Dabbing is both an art and a science. Heat your nail too much and you’ve got scorched product and a damaged nail. Heat it not enough and you waste product. In order to have the quality session you desire, you’ve got to hit that sweet spot in the temperature of your nail. This can take some getting used to, and times may differ depending on the nail material. Glass and ceramic are prone to structural cracking and shattering when heated too long, so users must practice extreme caution with these nails. Titanium nails are by far the most durable nails on the market, as they won’t crack from high temperatures or break if you accidentally drop them. There are several factors to take into consideration before purchasing a titanium nail for your collection, though. These factors are explained below.
Size and Shape
Most titanium nails on the market are domeless, but there are still a variety of options for most every preference. There are standard, flat-top nails, bangers, and even universal nails that are constructed from titanium. Universal and adjustable nails will fit most joint sizes and genders. If you are opting for one of the other types of titanium nails, you will need to take note of the joint size and gender of your piece to make sure the nail is compatible. If your piece has a male joint, you will want to pair it with a female nail, and vice versa.
Since most titanium nails are domeless, we recommend adding a carb cap to your purchase for overall experience enhancement. Carb caps help you use every last bit of product before the nail completely cools. You can even check out an entire concentrate starter kit here to see what types of tools you will need for the perfect dab.
Quality
One of the main concerns dabbers have when it comes to titanium nails is the altered taste of the product titanium pieces can produce. While some users report that titanium pieces will cause a metallic taste to their vapor/smoke, high-quality, food-grade titanium pieces should have little to no effect on the taste of your dab. Sometimes price can alert you to the quality of the titanium piece. Higher priced items will generally hold pure titanium, while low-priced pieces are sometimes mixed with other metals that can produce unsafe toxins when burned.
The most important quality to look for in a piece is the “grade” of titanium used. Grades 1-4 are pure titanium, with Grade 2 commonly used in the medical and food industry. Anything above 4 will be mixed with other unwanted metals. An easy way to check if your piece is pure is by checking its magnetic abilities. Titanium isn’t magnetic, so magnets should not attract to it. Also, after using your piece a few times, if you notice blue and green colors showing up on the metal, this could be a sign that it is mixed with other metals and isn’t pure titanium.
If you’re still worried about quality or taste with a titanium nail, some models come with a quartz dish for an even purer experience. The dish is easily replaced if it sustains cracks or breaks during use as well.
