Starting your smoking experience by rolling a cone joint can be great. Although almost everyone knows how a cone joint looks like, very few are experienced rollers. While a cone joint is somehow similar to a regular joint, we have intricacies and techniques that in one way or another make rolling a cone stand out. Learning how to roll a cone will make you an experienced roller in general.
Why Smoke a Joint?
With the introduction of vapes, pipes, and bongs, are joints still relevant in the smoking industry? Of course yes. Although the new methods are quite advantageous, the intangible satisfaction of a joint cannot be ignored. It is easily portable with a classic design and of course, the allure that comes with a perfect roll makes the joint to pack its own punches which are quite outstanding from other smoking forms.
What Do You Need to Roll a Cone Joint?
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Rolling paper
These are special papers designed for rolling. It is not advisable to use ordinary or regular paper.
Rolling papers roll with ease and are lighter in weight compared to ordinary papers. They don’t interfere with the flavor and taste of your smoking blends. The ordinary paper produces extra carbon and other paper by-products which may affect the lungs. The rolling paper prevents this.
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Filter
The filter has other nicknames, e.g. tip. The filter is very crucial in shaping your cone joint. It also prevents sucking of any herb material into the mouth.
What’s interesting about them is that they can be found and purchased in many smoke corner stores and shops. We also have glass options for re-usable cone joint tips.
Business cards, cardstocks or even a packaging piece containing the rolling papers can be used for creating tips.
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Herbs
Of course, the cone joint requires something to fill it not unless you are planning to smoke paper.
Prepare whatever herb you prefer or wish to puff in your rolling.
Make sure that your herb material of preference is properly prepped and suitable for rolling a cone joint. It is important to make sure that the herbs are properly dried or cured and not wet. This ensures that the joint burns evenly and continuously. Whenever you find that your bud feels dumb, it is advisable to leave it in the jar and get rid of the lid to at least to let the moisture in its release. There is also another simpler and quite faster way of releasing the moisture. This is done by placing the herbs in a brown paper bag for some time. This will make the moisture in the herbs absorbed leaving it cured.
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Grinder
There are several ways in which one can break down the herbal materials. All in all, a grinder is recommended as it produces a very even and balanced outcome. Using your hands and fingers not only makes your hands dirty but also consumes a lot of time. The inconsistency in the herbal chunks produced through this process is quite noticeable. This results in an uneven burn. The oils in your hands or fingers can also absorb the pollens and many of the crystals from the herbal blend.
There is no better way of filling a cone joint other than filling it with a fine grind and making the pack dense. Actually, this is the best way of filling your joint as it gets rid of air spaces which might kind of be detrimental to one’s smoking experience. The dense pack not only helps in combustion but also increases the joint’s structural integrity.
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Packing tool (not compulsory)
Sometimes you might need something that can be used to tamp down the herbs into your cone. A key, a ballpoint pen or even a paper clip could be of help. This will help you in packing the herbs in the cone quite well resulting in a nice and dense cone joint.
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Lighter
Unless you aren’t planning on sparking or puffing your cone, you will need a lighter or an ignition source. Any ignition method can be used to get this stuff going. Although some purists tend to object butane lighters, I think they really work fine but a match is a box is also an option. You can add some little intrigued by using an electronic lighter. A long-lasting hemp wick can also be an excellent option.
Pre-Roll Style Cone Joints
These joints are common in dispensaries but are also sold in many corner stores. This type of joint has two main advantages.
First, pre-roll style cone joints give a much better cone shape than you can make on your own with herbs already in. They can also be prepared even before one plan on smoking and be used during a later smoking session. All that one will be required to do is just load it and go.
Secondly, these pre-rolls allow you to keep the herbal blends fresher for a longer period of time. Naturally, the paper will absorb moisture from the herbal blends which may make them dry and dusty. Of course, no one’s ready to be dusty. With a pre-roll, you can take your time to load it with the herbs until you are good to go.
This is also a good way of learning the rolling process joints since you never have to worry about spilling a single particle of your precious herb which is counted as a waste. You only need a pack of papers and of course practice. You’ll be a pro before you even know it.
The Process of Rolling a Cone Joint with a Filter Tip
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Roll your filter
One of the most vital aspects of rolling a perfect cone joint turns out to be the filter. Whenever cotton filters or re-usable tips are used, then this step isn’t important, but if you want to create your own tip, read this carefully. A business card or maybe a cardstock can give you’re a perfect tip. A piece of cardboard can also provide a nice tip.
Most first-timers and even some experienced rollers tend to simply role the tip into the cylinder which is a mistake as it is very inefficient. In order to come up with a good tip, start by folding zigzags into the filter creating ridges or fins. These fins help prevent the plant matter or particulate from being sucked into your mouth.
The tip is the foundation of a perfect joint as it largely determines the shape of the joint. Of course, you’d roll the filter to a cone shape, tape it at the bottom and extend it outwards.
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Add a filter to rolling paper
After rolling your filter perfectly, slide it right into your paper of choice. You can test the filter if you wish just to be sure of it by gently and carefully making sure that the seam will be closed even at its widest point.
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Begin rolling around the filter
Is your tip on point? Is it really going to close? Wow! Congratulations, you’re now halfway to blowing your herbs. Now the easy step, getting that cone joint started.
Hold the tip firmly in place in the paper, then start rolling the joint. Try as much as you can to keep the paper tight and firm around the tip. Make sure your seam is kept flat and is wrinkle-free. You’ll know you’re home free once the seam is wrapped firmly around the cone, beneath the paper.
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Make sure the seam stays straight
If you got the seam to sit flush in the joint under the paper correctly, it will be relatively easy and quite fun to continue up making the body of the joint. Before going to the final stage, make sure that your cone shape is on point. It shouldn’t have any indents, wrinkles or puckers.
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Lick and Tuck
Do you think your cone shape is on point? Great, in order to close the seam, lick the glue strip gently and seal it. Make sure you have maintained a healthy balance between the sopping wet and bone dry as it is very important.
Doing this correctly will leave you with a nice looking cone joint that is sealed completely meaning its ready to be filled up.
How to fill a cone joint
If your cone is ready, it means it’s time to fill it up. Try to use dry and finely ground herb. Put as much as you can. In the process, some herb might spill; it is important to clean the mess thereafter.
Any sort of aid to fill your cone is recommended. A piece of paper or a card stock can be of help, fold it in half lengthwise then add your herbal materials. This ensures a smooth flow of your herbs into the cone preventing it from spilling unnecessarily. Tap the herbs into the cone gently. It is important to densely pack the herbs in the cone to avoid air spaces and help in getting a perfect burn, but not too dense.
This also keeps it tight and stiff but not too stiff. Basically, when a cone is properly filled, your joint is expected to be firm to the touch with just a small amount of giving.
How to light a cone joint
Twisting off the end of your joint to come up with something like a tail is a classic way of finishing the making of your cone joint. This means it is now ready for lighting. Ignite the flame and submerge it to the base of the tail. To get even lighting, rotate the joint in the flame all the way around.
