Rip Tips are reusable, and they help reduce waste by eliminating the need for an endless supply of paper tips. The spiraled air flow and small openings help to cool the smoke and prevent flower matter from passing through to your lips, unlike papers tips, which often end up crushed. The reasons to switch to RipTips are incredibly compelling, as long as you know how to use them.
First, gather your materials. You will need:
- grinder
- flower
- papers
- your RipTip
- packing tool
In order to achieve the best results, it is always advisable to break apart your flower by hand and remove all of the stems before grinding. A stem poking through your paper is never good. Grinding, as opposed to tearing apart the flower by hand, will allow for a smoother and more even burn. Any grinder will work, but I prefer the Santa Cruz Shredder. The larger model has lots of room inside and the teeth grind your flower to the perfect size with a nice, fluffy consistency.
Once the flower has been ground, it's time to start rolling. Place your desired paper with the gum facing inside either on a rolling tray or in your hand. Add the Rip Tip to one end with about half of the Tip sticking out of the paper.
Fill the empty portion of the paper with ground flower and gently pack it until it is the same height as the tip. Fold the gum-less side of the paper smoothly over the Tip. This will create one round side to hold the flower and it will begin to form the finished product.
Carefully fold the second, gummed side (I usually fold the side closest to me first, then farthest away) over the tip making sure the roll is tight, but not too tight. The remaining exposed paper should have gum on it and will be used to seal your roll. The gum will require moisture to remain sealed.* Once the gum is wet, gently and smoothly seal the paper, leaving no creases and making sure the ends of the paper line up as evenly as possible.
At this point, you should have a perfectly round roll with the tip still sticking out of one side. Push the tip in slightly to help pack down some of the looser flower in the paper. If there is any space left on the other end, use your packing tool to tighten the flower, still leaving room for airflow. Add flower and pack until the roll is filled to the end and packed firmly all the way through.**
Congratulations! You have just rolled using a Rip Tip for the first time.
For the best experience, light the end first before inhaling in order to ensure a smooth and even burn. Enjoy!
Curious about which size Rip Tip to use? Read about how they are measured and sized.
*If you are smoking alone, saliva is fine, but if you are smoking with a group, please seal with distilled water! No one wants to smoke your spit. A fine paintbrush works great when applying distilled water to the gum of a paper.
**Proper airflow is important when it comes to a good roll. You want to make sure all of the space inside paper is full but not packed too tight.