What full melt means
Full melt is a cannabis concentrate that vaporizes on a hot surface and leaves little or no residue. The term describes behavior, not a strain or a brand. A product earns the label when a dab melts to a clear puddle and the banger stays close to clean.
Most full melt is a hash. It contains resin heads, plant waxes, and a small amount of moisture. It is not a solvent extract and it is not distillate.
How full melt is made
Ice water extraction is the common route. A processor agitates cannabis in ice water, then sieves the mix through a series of micron bags. Trichome heads settle at different sizes.
- Under 45 microns: stalk and broken heads, low melt.
- 73 to 159 microns: ripe heads, the main melt fraction.
- Over 160 microns: leaf matter and contaminants.
After sieving, the hash is dried and often pressed. Drying takes days at low temperature. Residual water kills melt quality, so moisture control matters more here than in most concentrates.
The six star scale
Hash makers rate melt on a six point scale.
- One to three stars: cooks into food or tops a bowl. Leaves dark residue on the nail.
- Four stars: partial melt. Some residue and a greasy ring.
- Five stars: melts to a pool. Small ring left after the dab.
- Six stars: full melt. Near clean banger, usually 90 micron and finer.
The scale is informal. Two makers can grade the same batch one star apart.
Full melt vs rosin
Rosin is pressed hash or flower, exposed to heat and pressure. Full melt is unpressed or lightly pressed hash. Rosin yields more consistently and smokes cleaner in most devices. Full melt holds more terpenes and a softer texture. Both come from the same resin.
Full melt and CBD
Full melt is a cannabis and hemp concentrate term. CBD hash exists, and some hemp processors sell ice water hash from high-CBD cultivars. The melt rating still depends on resin content and sieve size. A high-CBD hash with a 90 micron cut can melt well but will not match a high-THC product in residue behavior.
What to check before buying
- Lab panel: cannabinoid potency, moisture, microbials, heavy metals.
- Sieve size: 70 to 159 micron is the useful window.
- Color: pale blonde to light tan. Dark green means leaf matter.
- Texture: sandy and loose at room temperature, greasy when warmed.
- Storage: glass jar, cold, sealed. Full melt degrades faster than rosin.
Ask the seller for the batch date. Full melt has a short shelf life, and melt quality drops within months.