Dab tools let you grab and place sticky, runny, or brittle cannabis extracts into your dab rigs' hot banger without burning your fingers - ouch!
A dab tool is around 4-5 inches long and is made from borosilicate glass, ceramic, or metal. Each end of your dab tool features different shapes like a paddle (for crumble), scoop (oils), pick (for shatter), and carb cap.
The different dab wand shapes:
- Paddle: Perfect for crumbly concentrates that break apart easily.
- Scoop: Ideal for runny oils that need gentle scooping.
- Pick: Great for solid shatter, chipping off just the right amount.
What is a dab tool used for?
Dabs come in different consistencies: sticky, runny, brittlely, or crumbly. A dab tool is designed to pick up these various consistencies with precision. Precision is key because you need to move fast when taking a dab, and the right dab tool will prevent spills, reduce waste, and give you the precise dose you’re looking for.
How it’s used: You heat your banger with a torch until it’s hot, then gently pick up wax, oil, or shatter with your dab tool and touch it against the hot inner wall of the banger. The heat travels into the tool, helping your extract slide right off and land on the floor of your banger.
Side note: A dab tool, dab wand, and dabber all mean the same thing.
How to use a dab tool
Using a dab tool is straightforward, but technique matters to avoid smearing and premature vaporization. The steps below are for a carb cap combo dab tool:
- Heat your banger with a capable butane torch for about 30 seconds.
- Let the banger cool 60-90 seconds to avoid scorching your concentrate.
- Use your dab tool to pick up a small amount of extract (a grain of rice).
- Gently, without smearing any dabs, place the tip of the dab tool onto the banger’s wall.
- The heat from the banger will transfer to the dab tool, and your dabs will slide right into the banger.
- As vapor begins forming, inhale to pull vapor through your rig’s water chamber to inhale.
- Once the dabs fully melt, flip your dab tool around to the carb cap side and cap your banger, and continue inhaling.
Dab tool shapes for every extract
The shape of a dab tool’s tip matters a lot.
A dabber tool has two ends, and different ends match different types of dabs. So whether you want to scoop, pick, or flatten, choosing the right tip is super important if you want to improve control, dosage and prevent waste.
Below are all the different shapes a dab wand can have at each end and the types of concentrate they work best with.
1. Paddle-shaped tools: crumbly dry texture
Paddle-shaped dab tools work best with crumbly concentrates like wax, kief, and crumble.
Paddle dabbers are shaped like sturdy little shovels that give you precise control when flattening and lifting small bits of dry textured dabs. The broad and flat end keeps delicate granular fragments in place so you can guide them into the banger with ease. This shape reduces waste by preventing tiny crumbs from falling.
2. Scoop-shaped tools: syrupy texture
Scoop-shaped dab tools work best with oily and syrupy concentrates like sauce, live resin, and distillate. The spoons' tip cradle runny extracts, allowing you to pick up a small portion without any spills.
By scooping, you can safely transfer viscous and runny dabs. However, to avoid overfilling, hold the tool over your jar until excess dabs drip back in before transferring your dabs to the banger. This simple trick saves dabs, saves money, and prevents spilling.
3. Pick-style tools: brittle texture
Pick-style dab tools work best with brittle, glass-like concentrates like shatter or diamonds. The pointed tip acts like a tiny chisel that lets you chip off neat, small pieces from a firm slab of extract.
The fine-point tip prevents pieces from scattering and makes it easier to portion out your dosage by breaking off only what you need without causing any extra damage. This protects your dab’s potency, flavor and overall quality compared to using larger dab tool ends, which break off far too much, damaging your extracts.
4. Double-ended tips: syrupy and solid
Double-ended dab tools work best if you switch between different concentrate textures, like syrupy oils and solid shatter.
Think of them as multi-purpose utensils. One end can scoop and lift runny extracts, and the other end has a pick for chipping off firm chunks of shatter. Different double-ended versions have different options at each end, so make sure you pick the right combination based on the type of concentrates you prefer.
Pro-tip: Most dabbers have multiple dab tools, which can be hard to keep track of. An Isoplex dab station keeps all your dab tools, Q-tips, bangers, and cleaning gear in one centralized spot for easy access.
5. Carb cap combo tools
Carb cap combo dab tools have a dab tool on one end (paddle, pick, or scoop) and a carb cap on the other end.
Dabbing requires the most tools and steps out of all the cannabis smoking device setups. Use one end to pick or scoop your dabs into your banger, and then flip this tool around and cap your banger to control vapor airflow, saving you the headache of swapping tools.
With everything in one dabber, you skip the juggling act between your dab wand and carb cap so you can focus on the vapor, not the tools.
Dab tool alternatives
Ready to dab but don’t have a dab wand handy?
Some dab tool alternatives are a bent paper clip, a metal bobby pin, and knife tip, metal tweezers, a spoon handle, or a glass stirring rod. None of these options are as efficient as a real dab wand, but they’ll still work if you’re in a pinch.
- Metal paperclip: Straighten a paper clip with a slight bend to act as a pick
- Bobby pin: A metal bobby pin works well for scooping dabs
- Knife tip: The tip of a clean butter knife can transfer even syrupy dabs
- Tweezers: Metal tweezers can grab crumbly or brittle dabs
- Spoon handle: The handle of a small spoon can scoop and transfer dabs
- Glass stirring rod: A clean glass rod is heat-resistant for handling concentrates
Choosing the right dab tool material
When you pick a dab tool, the material matters as much as its shape. Different materials can influence how smoothly your concentrate leaves the tool (the goal is for all the dabs to leave the tool) and how your dabs taste when you inhale.
