cigarette wrapper (the clear outer shell of smoke packs) and press it into a small bar and cellophane tape it. I then wrap it in three sheets of paper, one at a time, taping it secure after each sheet. I then soak the packages in water until throughly damp, but not wet enough that the inside powder gets wet. I then cook at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, take it out, roll it, freeze for 30 minutes and do one more time. Makes really nice little bricks!

 

[Blaze]

It's quite a read but basically it states by pressing and crushing glands to make hardend bubblehash breaks the glands and starts them on the road to cannabinoid deterioration.

Yes, you got the right idea Fred! This is why I do not do anything beyond a hand press, and never apply heat to mine.

For drying, as Seamaiden pointed out, I have found pyrex plates to work best. The parchment paper is good for curing and storing, but I have found sometimes the fresh hash is a bit too sticky for it, which is why I do not dry on it at first. Something totally inert (like the pyrex glass) is best.

Also if you are doing runs with fresh frozen material, it will come out too sticky to be placed in parchment paper, even after it dries. When a batch comes out this gooey and sticky i store it in a glass jar.

 

[Hrpuffnstuff]

Parchment paper works great , i collect all my goods from the bags then i squeeze all water out thru coffee filter , then i take the goods push it thru a strainer turn it back in to sand then i dry it out on parchment paper on top of my T5's ,

If you ever had any questions about Kif or Hash
you must get The book of Hashish by Robert Clarke
its by far the Hashish Bible

 

[Seamaiden]

Hr, do you do that because it better suits your smoking style?

Blaze, I've sampled mine, and it smells and tastes great, but it makes a little hot coal in the bowl. I'm just breaking little chunks and putting them on top of my ground up herb.

 

[Blaze]

Good to hear Sea. Glad you are getting some good results.

 

[zoeronerer]

i like to dry mine by the fire ..in afghanistan they place the small pieces near the fire in the ash in little surfboard shapes like 6" long .and steam and flip them until they are dry and melted

i have been told a chemical reaction takes place when that happens (heat combined with ash ) and is supposed to make more cbd's....as well as bind the product.

i press hash in different methods ..the more oily sativa type with the fine crystals mostly gets hand rolled or put in the shoe once dry ..

the other method stated above i use with large crystal sized indica and hybrids...

the lebanese used to put the hash in these canvas sacks wer they wer hot steamed from the dry sift and ran through a machine and stamped. they often had gold leaf on them ...

when you mix diff strains they dry at diff rates and you can have some trouble getting just the correct amount of moisture. depending on your pressing technique.

and before anyone tells me im crazy about the ash etc .. i grew up with some of the most cunning hash smugglers ever out of san diego and laguna beach . they showed me how it was processed country to country . from africa to kabul they soaked up the processes while at the job. my father has an excellent book never been reprinted i will look for the title....

i also used to work in oakland processing kiff bubble and oil for all of the bay and la clubs .. we tried every possible combo for sift or press we could think of.

i dont agree with the no press no heat . just me . well and most of the countrys that produce hash <moracco<lebanese<afghanistan<libia<nepal<bhutan they all press(in most areas) and have for thousands of years . i feel like you get a more complex product with the press. it also keeps better. which in my book is the main advantage and reason to processing.

.... everyone has their own style. good luck guys . hash is the best thing in the world!

 

[Seamaiden]

Thank you for explaining the why's of pressing, I've been wondering. And based on what you've written it sounds like it would be alright for me to heat mine up so it can be pressed together, and it should suffer no deleterious effects.

 

[yamama]

ordered a drying screen an some goodies of aqualabs, no more cardboard for me :) got a big bag of amnesia super frosty trim jus dying to be bubbled, when the screen arrives the bubblin begins

 

[Fred]

Thanks blaze. I got too busy the other night so I am making it tomorrow if i get a chance. Already got my pyrex ready. You the man dude. A lil hand press is it for me.

zeoronerer. I'm sure the ratio of THC to CBN is effected by the pressing and processing. The THC will start to decopose into CBN leaving a higher level of CBN and lower level of THC. Heat also does this to THC. Higher CBN will produce a more sedated high like an indica. I would say this is personal preference. It's just like some people will harvest with mostly clear resin heads and some will go till most are amber. Just depends on the strain and user preference.

The CBD's would be the chemical that is converted into THC when the plant is alive.. If a plant does this it's a drug stain. If it does not covert to THC and remains CBD it is a fiber stain. It remains stable and does not decompose or change into anything I want.

Most hash producing countries produce massive amounts of medium grade hash. Small batches of hand crafted hash made by people who are in love with the craft have got to be better then the commercial stuff. I would think a better strain used and better care would lead to better hash. idk...

I do think you get a more complex product when pressed and stored for a bit. It's also much easier to store.

I am not trying to be a dickhole just loving being able to talk about this stuff with others who have opinions. I mean no disrespect. We all have our ways. L8

fred

 

[zoeronerer]

yeah its all love fred... you are correct about the cbd i meant cbn but im dislexic at times.

i just know that pressing and heat creates a more complex product ..

the methods im talking about are from handmade with the best resin ..the afghan style they would do with the charas ....

and yeah the market is floodd with half ass hash ... paki stuff with animal fat or vasaline in it etc etc ...

but these methods uncle said wer used by the people running things for their personal .
they said before the export boom most was handmade.

in my opinion just extracted not worked bubble dosent smoke as good .
and hash in the way i think of it is the melted bonded product i just like it gooey and the colors after its worked ... dont get me wrong i smoke a bunch in all diff forms on the way there ....

its all just so much work . have fun with it ....its laffy taffy ..

and fred yer no dickhole lol.....

 

[Blaze]

I think a lot of the pressing debate does come down to personal preference. I like mine pressed just enough to hold it together. However, I do think zoeronerer is right - pressing it more and causing more oxidation does create more CBD. Personally, I like more THC, but that's just me. Everyone has their own unique brain chemistry and tastes so not everyone will agree on what is the "best."

Great thread BTW - good info all around.