Quick Answer
Kief is the powder of resin trichomes that breaks off cannabis flower. A 3-piece or 4-piece grinder with a fine mesh screen catches those trichomes in a bottom chamber while you grind. To collect kief, grind dry flower in small batches, tap the grinder after each session, and scrape the bottom chamber every week or two. Cold, dry flower and a clean screen give the highest yield.
how to use a grinder for beginners
Prerequisites
- A 3-piece or 4-piece grinder with a mesh screen and kief chamber
- Dry, cured cannabis flower
- A small scraper or scoop, usually included with the grinder
- A clean, flat work surface
- Isopropyl alcohol and a small brush for cleaning
Steps
- Check that the screen and kief chamber are clean and dry. A clogged screen blocks trichomes from falling through.
- Break the flower into pieces about the size of a pea. Pull out stems and seeds.
- Fill the grinding chamber to about two thirds. Overfilling presses flower against the screen and holds kief in the upper chamber.
- Turn the top lid a quarter turn, then reverse direction. Repeat until the flower breaks apart. Back-and-forth turns cut the flower instead of smearing it.
- Tap the side of the grinder against your palm a few times. This shakes loose trichomes down through the screen.
- Open the grinding chamber and empty the ground flower. Close the grinder again.
- Let the grinder sit for a few minutes so the remaining trichomes settle into the bottom chamber.
- Unscrew the kief chamber and scrape the powder into a pile with the scraper.
- Store the kief in a small glass jar away from light and heat.
How to Get More Kief
- Freeze the grinder with flower inside for 10 to 15 minutes. Cold makes trichomes brittle so they snap off the plant material.
- Drop a clean coin in the grinding chamber and shake after grinding. The coin knocks kief through the screen.
- Grind dry flower. Moist flower clumps and holds onto trichomes.
- Clean the screen with isopropyl alcohol every few weeks. Resin buildup seals the mesh.
What to Do With Kief
Sprinkle kief on top of a bowl or mix it into a joint. Kief is concentrated, so start with a small pinch. You can also press it into a puck with a pollen press to make hash. Keep it in a sealed jar; kief loses potency when exposed to air and light.