June 26, 2021

How to Roll the Perfect Joint

It's impossible to get better at rolling without practice. If you really want to master the skill, it’s recommended that you dedicate some solid time to sitting down with a fresh roll of papers and try, try, try. If your first attempt doesn’t work as well as you had hoped, rip the joint open and do it again. A lot of smokers end up using bongs and pipes because it's easier for beginners to use, but mastering the art of rolling can have lifelong benefits!

Materials:

• Rolling tray (optional)
• Dried Cannabis Flower
• Grinder
• Papers
• Filter (optional)
• Poker (optional)

THE GRIND
Break down your dried cannabis into a more manageable form. How much you need depends on what kind of joint you’re going to roll (typically 1/2g to 1g.) Don’t worry if you grind up too much - you can always put it back in your air-tight container for next time. Just remember - when you do roll another, use the previously ground cannabis first.

While you can bust your cannabis down with your hands, we suggest using a grinder for some very valuable reasons:

• It saves time: A couple of twists of the wrist is all it takes to get yourself set up for a great roll.
• A finer, more consistent ground cannabis will also give much more opportunity for a better pack, and slower burn.
• The bud’s sticky trichomes are more likely to make it into your joint and not on your fingers. Besides, sticky fingers make rolling extra challenging and cause you to catch all that precious, high potency kief on your fingertips.

Our recommendations for your bud busting needs include:

• Aerospaced 4 Piece Groove Grinders (features a kief catcher)
• 2-Piece Basic Grinder

THE FILTER
Take out a rolling paper and place your filter. Most people prefer to place it in a way that the end of the filter lines up with the end of the paper. That way, you aren't taking up much space and you’re less likely to accidentally pull out the filter later. This step is optional. Going without a filter (AKA going hippy) isn’t going to stop you from having a great experience - but it is likely that the benefits of a filter will increase the quality of your experience. 

There are two types of filters that are often used: Homemade accordion-style, and manufactured filters. Both will help keep the raw cannabis inside the joint and stop it from making its way into your mouth. When you see smokers spitting profusely, it's usually because they've inhaled something unintentionally. Both filter options will also provide some form and stability to the structural integrity of your joint. You will likely roll fatter, and easier to handle joints if you pad it with a filter.

Herbal Filters:
Maple Craft Inc. | Raw Slim Tips

THE SPREAD
Fill down the center of the paper with cannabis and the filter (if you’re using one). Depending on the size of your paper, you want to stick within ½ gram to 1 gram. The papers that you choose will influence the taste of your joint. Most people prefer hemp papers because they're physically strong, burn evenly, and don’t affect the cannabis’ natural flavour.  

Browse our selection of papers.

THE PACK
Now that you have all the pieces in place, it's time to tackle the challenging part. The objective is to shape the cannabis grinds in a way that the paper can get around it without issue. You want to roll it back and forth to pack the cannabis into its ideal shape. It’s important to roll gently, and not squeeze. If too much pressure is put on the packed cannabis, your joint won’t have enough airflow to burn well.

THE ROLL
Try to be patient with this step. It's a defining moment in your joint’s quality of life. Perfecting this step of the process separates the rookies from the pros. 
With your thumbs, tuck the unglued side of the paper into the roll. If you have a filter, use it as a guide to keeping the shape circular and sturdy. Next, spin the joint in your fingers until you’ve almost reached the glued side. Give the glue a tiny bit of moisture, and tack it down with your two pointer fingers. 

If this part just isn’t working out for you, keep at it and don't give up. If you’re in need of extra help, rollers are restrictive with what you can do, but they do offer a more consistent outcome.

THE SEAL
You’re almost there! These last few steps will help ensure a consistent, even burn. Take the joint and pack the cannabis inside the open side by gently poking it. What you use to poke the cannabis is entirely up to you. Some people use whatever they can find around the house, but to be honest - your shoelace end would work just fine … given it’s clean and dry! One day, you’ll spot the perfect poker (ahem … like the blunt side of an old BBQ skewer), and you'll never look back! During this step, feel free to add a little more cannabis to the end so the joint is completely full. If you’re pre-rolling for later, twist off the open side so nothing spills out!

And now, you’re ready to enjoy the fruits of your labour! If you’re paying attention, you’ll eventually figure out all the subtle techniques and nuances that make the perfect roll. Like anything else, your preferences are a huge factor in what determines a good roll from a bad roll. Hopefully, these steps help you master the skill a little bit quicker!