If you’ve read our article on hemp wicks, you already know how awesome hemp wicks are. Here is some tried and true info on how to use a hemp wick, what hemp is best and how to store your hemp wick while keeping it convenient and organized.

It turns out you don’t need to waste time looking for a hemp wick holder or clip. With your stoner ingenuity, you can make your own wrapped lighter or pipe and have it ready before you can say “smoke sesh?”.

How to Use a Hemp Wick

Hemp wicks are an all natural way to light joints, blunts, and bowls. They offer a cleaner smoke without having you inhale any butane, carbon dioxide or flint dust from lighters that can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. Hemp wicks are easy to use; light it with a conventional lighter, and use the steady flame to get a good ember going.

How to Wrap a Hemp Wick

Get your hands on some hemp

There are a few types of hemp you can pick up for your wick, depending on what is available near you. Most dispensaries and head shops carry pure hemp and beeswax coated hemp. Hemp coated in wax is recommended, as it burns slower, is much easier to work with and will stick to your lighter or piece, holding the hemp in place. Beeswax also enhances the flavor overall, so spoil yourself! You’ll only need a couple of feet for one layer of hemp around a standard Bic lighter.

Use a wooden skewer or other method to secure your wick

To wrap your wick, you’ll need something to tuck the hemp under so it doesn’t unravel. You can use a piece of wood, the bic lighter itself or the wax coating to secure the wick. If you’re using wood, a single toothpick won’t do, they’re too thin and might not hold up under the pressure. Use two or more toothpicks together. Wooden stir-sticks from coffee shops work great too. Break or cut the stick so it’s about the height of your lighter.

Wrap your wick

Tie a small knot around one end of the stir-stick or toothpick and wet the hemp where you’re tying the knot so you can get a nice tight knot that will dry in place. Be gentle so the hemp doesn’t rip.

With the knot ready to go, put the wooden skewer up against the side of your lighter. Start wrapping the hemp wick around the lighter. Keep it nice and tight so the tension holds the wooden skewer tightly against your lighter.

When you finally reach the top, tuck the final little bit of hemp wick under the wooden skewer. The tension of the system should hold everything in place. Now you can just pull the tip of the wick out from behind the skewer when you’re ready to go, and then tuck it back under there when you’re done. You can also use the brilliant design of Bic lighters to hold your wick, like so:



If you’re so inclined, you can have wrap two layers of hemp wick. Try out some fun designs too, once you get the hang of it. This is made easier by using hemp coated in wax.

The same basic method can be applied to just about anything else that is the right size – whether you’re using a wooden smoking pipe, a glass one, or even a small stash jar. Light the wick and use it to light joints, blunts and bongs for a butane-free smoke. Make sure the wick is completely out after using it by smothering or wetting it.

Have any tips on wrapping, using, or extinguishing hemp wicks? Tweet them to @cannahacker for a retweet!