What Is A Hemp Wick?
Most smokers have had this question when they first heard the term. The name makes sense (a wick made of hemp) but it doesn’t give away any info on what it actually does, nor the benefits of it. Let’s answer all that now.
Hemp wicks are an alternative to lighters. They are twine made from hemp fiber that has then been dipped in beeswax.
The use of hemp has been around for thousands of years because of its long and durable fibers and many advantages as a material. Recently hemp wicks are growing in popularity due to people discovering their many benefits when they want to smoke (and many other situations non smoke related which will cover below).
What Is A Hemp Wick Used For?
Rather than using lighters or matches, smokers can use a hemp wick to light their bowl, pipe, or joint. It is a safe and natural alternative to traditional Zippos, Bics and matches.
What’s Wrong With Using a Lighter?
Using hemp wick over a lighter allows for a cleaner burn, with fewer carbon emissions, and eliminates the risk of inhaling flint dust or hot butane. Butane gas is poisonous but not in such small quantities. However, many smokers claim it harms the flavor of their cannabis and by not using one, they can gain the true flavor of the terpenes.
Because a hemp wick burns at a lower temperature than a butane lighter, users comment the hits are smoother and the flavors of the herb can be savored more, giving a better overall smoking experience.
You still need a lighter to light the wick, but because it burns very slowly with a steady flame, it can be left lit and therefore be used throughout your session.
Are Matches Better Than Lighters?
Simply no. Matches contain a lot of combustible chemicals to make it light when you strike it. These are not good to inhale nor is the treated wood of the matchstick.
What’s With The Beeswax?
Dry hemp twine is quite flammable, so it burns too fast to be useful. Having it coated in wax means it is a mini candle that burns slow and steady, making it much more usable.
Using beeswax as the wax is a healthy and organic ingredient that compliments the natural characteristics of hemp. It is the only real choice considering other waxes (like what many candles are made from) are derived from petroleum.
Why Use Hemp?
Hemp really is an amazing plant. It is fast growing, is naturally resistant to insects and requires less water than other crops. It is also able to thrive in a wide range of climates and soil types, which allows it to be grown all around the world (it isn’t called ‘weed’ for nothing!). Currently, over 30 countries produce industrial hemp all around the globe, which shows just how versatile the plant is.
In the US all hemp is imported, this is because we are one of the few industrialized countries that view it as illegal. This is despite these strains of plants containing no THC and are purely produced for material. The hemp in our hemp wicks are sourced from Europe.
How To Use It
Light the wick with your lighter or match and then put that away. The wick burns slowly, allowing you to keep it lit for the entire time and use it for the next bong or bowl. Because of the strength of the hemp twine, it is naturally stiff, so you can also use it as a poking tool.
When finished, simply shake it, flick it or blow it out and it will be ready for the next use. Our wicks are 20ft in length, so you can be sure it will last you a long time!
The beeswax coating means it keeps its shape, you can cut some off and wrap it around your lighter or simply keep it spooled around the handy holder that comes with ours.
What Else Can Hemp Wicks Be Used For?
As versatile as hemp is, it is no wonder a hemp wick is useful for a wide range of things and not just weed smoking sessions. Here are a few ideas:
Camping
It is an invaluable tool for any camper or anybody to have in their emergency kit. It is great for getting your fires going and lighting gas cookers.
Being hemp, it is extremely strong can be used as a typical twine or rope for you to tie anything together while out and about or simply keep in your jacket pocket as a backup to your ropes should anything happen to your main pack.
A huge advantage of it is that because it is coated in a layer of beeswax, it remains completely waterproof. In fact, you can submerge it in water and pull it out and light it right away, test it for yourself!
Eco-friendly Twine
The sky is the limit here but any time you use string you could swap it out for a hemp wick, for example, we like to wrap it around presents (or to tie name tags to big presents) for a unique experience which the receiver also can later use.
Candle Wicks
If you like to make candles with your left over wax, a hemp wick is ideal to a traditional cotton wick as it gives off less smoke and makes for a more pleasant burn.
Lighting Lots of Candles
If you have a lot of candles to light, like a birthday cake or perhaps for a bubble bath, then use a hemp wick. The wax on our wick will not drip and it so slowly burning it will give you plenty of time to light them all. There will be no burning your thumb like can happen on a traditional lighter when you have to use it so many times in quick succession.
Lighting a Fire
Simply cut a portion of hemp wick and use that in your fire to get it started. The slow burn allows plenty of time for the kindling to get going and is a much more eco friendly option than firestarters that are full of harmful chemicals.
To Sum Up
As you can see, hemp wicks have a huge amount of advantages over smoking with a traditional lighter and there is also a range of different uses you can use it for. The price point is low enough that there is no harm in trying it out and seeing if you prefer it.