1. Titanium and stainless steel: strongest
If you dab a lot and don’t want to worry about breaking your tools (common with ceramic and borosilicate), titanium or stainless steel are great options. These metals are resilient and won’t chip easily, so you can press firmly without bending or snapping the tip, and best of they are great for back-to-back dabs because metal cools much faster than quartz.
The only downside is when metal touches an extremely hot banger (high-temp dabs), it can sometimes leave a faint metallic hint on your concentrate’s flavor when you inhale. It’s not that noticeable, but if pure flavor is a priority, you may want to stick with quartz or borosilicate glass dabbers.
2. Quartz: best vapor quality
Quartz dab tools are all about flavor. Quartz doesn’t alter or taint your dab vapor’s flavor and also doesn’t pick up heat from the banger as fast, so you don’t “cook” your dabs as it slips off the tool.
This is important because you don’t want vaporization to begin when your concentrates are on the dabber, you want it to begin when it drops down to the floor of the banger without smearing along the sides. This gentle approach is why most people prefer quartz bangers because you get better evaporation and terpene-rich flavors.
The only downside to quartz bangers is with the picks. The sharp ends aren’t as tough as metal, so you’ll want to be lighter to the touch to avoid accidentally chips.
3. Ceramic: Studier than glass
Ceramic dab tools are similar to quartz bangers, in that they both don’t heat up as fast as metal dab wands. When a ceramic dab tool touches a hot nail or banger, it releases the dab smoothly without vaporization.
Compared to quartz dab tools, ceramic dabbers won’t match the pure flavor, but they still have much better flavor than metal dab tools. If you want better flavor than metal dab tools but something more durable than quartz, than ceramic is a solid middle ground.
4. Borosilicate glass: Fragile and affordable
Borosilicate glass dab tools are made from the same material that bongs are made from. They are the most affordable, and often work great for carb cap combo style dabbers, but they are much more fragile than even quartz dab tools.
Glass dabbers are extremely flavor-friendly, affordable and have excellent flavor. If you don’t mind treating your tool gently, then glass is an amazing option for a dab tool.
How to handle different dab consistencies with your tool
Not all concentrates have the same type of consistency. Some are runny and viscous like cold honey, some are crumbly, and other are hard or brittle. If you prefer a certain type of extract than you’ll want to read this section to find out which type of dab tool works best.
How to paddle wax
Wax is sticky and thick, making it tricky to handle. A paddle or paddle-shaped dabber end can easily lift and portion wax without leaving a mess. When handling a paddle dabber, scoop your wax first and leave the paddle above the dab jar to let any remnants spill off the side.
Once the wax has settled into the paddle then carefully move it over to the banger and place the back of the paddle onto the heated wall of the banger. Wait a moment for the heat from the banger to transfer into the paddle so the wax can slide off in one movement. Do not let the wax drip off, drop by drop, this will cause uneven vaporization.
How to scoop oil
Oil is runny and can drop right off your fingers, so a deep scoop tool works best for this type of consistency. The scooped dabber end will cradle the oil helping you to guide it into the nail. Just like wax, when scooping your oils, leave the scoop end above the dab jar to let any remnants spill off the side.
Once the oil has settled into the scooper, now you want to carefully move it over to the banger and place the back of the scoop end onto the heated wall of the banger. Wait a second or two for the heat to transfer into the scoop end and tilt the scooper so all the oil falls at once into the bottom of the banger.
How to pick up shatter
Shatter has a glass-like structure that demands precision. A pick-style dab tool will help you chip off neat and consistent pieces of shatter without sending fragments flying everywhere. This level of control also helps you from distributing and damaging the rest of your shatter that you want to use for the next round.
To use a pick end of a dab tool with shatter, eye ball how much shatter you want to chip away (your dosage) and slowly use the pick end to trace a line back and forth. Next you want to apply pressure to the shatter and lift up and down gently like a sewing machine in slow motion. Once the piece comes off, use the pick end to pierce the center of the shatter and lift it to bring it into the heated banger.
How to paddle crumble
Crumble is, well, dry and crumbly. This type of extract consistency works best with a paddle. You can use the paddle end of your dabber to gently lift and flatten crumble, making it simpler to move around. Start by scooping the amount you want and then pressing it against any part of the dab jar to “solidify” the crumble.
Once the selected amount of crumble has a bit of forced structure, you want to gently and gracefully scoop the crumble up and place it into the heated banger.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to dab tools, the right choice makes all the difference when you’re dabbing.
The perfect dabber combines the right shape (paddle, scoop, pick, or combo) with the right material (titanium, quartz, ceramic, or glass) to match the consistency of your concentrate (sticky, runny, crumbly, brittle, hard).
Dab tools aren’t just about transferring dabs from your dab jar to your dab rig’s banger, it’s about precision. Transferring it without spilling, wasting and using the right end to choose the correct dosage you want. Your dab tool is the bridge for your dabs to go from the jar into your banger, and the right bridge makes the experience so much better.
