Is it possible to defat cannabis before an extraction?

[Chem]

Wrong page, but I can't post in the "other etheogens" forum yet


A simple hash oil extraction involves shredding the flowers, then boil it in everclear for an hour, pour off the everclear and repeat, then evaporate off most of the alcohol to leave about 70% thc, and other oils from the plant. (The stuff that makes the everclear green and the hash oil black)

Here's a hypothetical question, and I think it might be a stupid one but I can't even tell because I know very little chemistry:

Is there a way to treat the buds before pulling the thc with everclear so that the end hash oil has less plant fat and more thc?

I did search the Internet but any search with the word 'defat' in it automatically brings up the nexus as the first page, and other than that I guess stoners are satisfied with the purity of their hash oil as it is and no one cares enough to make it better.

Thanks, Chem.



They should add an : ignorant : emoticon with my face XD

Edit: I'm not really worried about chlorophyll polluting the oil, it tastes like butt but there's not enough of it to make any differance in the potency of the oil that I'm aware of. I'm mainly just thinking it would be nice to have 80% thc oil instead of 70%, or something like that.

 

[wage.]

You could try water curing your Cannabis for 7 days.

It's pretty simple, THC isn't soluble in Water, but Chlorophyll and other things you don't want are.

Simply soak the Cannabis in water for 7 days, making sure to change the water daily. You'll lose 25% in weight.

 

[benzyme]

as was mentioned, you can remove the water-solubles...but you can't defat with a nonpolar solvent, because thc and other cannabinoids would be removed as well.

 

[Infundibulum]

as was mentioned, you can remove the water-solubles...but you can't defat with a nonpolar solvent, because thc and other cannabinoids would be removed as well.

Yeah...

And it will be hard to find a solvent that is much more selective for chlorophylls vs cannabinoids and vice versa. Maybe methanol is a good bet as a starting point.

 

[Chem]

Hey thanks for the responses

I'll try a soak in ice water then.



Thanks again, chem.

 

[wage.]

Don't worry about Ice Water, if I remember correctly it will make the Trichome much more brittle. Lukewarm water is fine, just change the water daily and keep in a dark place.

 

[JourneyToJah]

try a honey oil extraction. the gas makes sure you get higher amounts of thc and smaller of clorophyl due to the fact that thc isnt soluble in water.

 

[benzyme]

the gas phase has little to do with it, similar results could be had
with hexane. it excludes chlorophyll because there are no hydrogen- bond
donors nor acceptors on the short- chained aliphatics, butane, pentane, hexane, etc.

 

[biopsylo]

Hey thanks for the responses

I'll try a soak in ice water then.



Thanks again, chem.

now, while soaking in ice water, mix well knocking the now brittle trichomes free of the plant matter. filter and separate plant matter with mesh bags (aka bubble bags or similar)

this will yield different grades of bubble hash, depending on the number of bags used and micron ratings.

an even faster approach uses dry ice in bubble bags with the buds/leaves. just shake and yield a pile of kief.

making bubble hash is a very easy and effective way of removing chlorophyll using only water and ice.

if it isn't strong enough, purify with solvent of choice.

 

[Nicita]

Making hash with water and watercuring are to totally different things. Don't confuse them When water couring, you just take your buds before drying and let them sit in water for some time. I think the best way is to use some kind of tray where the water can run of, like an oven tray. This way you can easily remove the buds on the tray from the water for the daily water exchange. As already mentioned the result will be buds that still have all their trichomes and therefore the actives we want but far less of any undesired water soluble substances you normally have in plant material.

 

[psychonut]

Tomatoes/tom-ah-toes, hash oil/honey oil. Same thing, different name. Check on how to make "butane honey oil". I've been growing and making hash, hash/honey oil since the 70's. No matter what people tell you honey oil IS hash oil, however hash oil is NOT, necessrilly, honey oil. Hash oil will generally be darker and stiffer with many of the water solubles still in it. Water solubles are not bad, IMO they tend to add a different depth to the buzz.

The butane method strips almost nothing but the "goody", especially if you sift the hash before you run the oil.

You should end up with an amber or red oil that is +- 90% THC. If it's a little green and stiff, try running a batch with some blonde hash.

Hope this helps.

Oh, nicita is correct, water curing is just as stated. The smoke doesn't tend to burn very well after a WC though. It will up your potency by the same percentage as the weight of water solubles you leach out. Plus it'll darken the weed considerably.