How To Grind Weed Without a Grinder

Sep 27, 2024

One essential piece of cannabis smoking gear is the grinder. They reduce the buds to a powdery fineness, resulting in consistent and mellow smoking. You can still prepare your buds finely at home if you lack one. Everyone has been in a situation where they have some marijuana flower but don’t have access to a weed grinder.

Using unground marijuana to load a bowl is not recommended since you’ll end up burning more than you smoke. Also, it won’t work to wrap unground marijuana in a rolling paper because it will be difficult to achieve an even burn. I will take you through some DIY weed grinding techniques for achieving the finest weed for smoking, whether at home, on the road, or anywhere else.

Use a Mortar & Pestle

We have all used these appliances in our kitchen. We can all agree we get contented with the results of the fine outcomes from using these tools. To make grinding your weed easier, if you plan to use a mortar and pestle, you should probably let it sit outside for a few hours. After that, use some elbow grease and make sure your mortar and pestle are clean. It might require some time, particularly if the pestle is rounded and smooth.

Remember;

  • To thoroughly clean after usage.
  • Be careful not to pound down too forcefully.
Mortar and pestle used for grinding cannabis.

Paper bag and hammer

I have improvised a paper bag and hammer into a homemade weed grinder before, and it is magical. The impact of the hammer helps to shatter the buds into tiny bits, and the paper bag makes an excellent non-stick surface. This makes the weed grinded.
Points to note;

  • Ensure your weed is adequately dried. It will become easy to break it using a hammer if it is adequately dried.
  • Use a sturdy surface that can withstand hammer blows.
  • You should fill the paper bag halfway with your buds, scrunch the top shut, and smash.
  • To get a high-THC treat, scrape out the resin attached to the paper.
Paper bag and hammer for DIY cannabis grinding

Cheese grater

A cheese grater can be a good alternative for weed grinding without a grinder; in fact, there are cannabis-specific cheese graters available for purchase. Select the smallest blade on a box grater if there are several choices. Holding each bud against the grater, rub it back and forth against the blades to break it up while working over a clean surface. It could be challenging to remove weed from the cracks. Find a poker nearby to dig through them and extract your bud.
Remember;

  • Be careful to work slowly to avoid injuring yourself from the grater sharp points.
  • To remove the scent and residue, properly wash the grater.
Using a cheese grater to grind cannabis.

Knife and chopping board

A knife and a chopping board are equipment you will never lack in any household and make good grinder alternatives. Get your marijuana on a cutting board and dice it, just like you would your vegetables until it has the consistency.
Points to note;

  • Make sure you don’t ground it to powder.
  • Use a non-serrated knife.
  • Ensure your weed is dry though it is not a must. Dry weed is easy to cut.
  • Watch out for your fingers. Nugs are small and light; if you are not careful, you might hurt your fingers.
  • Clean your homemade grinder after use.

Coffee grinder

For my liking, a coffee grinder or any electric grinder shreds flowers much too finely. A coffee grinder will be handy if you have a lot of weed. Grind the flowers at a moderate speed. Clean the grinder before usage to avoid smoking coffee, too,o which can be dangerous.
Point to note;

  • Clean the grinder after use.
  • Ensure that the bud is not jammed into the grinder and is packed loosely.
  • Avoid using huge buds or too small ones.
  • Adjust the grind duration and settings to prevent your marijuana from turning into a fine powder.
Coffee grinder used for grinding cannabis

Black pepper grinder

Weed and black pepper have a lot in common. They both have cannabinoids and respond flawlessly to a pepper grinder’s operation. After extracting the peppercorns from the grinder, make sure to clean the inside. This will ensure you don’t smoke spicy weed. Black pepper, when burnt, has a choking effect.
Remember;

  • To dry up the weed before grinding. Wet weed is likely to clog the grinder.
  • Gather all of the stray resin after using the grinder that would be utilized for THC purposes.

Pizza Cutter

I will not promise that this will be very effective, but if you have limited choices, this will help. The cutter is not sharp. You should hold each bud at one end and start slicing the opposing end into thin pieces. Scoop the coarse powder into a mound in the center of the cutting board once you’ve reached that consistency.
Point to note;

  • Use a cutting board. It will help in preventing damage to the tables and desks.
  • For more fine powder, you can run the cutter through the pile.

