Top 7 Tips for Rolling a Perfect Joint

For most cannabis smokers, knowing how to roll a crisp, clean, and fat joint by hand is almost like a rite of passage. It has even become a ritual for some. So even if many pre-rolled joints are available on the market, hardcore stoners may prefer to roll their jay. 

Whether you are new to cannabis smoking or want to perfect your rolling method, here are the top seven tips to help you roll the best joint for the most awesome smoking sesh.

Before rolling, your cannabis flower should be free of stems and seeds. Stems pierce through rolling papers, while seeds are notorious for exploding and ruining the joint flavor. 

While some people swear by breaking their cannabis flowers apart by hand, it helps to have an even grind to achieve ease with rolling. Get an efficient weed grinder to save time and break the bud down into small particles but not into dust. Doing so will also keep your fingers from getting too sticky to roll your hemp paper later.

A crutch or filter serves as a mouthpiece for your joint. Some smokers may say it’s unnecessary or mere optional, but it’s still recommended as it prevents you from burning your lips or fingers while smoking. It helps maintain the shape of the joint and keeps anything from falling out. More importantly, it increases the airflow throughout the joint.

Many rolling papers come with crutches or filters. You can also create them out of thick paper or thin cardboard (similar to the material of business cards). Simply make several accordion-like folds at one end of the paper before rolling the rest around that end. 

Whether you’re using rice or organic hemp rolling papers, don’t over or underfill your joint. Too much cannabis will make your rolling paper burst at the edges, while too little won’t burn evenly or slowly. For single-wide or standard rolling paper size, try to fill it with 0.5 to 1 gram of cannabis. Don’t forget to leave enough room to place the crutch or filter at one end.

The secret to creating a tight cone is to grab the cannabis-filled joint by both ends with your thumbs & index fingers, pinch those ends, and rub your fingers together in an up-and-down motion. This technique will effectively push the cannabis into a tight little log of the same width as the crutch or filter. Then, it’ll be easier to tuck the unglued side of the paper around the filter and roll. The pinch-and-roll technique takes patience and finesse, but it’s worth it!

Once the joint is all set, stoners usually lick the glue strip and seal it. But don’t use too much moisture when sealing. It doesn’t take much for moisture to seal a joint. And if you’re not comfortable licking the glue strip shut, you can always use a single drop of water instead.

Packing the joint will help ensure a smooth and even burn. Simply use a pen, pencil, or chopstick to press down the broken-down flower through the open end. Then, hold the joint upright from the end with a crutch. Tap the joint gently on a flat surface to compact the cannabis and push the crutch in further. 

Again, it takes patience and some finesse to roll a perfect cone. So it’s OK if you don’t get it right the first time. Trust us; it will be a bit better on your every succeeding attempt. Also, it’s best to learn the following troubleshooting tricks to ensure you don’t waste precious herbs.

• Does your joint get loose halfway while rolling it? Don’t hesitate to stop and start again. This time, try a tighter pinch around the filter.
• Does your joint burn unevenly? Your cannabis may be too chunky. Make sure to grind the bud or flower a little more next time and pack the joint more carefully.
• Do you need to keep lighting your rolled joint to get any smoke? The bud may be too finely ground, keeping the air from flowing through. Go easy on the grinder next time.