While you can often buy them from a dispensary or online in large quantities, they can disappear incredibly quickly, especially if you’re still getting the hang of rolling and might have damaged some filters in the process, causing you to have to throw them away.
The good news is, if you’ve run out of filters but still have a little bit of weed left in your grinder, then you will still be able to smoke, although the rolling method will be a little different than usual and slightly more difficult.
Once you get the hang of rolling a filterless joint though, you’ll save yourself so much time and money later down the line since you won’t have to make that frantic dash for the shop when you notice that all your filters are gone.
If you’re ready to learn, we’ve got a full tutorial on how to roll a joint without a filter right here, along with some tips on how to roll the perfect joint.
How Do You Roll A Good Joint Without A Filter?
If you’re using regular single-wide or 1 ¼ rolling papers, you’re going to need a little extra weed than you would normally use in a joint since you will need to fill up some of the space where the filter is usually placed.
Aside from that, you will only require the usual equipment including a grinder, a thin tool to pack the joint down, and of course, your weed!
Step 1. Prepare The Weed
Take a weed nugget and tear it apart into smaller clusters with your hands.
Place these smaller clumps around the outside of the grinder and keep twisting back and forth until you no longer feel any resistance.
Keep in mind that stickier strains will be a little more stubborn to grind, so you might have to put in a little more effort to break them down.
Once you open up the chamber of your grinder, your weed will be broken down and ready to use.
Remember that for a filterless joint, you will ideally want to grind up a little more than you usually would so that you don’t have any wasted space when you come to roll.
Step 2. Spread The Herb Over The Paper
Now it’s time to pack your paper with the weed.
This is done pretty much the same as if you were rolling with a filter, simply take the paper with the sticky part facing the upper side, and then turn it towards you and carefully place your weed evenly across the paper.
Once you have enough weed inserted, and you’re certain that there’s no one spot that looks a little bigger than the rest, pinch the bottom side of the paper together with the sticky upper side to begin shaping it.
Step 3. Start Shaping The Joint
Now it’s time to start making the basic shape of your joint.
So far, the omission of the filter isn’t too much of a problem, and for this part, it’s still fairly easy since you only need to start evening out the weed so that it’s ready to roll.
Start by moving the packed paper back and forth between your thumb and index fingers while also gently pressing down on the weed. Keep rubbing your fingers up and down until you form a nice long cone.
Step 4. Start Rolling
This is where things can get a little tricky.
While many experienced rollers will be able to roll a joint without needing any extra assistance, many people will use the filter at the end of the paper to guide their rolling technique, so now that it’s no longer there, you’re going to need to be extra careful when using your fingers.
Carefully tuck in the bottom side of the paper, and proceed by directing your thumbs upward so that the paper literally starts to roll within itself so that it can tighten up the weed.
As you’re doing this, take a quick pause to lick the sticky upper side, and continue rolling until it’s completely sealed.
The filter would usually prevent some weed from slipping out from the sides, so make sure you’re also not making a mess while you roll.
Step 5. Pack It Down
Rather than using a packing tool to push the weed towards the filter, simply push it down towards the side that you’re going to burn, and when it’s close to the edge, twist the paper around until it looks like a candle wick.
As for the other side, use your fingers to fold the paper slightly towards the inside so that the smoke will be able to travel directly to your mouth.
You ideally don’t want the weed on this side of the joint to be too close to the edge, otherwise, you can end up getting some in your mouth, which is never pleasant, so make sure to leave a tiny gap here.
Is It Easier To Roll With A Filter?
Simply put, a filter makes it much easier to fit a joint properly since many people will insert them early on in the rolling process, and because it’s already round and circular, it helps to direct the paper which will begin to form a cone shape with the help of the filter as you roll it with your fingers.
A filter also stops any weed from falling out of one end, which can very easily happen when the weed is uneven and weighs down one edge of the paper.
Outside of rolling, a filter also provides good airflow throughout the joint, making it burn a lot nicer and ensuring it never tastes too harsh, while also preventing any weed from getting into the smoker’s mouth.
How Do You Roll A Perfect Joint Like A Pro?
While rolling a joint is fairly easy once you get the hang of it and have done it a few times, and can be done largely the same whether you are using a filter or not, there are a few tips that can take your rolling technique up to the next level to help you create a ‘perfect joint’ each and every time.
Here are some of the most important factors that you should always consider when you’re rolling:
Type Of Paper
Every smoker should get an idea of the type of paper they like the taste of the most since this can have a surprisingly big impact on the flavor of the weed when you come to smoke it.
While white papers are fairly standard and hollow, brown papers have a much more distinctive taste, and the rice-based options offer even more flavors, so it’s well worth experimenting.
Remove All Your Stems
Rule number 1 when it comes to grinding weed is to always remove your stems.
Even if you notice that a few have snuck into the grinded-up mixture, make sure to take the time to remove them and throw them away, otherwise, they can end up making the joint way too harsh to smoke.
Always Use A Filter If You Can
So many things can go wrong when you don’t use a filter.
The weed can end up being spread out unevenly, it can fall out from one side, and it can be very easy to misjudge how much you’re actually putting in, so make your life easier, and use a filter if you have one.
Tap Against A Surface
Once you’ve licked, glued, and sealed the joint, tap the filter against a hard surface to make sure that the herb is packed in as tightly as possible.
This may seem like a fairly small thing to do, but it’s actually very important for getting the filter as close to the weed as possible, otherwise, if there’s too big of a gap, you’re going to have a lot of trouble smoking it.
Re-roll A Loose Joint
If you notice halfway through rolling that your joint is a little loose, start again and make sure you have a tighter pinch the next time.
Trying to mend a loose joint can often lead to the paper becoming damaged or ripped, which will ruin it completely.
Focus On The Filter First
While this is definitely a matter of preference, if you don’t yet have much experience with rolling, it can be much better to focus on wrapping the paper around the filter first, and the rest of the joint will then follow the same circular shape.
Summary
Rolling a joint without a filter is definitely tricky, and will require a good amount of practice to get right, but once you know how to do it correctly, it can help you out when you’re in a pinch, which is why it’s always worth learning.
Keep in mind that filters make rolling far easier and will also help to make the joint a lot less harsh due to the airflow, so rather than leaving filters behind entirely, only try to roll without them in the short term until you buy a new pack.
Hi, I’m Zack Finch and I work as a Budtender for a Health & Wellness center here, in sunny California. I have been using marijuana recreationally for around 6 years now, and have many a time enjoyed the benefit that weed has to offer.
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