10 steps to care for your Hash Bags

10 steps to care for your Hash Bags

Here are our top ten care tips for looking after your full mesh hash bags to ensure they last and perform well.

10 steps to care for your Hash Bags:

    1. Immediate rinse: After each use, rinse the bags thoroughly with cold water. This removes most of the plant matter and trichomes.
    2. Only use cold water: Do not use hot or warm water as this will clog the mesh.
    3. Deep clean: For a deeper clean, soak the bags in cold water for several hours or overnight.
    4. No detergents: Do not add detergents or solvents.
    5. Scrubbing: Use a soft brush or sponge to gently scrub any remaining residue from the mesh. Avoid abrasive materials that could damage the mesh.
    6. If your mesh becomes clogged: use 99% isopropyl alcohol and soft toothbrush but avoid the stitching as this can weaken the joins.
    7. Air dry: Always air dry the bags completely before storing. Avoid direct sunlight or heat sources, which can damage the mesh or cause the bags to shrink.
    8. Proper storage: Store the bags in a cool, dry, and dark place. Our bags all come with a breathable bag which can help prevent mildew and moisture buildup.
    9. Avoid Sharp Objects: Be cautious when handling the bags to avoid snagging or tearing the mesh.
    10. Gentle agitation: During the extraction process, use gentle agitation to minimise stress on the bags. Avoid excessive force or rough handling.

Also, inspect them regularly:

  • Periodically inspect the bags for any signs of wear and tear, such as tears, holes, or loose stitching.
  • Replace any damaged bags to ensure optimal performance and safety.  You can replace damaged bags individually on www.fullmeltfiltration.com

And thats our 10 steps to care for your Hash Bags!

By following these simple tips, you can extend the life of your full mesh hash bags and ensure they continue to provide excellent results for many extractions to come.

To find out more on the creation of fine hash follow our blog posts: https://www.fullmeltfiltration.com/blr9

Browse our 3- or 5-bag sets and start your hash-making adventure today: https://www.fullmeltfiltration.com/shop/

 We hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Happy Hashing!

FullMelt Filtration Resin Collector team

Making Ice Water Hash: A Guide

Making Ice Water Hash: A Guide

Introduction

Ice water hash utilizes a straightforward yet effective method: cold water, ice, and agitation to separate resin glands from cannabis plant material. This technique, while seemingly simple, offers remarkable control over the extraction process, resulting in high-quality hash with varying colors, flavors, and potencies.

The process: agitation and separation

At its core, the method involves submerging plant material (buds, trim, or leaves) in ice-cold water within a container lined with filtration bags. These bags, arranged in ascending order of fineness, act like sieves, capturing resin glands based on their size. This multi-stage filtration mimics the dry sift process but with enhanced precision.

Agitation is key: Vigorous stirring of the mixture dislodges resin glands from the plant material. Due to their density, these glands sink to the bottom of the container while the lighter plant matter floats to the surface. This separation allows for the collection of relatively pure, intact resin glands.

Temperature control: the importance of cold

Cold temperatures are paramount throughout the extraction. The ice maintains a frigid environment, ensuring the resin glands remain brittle and easily break off during agitation. This minimizes the risk of the resin becoming pliable and sticking to the plant material.

Post-extraction: drying and refinement

After agitation, the collected resin glands are carefully dried to prevent mold and “sugaring” (a grainy texture caused by trapped moisture). Drying methods may include freezing or spreading the resin on a wicking surface to absorb excess water.

Quality factors: plant material and filtration

While technique plays a role, the quality of the starting material and the filtration system significantly impact the final product. High-quality cannabis, free from contaminants, will yield superior hash. Similarly, the precision of the filtration bags (measured in microns, one-millionth of a meter) determines the size and purity of the collected resin.

The art of the Hash Maker

Ice water hash production is a meticulous process that requires attention to detail and a deep understanding of cannabis. Skilled hash makers, through careful selection of plant material, precise temperature control, and meticulous filtration, can produce exceptional hash that rivals solvent-based extracts in potency and purity.

Conclusion

Ice water hash offers a solvent-free, natural method for extracting the essence of cannabis. By understanding the principles of cold water extraction, meticulous technique, and the importance of high-quality starting material, hash makers can unlock the full potential of the cannabis plant and produce truly exceptional concentrates.

