Aug 6, 20204 min read

Hash Flags, Not Hash Tags

Updated: Mar 12, 2023

So this here techy-poo is far from my idea, but since there’s been a lot of recent interest, I figured I’d explain. Originally, I wasn't interested in flagging my hash and was dabbing it like rosin, but after playing around I began to see the benefits of pressing ice water hash into hash flags. I will share some tips and tricks I've picked up along the way and hope that others will contribute their knowledge or advice in the comments below.

Much like the #baddertech, which allows you to easily gauge the size of each rosin dab, hash flags provide a similar functionality. By spreading some of your hash into flags, you can easily judge the size of each dab, or flag as they are called. If you have tried dabbing bubble-hash that is not a full-melt or six-star quality, you will know how the outer layer burns, but refuses to melt off the tool. Trying to dab globs of water hash like its rosin can have somewhat of a similar effect, but by pressing the hash into flags it allows more surface area to come in contact with your perfectly temped quartz. Now, this can be a double edged sword as water hash is very easy to burn, but thanks to @tempguage3d and tools like the @terpometer, the guesswork is over. Keep your quartz at or below 500 ℉ for ice water hash and read more about temperatures and dabbing solventless extracts here.

What's Needed

Ice Water Hash (Full-Melt or 6 Star rated and NOT rosin)
Parchment Paper (or a thin silicone dab mat)

If you cannot find parchment paper, thin silicone dab mats have worked for me, especially for smaller amounts of hash or to make a single flag. Lucky for me, @MarchandAsh provided some precut squares of parchment, perfect for pressing hash.

Let's Go

I take my ice water hash out of the freezer about 20 to 30 minutes before I open the jar. Never open a frozen jar and wipe the moisture away as it defrosts. Opening it too soon can cause moisture to seep into the hash. No Bueno. All the ins and outs of proper storage can be found here.

Use about 1/4 of a gram minimum to make some substantial flags. After scooping what you want from the jar, you can put the rest of the hash back in the freezer to preserve those precious terps. Lay out some parchment like below:

Place the hash in the middle of the sheet of parchment and fold the parchment in half. Pinching the tip of the tool with the parchment folded around it, I use my other hand to carefully pull my tool out, leaving a glob of hash near the center of the paper as shown below:

And the fun begins. I use my fingers just to get things started, but try to avoid using my fingers or hands as much as possible after that. The heat from your hands will cause the hash to stick to the paper, making it impossible to get clean flags. As mentioned by someone else as well, I use an old 710Labs pre-roll container like a rolling pin to flatten and spread the hash. Someone mentioned using a cold beer as a rolling pin, but you would need to make sure it's completely dry.

Hash and Pre-Roll Jar as my Rolling Pin.

Once the hash is spread thin and appears even, I let it sit for five minutes or so before trying to open the parchment. Some pop the hash and parchment in the fridge for a minute before opening. Giving the hash a minute to sit still will allow it to settle and stiffen just a bit, making cleaner flags in the end. Once you think it's ready, a quick skillful yank is key. You want the parchment to open with all the water hash pressed out on one half of the parchment. Sort of like my partial success below:

Now you can choose how many flags you want to cut the hash into. Don't worry about them being absolutely perfect, like my less than perfect performance above. Once again, it will help to set the hash aside for a few minutes allowing it to settle before trying to cut it into flags. Once you think it's ready, carefully drag your dab tool across the parchment, cutting lines to define each hash flag. From there you are one clean and swift yank away from enjoying the best dab experience currently known on Earth.

Place your dab tool on a flag, and yank, hoping it comes clean and ready to rock. You can dab all the flags at once, or return any excess flags to the refrigerator in the parchment paper alone. I will usually dab all the flags within the same day of making them, which is why about a quarter gram is a decent, but minimal amount of hash to make flags of.

Check out my all-time favorite flag of Orange Cream X Lemon Heads from 710 Labs: