Quartz Bangers
Quartz bangers are a type of dab nail. The style consists of a bucket attached to a swan neck stem. The stem is inserted into your dab rig and your dabs are placed inside the bucket. Quartz bangers are considered superior in flavor, heat retention, and durability to titanium, glass, and ceramic dab nails.
To use a quartz banger, the bucket needs to be heated up so that the dab inside is vaporized. Higher heats will vaporize more efficiently and lower temperatures may have more flavor. You can dab in one of two ways. Traditionally, the banger is heated up, allowed to cool to a proper temperature, then the dabs are placed inside the bucket and the bucket is capped with a carb cap. Cold starts dabs have become popular because many feel they get better flavor from a cold start. The cold start involves first placing the dabs inside the banger bucket, then applying about 7-12 seconds of heat to just begin to melt the dabs.
What is a Quartz Banger?
The quartz banger is an essential part of the dab setup. The banger looks like a bucket attached to a swan-neck stem that is inserted into your dab rig (glass pipe). It is often asked, “is a banger the same as a dab nail”? And the answer is, yes, a banger is a type of dab nail.
Other types of dab nails may be made from titanium, glass, or foreign-made quartz, but American-made quartz is considered to be the best. Many feel that a metallic taste can seep into your dabs when using a titanium nail. Glass nails tend to crack and do not hold heat for very long. American-made quartz bangers are the best for flavor, heat retention, and durability. Now let’s take a look at which banger is right for you.
Best Quartz Bangers
When searching for quartz bangers, there are a lot of options, styles, and sizes to choose from. Foreign-made quartz will be a cheaper product, but you are sacrificing quality and that can have a negative effect on your dab experience. Companies that use american-made quartz are the way to go.
Choosing the right banger for your rig is essential to proper dabbing. There are generally three sizes for the joint (stem) of the banger: 10mm, 14mm, and 18mm. You can find out what size your rig is by measuring the hole in which you would insert the banger into your dab rig. Next you need to decide if you want the bucket to be at an angle of 90 or 45 degrees. This is determined by the hole you insert the banger into your dab rig. If it is angled then you want a 45 degree banger, otherwise a 90 degree banger is for you.
How to Use a Quartz Banger
Quartz bangers hold heat which allows users to vaporize their cannabis concentrates for a smooth and flavorful smoke. Many wonder “how do I heat a quartz banger”? Generally, butane torches are used to heat the banger. There are also nails with electronic heating sources called e-nails. Another commonly asked question is, “Do I need a carb cap for my quartz banger”? Carb caps are essential to proper dabbing. They are used to cover the opening of the banger bucket, trapping the heat inside with your dabs to vaporize them. Now, let's take a look at specific dabbing techniques.
Traditional Dabs
Traditionally, the quartz banger is heated up using a butane torch such as the Big Shot Blazer. About a 30 second heat up should be sufficient. Next, the quartz banger needs to cool down to a proper dabbing temperature, about 450-650℉. Higher temperatures will vaporize the dab more efficiently and lower temperatures may have more flavor. Many users time the cool down of their quartz banger. Each brand of quartz banger has a generally agreed upon cool down time.
For example, Mayoral Quartz bangers usually cool down in one minute and fifteen seconds. You can also use a temperature reader such as the Dab Rite to accurately measure your banger’s temperature for perfect dabs. Once the banger is at a proper temperature, drop the dab into the bucket, place the carb cap on top, and inhale.
Cold Start Dabs
Another dabbing technique is called the Cold Start. Many agree this technique allows for more flavorful dabs. To cold start dab, place your dabs inside the bucker of the banger and place the carb cap on top. Then evenly heat the banger with your torch for about 7-12 seconds or until you see the dabs begin to melt. If there is a pool of product leftover after your first inhale, give the banger a bit more heat to raise the temperature.
How to Clean a Quartz Banger
When the dab is over, it is time to clean your dab nail. Proper maintenance of your quartz banger can extend its usable lifetime much further than with improper care. Use cotton swabs to soak up any leftover product inside your banger after a dab. A frequent question we are asked is, “Why is my banger turning black”? This is because the leftover product inside the quartz banger was not properly cleaned. Then, when the banger was heated up again, the product inside burned. This is called “chazzing” your banger.