What Are Cannabis Oil, Shatter, And Wax Extracts?

What Are Cannabis Oil, Shatter, And Wax Extracts?

Cannabis is known by various other nicknames such as wax, shatter, oil, honeycomb, sap, crumble, pull-and-snap, and budder. In fact, these names are used to describe CO2 oil, BHO or butane hash oil, and similar hydrocarbon extracts. Looking at the list of descriptive subcategories, you may wonder whether there is a stark difference between each one of them. But the difference between crumbly wax and glass-like shatter are quite superficial.

In fact, a cannabis extract is considered any oil that concentrates the chemical compounds such as THC & CBD of the plant. This is achieved via a variety of extraction processes and solvents – butane is the most common. The recent advances in extraction technology have helped to use other solvents like carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons – which utilizes pressure in a safe and closed-loop system. The end product is a highly effective oil that is most commonly used for dabbing and vaporization.

What Is Marijuana Shatter?

Shatter has a flawless glass transparency and is reputed for being one of the cleanest and purest extracts. But the transparent nature of the extract is not necessarily a tell-tale sign of quality. In fact, the texture and consistency of the extract are dependent on different factors.

The transparent nature of shatter is due to its molecules which form a glass-like appearance when left undisturbed. The moisture, heat, and high terpene content could affect the texture of the oil – which will turn the oil into a thick substance that looks like a sap. Hence, it is usually nicknamed “sap.” On the other hand, oils that have the consistency between shatter and sap are referred to as ‘pull-and-snap.”

What Is Marijuana Wax?

Wax is the opaque, softer oil that doesn’t have the transparency once extracted. The cannabis wax molecules crystallize due to agitation, unlike transparent oils. In fact, light cannot go through irregular molecular densities – which leaves us with a non-transparent and solid oil.

Similar to transparent oils that span the spectrum of sap and shatter, wax also takes a different consistency based on the moisture, heat and the texture of the oil. This happens before the oil is purged or the process that removes residual solvents from the oil. In fact, runny oils with more moisture form gooey waxes which are known as “budder.” On the other hand, harder ones take a brittle, soft texture and known as “honeycomb or crumble.” The term wax is usually used to describe all of these solid and softer textures.

What is Cannabis Extraction?

Cannabis extraction is a big industry similar to cannabis flowers in this day and age. In fact, the process of extracting cannabis oil is as complicated as growing the plant itself. Every step of the extraction process requires a delicate balance of science and art – which begins with the selection of material and ending with the purging as well as storage process. The process should be done very delicately to preserve the therapeutic benefits of the various compounds of cannabis oil.

The article above provides information on various cannabis oil consistencies on the market today. It is only a scratch on the surface of this emerging art and craft. In fact, it is quite exciting to imagine where the technology will carry this craft.