Metal Grinders

More About Metal Grinders

Metal herb grinders are a reliable, powerful, and attractive way to grind up your weed. With many features, few drawbacks, and a wide range to choose from, there's not a lot to say against them.

What Is a Metal Grinder?

A metal herb grinder is a tool used to grind up cannabis buds or other herbs. Though these are made from various metals, other common materials include plastic and wood.

At its simplest, a metal herb grinder provides a basic grinding function. However, they often come with a storage chamber and a kief or crystal catcher, allowing you to collect the cannabinoid-rich trichomes that detach from the bud during the grinding process.

What Type of Metal Is Used for Herb Grinders?

On the whole, aluminium tends to be used. But you may find herb grinders made from other metals, such as stainless steel. The main issue of import is that the material is tough enough not to warp, and won’t oxidise or rust. The reason for this is that grinding requires a smooth, circular movement. If this is inhibited, the grinder is more or less useless.

Therefore, if a metal can change shape easily and the grinder is no longer circular, you will not be able to twist it. Likewise, if it rusts, there will be too much friction. Moreover, you don’t want rusty weed!

Which Features Are Often Found on Metal Herb Grinders?

There are three features you are likely to find:

• Grinding compartment: This is essential—it’s where you grind your weed. Two halves containing teeth enclose your weed, and then as you twist, the teeth grind up the herb.

• Kief catcher: Also called a crystal catcher, this is a compartment beneath the grinding section that is separated by a fine mesh. Only the minuscule trichomes (cannabinoid-producing glands) slip through. After a while, you’ll have a healthy amount of highly potent kief to play around with.

• Storage compartment: This is usually found on top of the grinder. Open it up and store your ground herb for later use.

Not all grinders have all of these features, although premium models made from high-quality metals often do.

How To Use a Herb Grinder

Using a herb grinder is a simple process. Much easier than rolling a joint! To grind your weed, just place a bud, or part of a bud, into the grinding section, close it, and twist it until it's reached a coarseness or fineness you're happy to work with.

Once the kief catcher has an ample amount of crystals in it, you may want to smoke them as well. To get them out, the easiest way is to use some kind of mini-spatula. Some grinders come with this, but if yours doesn’t, an easy solution is to use a bit of card from your filter tips and scoop it out. Then, either roll it up or load up a bowl. Just be prepared to get very high!

The storage compartment is pretty self-explanatory. Just put whatever you can fit in there!

How To Open a Stuck Metal Herb Grinder

If you don’t keep your herb grinder clean, resin can build up along the edges, causing them to become stuck. Not only does this mean you can’t twist it, but sometimes you won’t even be able to open your device.

If this happens, there are a few solutions. The simplest, and probably the most effective, is to employ physics—specifically leverage. All your might may not work when pulling, but the slightest touch from a lever is likely to pop it straight open. Find a flat head screwdriver, put it in the gap, and (hopefully) it’ll pop!

Failing this, you can soak your grinder in soapy water or alcohol. But depending on how jammed it is, this may not be able to penetrate. So, if nothing else works, you can try heating the end that fits over the other. As it heats, it should loosen and expand. Just make sure you cover your hands before touching it—metal gets hot!

Metal Grinders vs Plastic Grinders

Metal herb grinders are sharp and reliable, but they have a tendency to get stuck more than their plastic cousins. Still, a good-quality metal grinder can provide unparalleled performance.

They are the more expensive option, though. Plastic grinders tend to be cheap, whereas their metal counterparts can be a little more pricey. That being said, they won’t break the bank, and so long as you don’t lose them, will basically last forever.

One of the biggest choices really comes down to aesthetics. Metal grinders have a sleek, sexy edge that plastic grinders simply can’t compete with.

How To Clean Metal Herb Grinders

Keeping a grinder clean is essential to its functioning. If you let it get too sticky, it will just stop working. So your best bet is to clean it regularly.

Warm, soapy water or alcohol work well. However, once there’s a bit of buildup, you’re going to have to do some scraping. Use a knife or a flat head screwdriver and run it around the edges. Lift out any resin and then give it a rub-down with a scourer. You should find it twisting with a lot more ease.