To find out more on the creation of fine hash follow our blog posts: https://www.fullmeltfiltration.com/blr9

Bubble Hash: A journey through history

Bubble Hash: A journey through history

Bubble Hash: A journey through history – The history of hashish

Hashish – also referred to as Hash – is considered to be the original cannabis concentrate. Humans have been producing, using and consuming it for centuries all over the world, with a few countries standing out as producing countries because of their unique cultivators, climates and cannabis expressions that make some seriously good Hash. 

According to “Cannabis: A History” (Martin Booth, 2003), the earliest published mention of the term “hashish” is found in an Egyptian pamphlet from around 1123 – almost a 1000 years ago! (The book is available in Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cannabis-History-Martin-Booth/dp/0312424949)

The history of Hash or Hashish is diverse and unique to a number of “producing countries around the world”. From places like Morocco, Egypt, the Persian Empire and the whole of Europe. However, producers in the mountains of India and Nepal most famously create “historic hash,” known there as charas.

The production of charas

The production of charas involves rubbing live cannabis buds right at the end of their flowering cycle.. The sticky plant resin sticks to the hands of the Hash maker as they rub from flower to flower collecting layers of resin on their hands as they go. Once this layer is thick enough it will be removed from the hand by collecting the resin on a finger and slowly peeling it off to form one mass. 

People often heat this mass of resin to activate it before preparing it for storage and curing. In India and the mountains of Nepal, a famous means of preparation for storing and curing resin is the temple ball, a spherical mass of resin that is left to cure often for years.

The curing process is believed to impart a mystical effect on the resin, a quality absent in young, uncured, and unpressed material. However, this effect remains largely undefined. The Charas is primarily consumed by smoking it. Either by mixing it with Tobacco and rolling it into a “Spliff” or even more effectively – in a Chillum. Consuming charas involves various methods, including ingestion. People consume it by drinking preparations like Bhang (a yogurt-based cannabis drink) or by eating or chewing the resin and swallowing pieces.

Hash then moved west

So how did Hash get from its places of origin and into the culture as we see it today? According to a study done by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in the early 2000’s, hashish first began to move to countries like Europe when colonizers returned to their home nations from countries like India, Egypt and Morocco. The first mention of hash can be found in European texts by German botanist, Johann Gmelin in 1777.

As you can imagine, Hash gained traction in many European countries fairly quickly. Realization and interest in the medical benefits of Hash grew in the U.S. toward the end of the 19th century. Interestingly, historical uses of hash included treating conditions such as depression, nausea, diarrhea, and appetite loss, many of which remain relevant today. This highlights the versatility of hash, with its applications expanding to treat a wide range of conditions in both humans and animals.

Types of hash

Today, “Hashish” exists in a galaxy of colours, textures, smells and effects. The most popular of which is referred to as Bubble Hash. Bubble Hash production involves agitating cannabis in ice water. Subsequently, the mixture undergoes filtration through a series of micron sieves, separating the plant material from the resin-filled trichome heads found on the leaf surfaces of buds, leaves, and trim.

Dry sifting, another method for hash production, utilises a technique similar to that found in many producing countries. In this process, producers agitate dry plant material over a porous mesh screen. This screen is designed to allow trichome heads to pass through while effectively retaining most unwanted plant material.

The collected sift material undergoes further processing using various methods, such as rosin extraction or hand pressing. Alternatively, it can be consumed directly as desired, when desired.

To find out more on the solventless creation of fine hash follow our blog posts: https://www.fullmeltfiltration.com/blr9

You can also visit our shop (https://www.fullmeltfiltration.com/shop/) to see some of the mechanical extraction bags that we supply.

 

Ice Water Hash: A beginner’s guide

Ice Water Hash: A beginner’s guide

What is Ice Water Hash?

Lets explore the answer to this question in this article called Ice Water Hash: A beginner’s guide

  • Ice water hash is a type of cannabis concentrate.
  • It’s made by agitating cannabis in ice water.
  • This separates the resin glands (trichomes) from the plant material.
  • The trichomes are then filtered through mesh bags of varying sizes.
  • The result is a potent, solventless concentrate with a rich flavor profile.

What goes into Ice Water hash?

You can use any part of the cannabis plant containing resin glands – leaves, trim, and buds – to make ice water hash. While trim is often used, high-quality hash requires starting with top-tier material, like fresh frozen buds.

The Importance of cold temperatures

Cold temperatures are crucial for successful ice water hash extraction.

