How to Roll Your Own Herbal Blends (Papers, Cones and a Grinder)

We roll a lot of herb. Our kanna pre-rolls and dagga blends all start as loose leaf and a stack of RAW cones, and there is nothing in the process you cannot do on your kitchen table. Here is how we build a blend and roll it, whether you are using papers or cones.

Start with a base herb

The base is 50 to 70 percent of the blend and it is what makes the whole thing smooth. The stronger herb goes on top of it. Good bases from our loose leaf shelf:

• Mullein leaf. Light, airy, almost no flavor. The most common base for a reason.
• Damiana. Slightly sweet, a little heavier than mullein, burns evenly.
• Blue lotus petals. Floral, soft, adds a lot of character for a small amount.
• Raspberry leaf or marshmallow leaf. Both mild, both cheap, both fine.

Then the feature herb

This is the 30 to 50 percent that gives the blend its point: wild dagga, kanna leaf, kava leaf, lavender, mugwort, peppermint. Start light. A blend that is mostly base with a pinch of the strong herb rolls better and burns cooler than the reverse. Dried flower petals and thin leaf burn fast and hot, so they want more base under them. Dense leaf like dagga can carry more of the blend.

A blend that works

By volume: 3 parts mullein, 2 parts damiana, 1 part wild dagga, half a part blue lotus petals. Grind it all together and it rolls like tobacco.

Grind it

Loose leaf comes cut and sifted, which is too coarse to roll. A 4-piece grinder gets it to an even, fluffy consistency in a few twists. Do not over-grind to dust or it will burn hot and fall out the end. If the herb is bone dry and crumbles to powder, a slice of apple in the jar overnight brings the moisture back.

Papers or cones

Papers give you control over how tight the roll is and how much herb goes in. RAW Classic 1 1/4 is the normal size, it holds about half a gram to three quarters of a gram and it is the easiest size to learn on. Cones are the same paper already rolled with a tip, so you fill and pack instead of roll. If you have never rolled before, start with cones. If you can already roll, papers are cheaper per unit and let you roll thinner.

Rolling with papers

1. Put a filter tip at one end. RAW tips or a strip of thin card rolled into a tube. This keeps herb out of your mouth and gives the roll a spine.
2. Lay the ground herb in a line along the crease, a little more toward the tip end.
3. Pinch the paper between thumbs and forefingers and roll it back and forth to pack the herb into a cylinder.
4. Tuck the unglued edge under, roll up toward the glue, lick the strip and seal.
5. Pack the open end gently with a pen tip and twist it closed.

Filling a cone

Drop ground herb in a pinch at a time and tap the cone on the table after each pinch so it settles. Use the packing stick that comes in the box, or a chopstick, to press it lightly every third pinch. Firm enough to hold together, loose enough to pull air through. Twist the top when it is full. Most cone boxes come with a stick, the smaller packs sometimes do not.

Storing what you roll

Rolled herb dries out in a day or two in open air. A glass jar with a lid and a small humidity pack keeps them fresh for weeks. Keep loose leaf the same way, in glass, out of light.

Disclaimer. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Traditional use of a botanical does not establish that it will produce any particular result. Inhaling smoke of any kind carries risk. For adults 21 and over. Keep out of reach of children.