Butane Hash Oil (BHO) has been around for donkey’s years. However, recently it has undergone a surge a popularity, with everyone trying to get their hands on it. So what is it? And how is it made safely?

BHO, also known as budder, honey oil, wax, shatter, and dabs, is a highly concentrated form of cannabis extract. It is not unknown for well-made BHO to contain up to 80+% THC, and blow the socks off of anyone daring enough to try it. Even for hardcore tokers, smoking a small bit of BHO can take the experience from 0 to 100 very quickly. It gets you supremely baked.

WHAT IS BHO?

To but it very simply, BHO, as the name suggests, is a very strong cannabis concentrate created through butane based extraction. This is done by placing marijuana in a holding container that allows butane to pass through it. As the butane passes around the marijuana, it strips it of its cannabinoids to create a butane/cannabis mix. It is then evaporated/purged to remove impure elements (such as the actual butane) and leave a pure BHO concentrate.

MAKING BHO

Warning & Disclaimer: Making BHO is extremely dangerous. Butane is explosively flammable, and even one static spark can result in serious injury. There are many cases of entire houses being destroyed by people not making it safely. This guide is for educational purposes only, we do not encourage or condone its actual use; nor are we responsible for any outcome. Saying this, in the interest of safety, should you put theory into practice, make sure you do it outside, the air movement can prevent butane gas from pooling, and drastically reduce the risk of explosion. Never smoke or have an open flame anywhere near BHO production.

The Butane

Firstly, it is important to know that not all butane is made the same. There are two main types of butane, Isobutane and N-butane. Most cheap brands are isobutane, which is considered to be more toxic and dangerous. It is N-butane that should be used. However, it is impossible to buy pure N-butane through retail shops. The best that can be done is buying a a high quality, refined butane. These will often have a mix of N-butane and isobutane in them.

The quality of shop bought butane can be assessed with the mirror test. This is done by spraying a decent amount of butane on a horizontal mirror, then leaving it to evaporate for 10-15 minutes. After this time, there should be a white residue. If it smells bad, then the butane is bad quality.

Plant Material

Generally speaking, 30g of plant material and 300ml of butane is required to make 2-4g of BHO. Any plant material can be used, from prime bud, to trim, to fan leaves. Obviously the better quality it is, the better the BHO. Most often trim is used, as this still produces a good quality end product.

Extraction

1. First, make sure that the plant material is very dry.

2. Place the plant material into the extraction tube, packing it down to avoid air bubbles.

3. If you are using a DIY extraction tube, make sure some coffee filter papers are in place to prevent the plant material falling out the bottom.

4. Place/mount/hold the end of the extraction tube over a Pyrex dish with parchment paper in it. Note: the tube is likely to get very cold during extraction, and it will take a while, so mounting it hovering over the Pyrex dish is the best option.

5. Release the butane into the top of the extraction tube. After a while, it should flow through to the bottom of the tube, and drip out into the Pyrex dish as a butane/marijuana mix. If it is coming out of the top, slow the release of butane.

6. Once all of your butane is used, allow the extraction tube to continue to drip.

7. Once the tube has emptied, allow the liquid in the Pyrex dish to evaporate away. You should be left with a golden brown substance, this is your BHO!