  • Brittle trichomes: Low temperatures (around 4°C) keep the resin glands brittle, ensuring they snap off easily during agitation.
  • Terpene preservation: Cold temperatures help preserve the delicate terpenes, resulting in hash with a truer flavor profile.

The extraction process

  1. Agitation: Gently agitate the plant material in ice water to dislodge the resin glands.
  2. Separation: The denser resin glands sink to the bottom of the container, while the plant material floats.
  3. Filtration: Use a series of fine mesh bags to filter and collect the resin glands based on size.

Drying your hash

Proper drying is essential to prevent mold and “sugaring” (a grainy texture caused by trapped moisture).

  • Drying methods:
    • Freeze the collected resin.
    • Spread the resin thinly on a wicking surface (like cardboard) over a desiccant.
  • Avoid humidity: Store the dried hash in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Preparing your material

  • Handle with Care: Treat the cannabis gently to minimize gland loss.
  • Remove Stems and Large Leaves: Remove large stems and fan leaves before extraction.
  • Coarse Chop: Coarsely chop the material to facilitate agitation and prevent clogging the filtration bags.

Factors affecting hash quality

  • Plant Material: The quality of the starting material significantly impacts the final product.
  • Filtration: The quality and size of the micron filter bags play a crucial role in determining the purity and size of the collected resin.
  • Technique: Proper technique, patience, and proficiency contribute to the overall quality.

Conclusion

Ice water hash offers a solvent-free method for extracting high-quality cannabis concentrates. By following these guidelines and paying close attention to temperature, agitation, and drying, you can produce exceptional hash at home.

To find out more on the creation of fine hash follow our blog posts: https://www.fullmeltfiltration.com/blr9

Ice water Hash: The basics

Ice water Hash: The basics

Ice water hash – an introduction

Ice water hash, also known as bubble hash, hashish or full melt hash are terms used to describe resin that has been collected from the cannabis plant using ice-water and gentle agitation. The agitation in this medium releases the resin glands from their bond form on the plant and allows resin collectors to separate and collect this resin into a concentrated form, expressing the full spectrum of the material processed. 

Ice-water hash production is a highly valued methodology for making cannabis concentrates and is employed all over the world. Its name comes from the ice-cold water used to extract cannabis resin from the leaf surfaces of the trim, leaf, and the buds of the cannabis plant. On a fundamental level the process works because the cannabinoids contained within these resin glands are not water soluble, allowing them to retain their shape and not degrade in the presence of water and ice.  

Ice-water hash is either retained as loose heads after the extraction process, which resembles a sandy or granular texture, or the grains are pressed into traditional hashish. High-quality (4* – 5*) granular hash can easily be pressed into traditional hashish using nothing more than the heat from the palm of one’s hand and some light, brisk friction, applied using the thumb of the other hand.  Whereas lower quality hashish (1*-3*) may not readily melt into a mass through the application of heat and pressure. Loose or pressed, ice-water hashish still captivates even the most experienced consumers due to the unique and full-spectrum experience of this potent natural product.

Using pre-made extraction systems

Ice-water hash can be made in small or large quantities, allowing for a wide range of quality, texture and experience. Pre-made extraction systems can be purchased to simplify the process as the leg work of sourcing and manufacturing sifting equipment can be challenging. It is also possible to make ice water hash using tools around the house but with inexpensive kits available the savings are often negligible.  Have a look at our FullMelt Filtration product pages to view our product range designed to make this process easier.

Pre-made extraction systems offer increased precision and efficiency during the ice water hash production process which is becoming more and more attractive as the market move towards precision isolation of resin based on gland size and ultimately ripeness. The availability of pre-made systems has contributed significantly to a surge in the popularity of ice water hash around the world.

It’s also near to impossible to seriously injure yourself or anyone else making ice water hash, because the process doesn’t involve any flammable chemicals or potentially explosive machinery which makes this technique a safe and viable means of extracting resin in one’s home. This allows more and more people to engage with the production of hashish and to increase their understanding of the plant and its sticky resin that we all know and love so much. 

To find out more on the creation of fine hash follow our blog posts: https://www.fullmeltfiltration.com/blr9

To find out more, drop us an email at jayden@FullMeltFiltration.com, WhatsApp or call +27 82 316 5125 and we will be happy to discuss options that will suit you and your situation comfortably.