How To Make Hand Rub Hash

Hand-rubbed hash is exactly what it sounds like, hash collected by rubbing a bunch of flowering cannabis plants to collect the resin. As easy as it seems, it's actually quite time-consuming. An average collector can rub for an entire day and only collect five to ten grammes; a very experienced collector can get around fifteen grammes per day while keeping the plant intact.

HOW TO MAKE HAND RUB HASH

In countries like India, Nepal, and Kashmir, hand-rubbing is the most popular, if not the only, technique for making hash and they've been doing it this way for thousands of years. The humidity makes it nearly impossible to dry the plants and use a sieve; not to mention, hand-rubbed hash has unique qualities and flavours that you can't get from any other kind of concentrate. Learn how to make your own in the article below, and experience it for yourself.

STEP 1 - ONCE THE TRICHOMES ARE VISIBLE, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO

Get a pair of latex gloves ready; this is the only equipment you'll be needing. And trust us, you don't want to attempt making hand-rubbed hash without them. Technically, the hash can be collected as soon as you start seeing the little hair-like, crystalline trichomes on your plants, but it's best to wait until about two weeks before the first harvest date. If you wait until the right time, the resin will regenerate faster and you can collect mature trichomes with each rubbing.

STEP 2 - GET DOWN TO BUSINESS: PUT THOSE GLOVES ON, AND START RUBBING!

Now that you've got your pot plants and your gloves, you're ready to begin collecting that sticky-icky, delicious hash. You will want to make sure any potential distractions are dealt with beforehand. If you need to smoke, eat, drink, or run to the bathroom, do it now! Despite wearing the latex gloves, the hash has a way of getting on forearms and clothing, and getting the gloves off correctly is no easy feat. Be sure not to touch any other part of your body with the gloves on, the hash gets so sticky it can actually remove hair from the body, like getting an unexpected wax... ouch.

Despite wearing the latex gloves, the hash has a way of getting on forearms and clothing, and getting the gloves off correctly is no easy feat. Be sure not to touch any other part of your body with the gloves on, the hash gets so sticky it can actually remove hair from the body, like getting an unexpected wax... ouch.

When you're ready, get a gentle grip on the cola (cola refers to the very top part of the plant where the female buds bloom) and begin firmly rubbing up and down the length of the plant's bud site. Make sure to work your way consistently and evenly through the plant, paying special attention to areas with extra trichomes. You'll want to apply a moderate amount of pressure, enough to burst the trichomes but not so much that you damage the plant or end up with watery hash.

You'll want to apply a moderate amount of pressure, enough to burst the trichomes but not so much that you damage the plant or end up with watery hash.

STEP 3 - PUT YOUR GLOVES IN THE FREEZER

Put your gloves in the freezer, and smoke or vape all the hash your heart desires! While you're collecting, rub your hands together to form little balls of hash, and set them aside to be stored in an airtight container.

Once you've worked your way through all your plants, or whenever you decide to call it a day, carefully remove your gloves and put them in the freezer. Check back in a few hours, the resin should be solid and easier to peel from the latex.

There's a lot of wonderful things about hand-rubbing to make hash. It requires literally no specialised equipment whatsoever, so if you have access to a lot of plants, it'll be the cheapest way to produce some decent hashish. Furthermore, it's a natural and gentle way to collect plant resin while still allowing the trichomes to regenerate.

Meaning that as long as your plant is producing a lot of resin, you'll be able to collect delicious hash multiple times throughout the growing season. Plus, there's always some cool about doing things the old-fashioned way.

Steven Voser

Steven Voser is an independent cannabis journalist with over 6 years of experience writing about all things weed; how to grow it, how best to enjoy it, and the booming industry and murky legal landscape surrounding it.

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