What is reclaim?

If you’ve ever smoked weed from a pipe, you’ve seen the black greasy gunk form inside it. This substance is called resin, and it’s the residue left behind after you smoke cannabis flower. A similar substance forms inside your dab rig when you smoke concentrates, only instead of resin, this yellow/gold/brown sticky substance is called reclaim.

What is reclaim?

Reclaim is best described as the re-condensed form of cannabis concentrates left behind after a dab sesh. Think of it as the cold solid that remains from the hot oily liquid. Reclaim coats the walls and base of your dab rig and dropdown, and also collects in the water. Cannabis extracts are oils, and as we all learned in 2nd grade science class, oil and water do not mix.

Simply put, reclaim is re-condensed concentrate that collects within your rig after a few dabs. Think of it like resin in a pipe. Every time you smoke your favorite dry pipe, more and more resin builds up, right? Concentrate reclaim is the same way, leaving behind more and more after every dab.

When it comes to reclaim, there are essentially two schools of thought: consuming the reclaim or throwing it away. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what to do with your reclaim. To make it a bit easier though, we’ve outlined the talking points for both.

How to Collect Reclaim

Collecting reclaim can be accomplished several different ways. There are even attachments for your rig, called drop-downs, which make the process a breeze. To collect reclaim from your drop-down, all you need to do is flip it over and apply light heat to the bottom. The heat will loosen the reclaim and it will fall out, just be sure to have a silicone pad in place to collect it.

If you don’t have a drop-down, you can still collect your reclaim fairly easily. All you need to do is pour some solvent (isopropyl alcohol or grain alcohol works well) in your rig, shake, pour out and evaporate. Once the solvent is evaporated you will be left with a nice collection of reclaim. If you are planning on eating your reclaim it’s probably best to use grain alcohol as your solvent because it is safer for human consumption than isopropyl.

How to collect reclaim and clean a dab rig

Reclaim can start to build up quickly, especially for first-time dabbers because they aren’t as adept at heating the nail properly. Heating a dab nail too low can leave behind a puddle, but heating it too high can burn your dabs. Regular cleaning can ensure your dab rig hits perfectly and your dabs taste exquisite.

A drop-down attachment or reclaim catcher allows you to move your nail further from your dab rig and collect reclaim as it falls through the downstem, respectively. To collect reclaim from these accessories, you can place your attachments on a silicone pad and carefully heat them with your blow torch to get the oils to drip down onto the pad for collection.

If you don’t have a reclaim collector attachment, you can remove reclaim from your glass rig with high-proof alcohol, a hot plate, a razor blade, paper towels, and a Pyrex dish. Here’s a step-by-step guide to collecting your reclaim:

1. Fill your dab rig with enough alcohol to cover the reclaim-encrusted portions.
2. Cover the mouthpiece and glass joint with a piece of paper towel to ensure no water spills out.
3. Covering the mouthpiece and glass joint, shake the piece to dislodge the reclaim.
4. Run the rig under hot water, if needed, where the reclaim remains stuck.
5. Repeat shaking the solution until the reclaim is removed.
6. Pour the alcohol solution into a Pyrex dish.
7. Heat the dish on a hot plate at the lowest temperature possible. Do not heat your dish over an open flame because the evaporated alcohol is flammable.
8. After the liquid has evaporated, let your reclaim sit for a day to air dry.
9. Scrape the reclaim with a razor blade and use it as desired.

How to use reclaim

Reclaim that was collected using the alcohol solution is not suitable for consumption unless the solution has been purged. Reclaim can be used for dabbing, edibles, tinctures and topicals. Reclaim dabs won’t taste as flavorful as their original form, but still have plenty of cannabinoids. Reclaim is already decarboxylated, meaning you can add them into any cooking recipe to make weed-infused edibles.

Leftover reclaim in your dab rig can make your dabs taste harsher. Collecting your reclaim can give you something to dab on days when you’re running low on concentrates. Cleaning your dab rig from reclaim ensures your dabs are tasting flavorful and potent without any harsh-tasting smoke flavors.

What to Do with Reclaim

Surprisingly, there are many uses for your reclaim. And if you’re concerned about potency, throw those doubts out the door. Reclaim actually has a pretty high level of cannabinoids that can get you feeling effects in no time.

According to a study conducted by MCR Labs, reclaim had as much as 65% total cannabinoids remaining. Of those cannabinoids, more than 95% were decarboxylated on average. Because of the high activation percentage in reclaim, you do not need to manipulate it to feel its effects, opening up a wide range of possibilities for consumption.

If you’re wondering what to do with your reclaim, try some of the following ideas:

·         Dab It

Taking a dab of your reclaim is an effective way to feel instant effects. After all, reclaim is still concentrate. Don’t expect the flavor to be great though. Because of the heat from the initial dab, most of the terpenes are far gone at this point.

·         Eat It

Because it is almost completely decarboxylated, eating your reclaim is a viable option and will produce some fairly strong effects. You can eat the reclaim straight, drizzle it on some food or even capsule it up to avoid any bad taste. Some people freeze their reclaim in little balls and pop them like candy!

·         Infuse It

Ever wanted to make your own edibles? With reclaim, you can! Just be sure not to cook with temperatures over 350°

There are probably a few more uses for reclaim that we haven’t mentioned, but you get the gist. It’s a pretty versatile substance that can help you catch a buzz in a pinch.

The Dangers Of Smoking Reclaim

Unlike good quality rosin and other concentrates, reclaim is not pure resin anymore because it has been burned so it also contains carbon which is a byproduct of smoking, just as ash and tar.

So when smoking reclaim, you can end up having the following harmful side effects:

• Sore throat;
• Difficulty breathing;
• And headache.

Due to these effects, it’s not recommended to smoke cannabis reclaim because it requires a higher heat to burn and it’s also much harsher than rosin, for example, so smoking reclaim may end up irritating your lungs and throat.

Now, it’s rare for these side effects to become grave, most people don’t like smoking reclaim and when they do, it’s once a month so you won’t need to visit a doctor, just have in mind that if you’re experiencing frequent or severe headaches, sore throat or trouble breathing, you should get checked just to make sure you’re okay.

Should You Smoke Reclaim?

Most cannabis consumers would never smoke reclaim unless it’s the only option they have because it tastes bad and the smoke is harsh, smoking cannabis should be a pleasant experience, and reclaim is the opposite.

Also, reclaim is not the same as regular concentrates such as rosin because it doesn’t contain any terpenes and it can be quite tedious and time-consuming to collect reclaim so they just wash it down the drain.

Now that you know everything you need and should know about reclaim, our general recommendation is that you don’t smoke reclaim! But obviously, it comes down to you, make sure you know the dangers and remember that cannabis should be enjoyed so if you don’t like the taste or it’s harsh on your throat, you shouldn’t be consuming it.

Reclaim is the leftover resin that sticks to your rig when smoking flowers or concentrates but just because it comes from a good quality cannabis product, it doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

This resin may end up being harmful so make sure you take proper precautions and see a doctor if you are experiencing harmful side effects for a prolonged time.

If you consume cannabis in a pipe, bong, or dab rig feel free to tell fellow growers why you would or wouldn’t smoke reclaim in the comment section below!

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Reclaim is the leftover resin that sticks to your rig when smoking flowers or concentrates but just because it comes from a good quality cannabis product, it doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

This resin may end up being harmful so make sure you take proper precautions and see a doctor if you are experiencing harmful side effects for a prolonged time.

If you consume cannabis in a pipe, bong, or dab rig feel free to tell fellow growers why you would or wouldn’t smoke reclaim in the comment section below!