Shot glass and scissors

If you love to party and don’t want the scrutiny while preparing your weed, try weed grinding with shot glass and scissors. After filling your glass with marijuana buds, half-fill the glass with water. You can also use dry weed but ensure the cannabis is loosely packed for easier chopping. If the weed is a lot, chop it into numerous batches. Cut the buds repeatedly until they reach the desired size.
Point to note;

  • Ensure you clean the scissors before chopping the weed. You can wash them with soap and rinse them with vinegar.
  • Since it is a shot glass, use a pair of small scissors. Alternatively, you may use a big glass with big scissors.
  • Rotate the cup as you chop to make removing all of the marijuana simpler.
  • Swirl the weed with the end of your scissors to reveal huge bits that still need to be cut.

DIY shaker

If you appreciate learning new things like I do, you should try DIY shaker. Get a little, stiff plastic bottle or dispensary container for medication. Add a few heavy coins to the container, then add your nugs which should not be too many or too few. Shake away after securing the container properly. To ensure you acquire the correct consistency, monitor the development approximately every 20 seconds.
Point to note;

  • Ensure you’re not shaking excessively. Excessive shakes will turn your marijuana powdery and unusable.
  • Make sure to empty the pill bottle after use if you’re using one.

Credit card

The usage of credit cards is typically connected with preparing hard drugs. It can also prepare this herbal drug as well. Credit cards are strong, manageable, and excellent tools for slicing dried cannabis.

  • Use a sturdy surface that will offer enough resistance to prevent cutting yourself.
  • Ensure the card is clean.
  • Your card will smell like marijuana, so wash it after using it.

Hands Only


Well, this is a commonly used method, whether around or with my friends. Take the larger buds first, then separate them into smaller, easier-to-handle pieces. It will be much simpler to pick up the weed if you utilize a surface that is level, even, and free of crevices. Continue to break those up into smaller and smaller pieces with your fingers and fingernails until you are satisfied they can be rolled in paper.
Remember:

  • Clean your hands before and after making the weed.
  • Avoid applying too much pressure. If you use too much pressure, you risk compressing it and making smoking a little more challenging.
  • If the weed is sticky, make it slowly.
Grinding cannabis with hands

Razor

Like weed is ground with a knife, so is weed ground with a razor. Your bud should be placed on a plastic cutting board or another spotlessly level surface. Use a razor to cut it apart carefully. A razor will work if you’re extremely careful about cutting your fingers.

Blender

A blender is my best friend when dealing with more significant volumes of marijuana. Clean your blender and throw it in your stash. Switch it to the pulse setting so you may manage the timing of the blending to ensure you don’t waste your weed since the blender is a bit powerful. Shorten the intervals as necessary to achieve the desired texture. A blender, though, should be your last resort, especially if the amount of weed is small.
Point to note:

  • Before blending, remove any stems and seeds because they will harm the blender’s blades.
  • Since the blender could be a bit strong, try to keep mixing for no more than 10 seconds.

Reasons why you should grind your weed

Grinding up your weed allows air to flow easily through your bong, bowl, or joint, which means a cleaner burn and a more even pull throughout. Below are the benefits of grinding, whether with a grinder or not.

  • Better portability. After grinding the weed, you can call in small containers or sachets.
  • It tastes better. Smoking ground marijuana helps remove the terpene profile’s inherent flavors. Cannabis has a better flavor and taste; many report an improved smoking experience.
  • Provision of slower burning joints.

Disadvantages of not using grinders

 

  • It takes a lot of time to prepare the weed.
  • Breaking down the weed with your fingers can leave them extremely sticky, which is annoying.
  • It is difficult for you to roll the joint conveniently. It is hard to get a fine product compared to using a grinder.
  • The marijuana smell is also left on your fingertips and other home appliances.

Conclusion

Getting to grind your weed helps it taste better, and you don’t have to worry whether you have a grinder. A coffee grinder may just be the best tool for breaking down a huge quantity of cannabis into a uniform, finely ground finished product. It can quickly grind a lot of material with relatively little effort.