Manicuring, how much is too much/little/just right?

[Iron_Lion]

I take it down as low as it will go. Bud leaves and their tiny little stems get removed even tho it takes quite a bit longer to trim this way.

I hate when I am trying to roll a J and those pesky little stems poke a whole in the paper.

I handle with care by the stems only and try to leave buds as pristine as possible.

This one could have used a bit more trimming as I missed a yellow leaf but you get the idea.

 

[Red Fang]

whoa man those are nice looking buds! Actually though, when I said little leaves, I meant the size of the ones that are left on your bud as well as slightly larger ones. I was actually able to trim some of those tiny ones off using a desk lamp magnifier, but it was like surgery and took forever! I am glad I don't have to be THAT fussy!

Fan leafs, yes I know they must come off, but are even they useable in some kind of sifting or hash or oil extraction method (again, forgive me as I know next to nothing about these things)?

This is all asked in reference to preparing it for others. For me, hell I am not ashamed to admit I have smoked leaf, even fan leaf or two! It had a desired effect, just not as strong or long lasting as the bud.

 

[blueberrydrumz]

whoa man those are nice looking buds! Actually though, when I said little leaves, I meant the size of the ones that are left on your bud as well as slightly larger ones. I was actually able to trim some of those tiny ones off using a desk lamp magnifier, but it was like surgery and took forever! I am glad I don't have to be THAT fussy!

Fan leafs, yes I know they must come off, but are even they useable in some kind of sifting or hash or oil extraction method (again, forgive me as I know next to nothing about these things)?

This is all asked in reference to preparing it for others. For me, hell I am not ashamed to admit I have smoked leaf, even fan leaf or two! It had a desired effect, just not as strong or long lasting as the bud.

if i were you id collect all my leaves and make oil or hash for persi

 

[mtbazz]

Is it me or is tightly manicured bud a more recent phenomena (recent as in being the last 10-15 years or so) ? I don't recall getting nuggets trimmed that tight back in the 80's/90's.

When I first started growing back in the 80's, I used to leave some leaf material on the buds, as a way of protecting the tric covered buds underneath. I did this with only leaves and leaf parts that were heavily laden with trics. Than all this tightly manicured stuff starting showing up from the west coast, so my trimming style followed suit as people starting expecting this tight manicure.

Overall it improved my bottom line, as what would have gone out on the buds is instead turned into hash or oil instead.

 

[dread]

i only trim the stems that are most easy to reach
,the rest stays on
gives mouch sweeter tasting buds
i remove the rest when i smoke it
grtz
D

 

[Iron_Lion]

Fan leafs, yes I know they must come off, but are even they useable in some kind of sifting or hash or oil extraction method (again, forgive me as I know next to nothing about these things)?
.

If the leaves have trichomes (crystals) on them they are good for making hash, oil, etc..

If the leaves have no crystals on them keep them out of the hash pile as the will degrade the quality of the final product.

 

[Doobie Ninja]

For my personal stash I like to leave the sugar leaves on. They protect the buds from having their trichs knocked off, and they add a sweetness to the smoke as well.

The stuff that goes to the dispensaries gets a closer trim. They tend to complain a lot if there is any sugar leaf.

With the way I trim for personal stash I get almost no scissor hash, with the dispensary bound meds I get mounds of it. it would seem like a huge waste to me if I wasn't the one smoking it all.

 

[Gastro]

Interesting comments so far. I think more folks need to trim over a screen to see the meds they are losing even hand manicuring. Imagine what the machines are doing. If folks would just get past their prohibitionist views, they would see the more unprocessed the medicine the better. Call it what you want to make light, it is the truth. Peace GS

I can see your point when you vape, it shouldnt really matter. However, when you smoke it either in a joint or with a bong, leafs stems and seeds are a big no no. They taste horrid and they give you a headache!

 

[Lisa Simpson]

Crush has a great how to trim video

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGrowDude#p/u/3/QyH-YRLIP4Y

 

[skullznroses]

I will say this for the record....

1)Smoking leaf is harsh and bad for your lungs, and unnecessary.

2)When you trim dry bud it is really hard not to have the bud shake off crystals from the vibrations of cutting off the small hard dry leaf stems. ( of course you can catch it )

3)When you trim wet bud its hard not to get covered in crystals that are coming off the plant. ( finger hash is okay )

If theres a way around these issues I haven't heard of it yet, other then just vape it all!

 

[prince kali]

i am dreaming of the bud thats covered in a protective layer of fan leaves, that you open like sticky rice in banana leaf (who knows that ) just to find a glittering gem of untouched trichs. brilliant and milky..

something you cant have when you trim to the bone, mashing trichs like the lawnmowerman..