How to Roll the Perfect Joint
Rolling a joint seems like a talent that all stoners are born with. The most talented among us can make the most exquisite joints in a matter of minutes. If you’re hoping to join their ranks or simply step up your smoker game, you too can learn the secret art of joint rolling.
Learning How to Roll a Joint
Rolling a joint isn’t difficult in theory, but getting your hands around the entire process takes a bit of practice. This how-to will discuss how to roll a joint, as well as some key tips to keep in mind as you learn.
Materials You’ll Need:
Rolling papers
Product
Material for the Crutch
Grinder
Rolling the Blunt
Ready to get started? Follow these instructions to start rolling the perfect joint:
1. Grind the Cannabis
Unless you’ve already received ground weed, you’re going to need to prepare your cannabis to to be put into the joint. Get your cannabis and begin breaking it down in your fingers. The drier the cannabis, the easier it will be to pull apart.
Once you’ve gotten the weed into smaller parts, place it into your grinder. This will help you break it down even further until it’s finely ground. However, if you don’t have access to a grinder, use scissors to breakdown the weed. If you skip this part, you won’t be getting the most out of your marijuana.
2. Create the Joint Crutch or Filter
The crutch, filter, or tip helps to to ensure the shake doesn’t fall out of the joint when you smoke. The crutch also helps to prevent burning as you hold the joint. If you’re in a pinch, you don’t need the crutch, but it does help create the perfect joint.
To make a crutch, get a business card or thin piece of cardboard. Begin by making “accordion” folds towards the end of your cardboard. Then, roll the piece to your ideal thickness for the joint.
3. Fill Your Joint with Weed
Get your rolling paper and start to fill it with the shake, then the crutch. Once your paper is filled with an appropriate amount of cannabis (typically about a half gram or a gram), you’ll start to shape your joint using your fingers.
When choosing your paper, you’ll find that there are many different flavors and types of papers. Most cannabis lovers tend to prefer hemp papers, as they are stronger and tend to burn evenly without changing the flavor of the joint.
4. Pack Your Joint
Once the joint is properly shaped and loaded, you’ll start rolling it. Pinch the joint between your fingers and start rolling back and forth. This will pack the cannabis into the final shape.
5. Roll the Joint
This step is what will ultimately determine whether you’ve created the perfect joint or not. Tuck the unglued part of the paper inside the roll. Use the glued side to hold down the paper’s other end with a little moisture.
Pro tip: Start where the crutch is as this will help you guide the paper to roll around itself.
When you have tacked to paper on one end, you’ll work your way down the joint, tucking and sealing it from one end to the other.
6. Finish the Joint
To finish the joint, pack the end to ensure you enjoy an even burn. You can use a pen to do this, though almost anything will work. If you’re in a bind, you can use a drawstring, a shoelace, or the end of a small stick.
If you plan to smoke the joint at a later point in time, close the tip by twisting it to ensure the cannabis stays fresh.
7. Get Creative
Once you get the basics of joint rolling down, you’ll see that there are many different ways to roll your joints. Get creative with rolling by making big and small joints. People that get really good at joint rolling have even created art out of their joints!
Tips for Rolling Your Joints
Whatever you do when rolling your joint, keep the end goal in mind: enjoying your weed. If you’re new to rolling, take a look at these tips to help improve your joint rolling game:
Use high-quality rolling paper Even if you’re on a budget, it’s better to invest in higher quality rolling paper. While you could grab some zig-zags from the corner store, the type of paper you choose will ultimately affect your joint’s flavor. The best papers to choose are rice and hemp. Though wood pulp is an option, it doesn’t make for a good joint. The hemp paper is easiest to roll and tends to stay lit longer.
Select the ideal size If you’re smoking by yourself, you may want to go with a smaller sized paper. If you plan to smoke with other people that have higher tolerances, you will want to take this into consideration when choosing your size. 1 ¼ size papers are considered the standard for up to three people.
Grind first Whether you have the best grinder or you’ve purchased a discount one, the primary goal of grinding is to make the weed as smooth as possible. Whatever grinder you have, always remember to do this first.
Arrange your joint slowly While you’ll likely gain more confidence the more joints you roll, it’s best to organize your joints slowly rather than speed through the process. Taking the time to do this properly will ensure that the cannabis is evenly distributed throughout the entire piece.
Roll patiently Just as you want to take your time when arranging your joint, you should exercise the same patience when rolling. In order to properly form the joint, you need to make sure the cannabis is worked down inside the paper, creating a tube. Though it can be difficult to master at first, doing this slowly will make for a better smoke.
Though there is a lot to learn in the wide world of weed, learning how to roll a joint is key. Use these instructions to get started and keep practicing to perfect your technique.
