How to make rolling papers stick

It's a tough path to venture down. You grind up your flower, align it in the rolling paper, shape the flower, and tuck and roll just right. Then, you lick your paper, roll it nice and tight, and as you let go, the paper comes undone. Heart-shattering.

No need to worry. This quick article will explain how to escape the broken heart of an unraveling joint and consistently stick your papers well.

How to make rolling papers stick

When licking your rolling paper, there are two approaches that will ensure the paper sticks. When you lick the sticky portion, (1) dab the sticky portion with your tongue instead of swiping your tongue across it, or (2) instead of licking directly on the sticky gum, lick the other side of the paper. This still activates the glue, and it makes sure that your tongue does not remove the adhesive as you lick it.

Our go-to method is to completely roll the joint without wetting it, then lick the outside of the sticky edge along the length of the joint. You can also lick it before completely rolling. Just make sure you either dab directly or lick the backside of the sticky gum.

After licking and sticking, give the paper some time to dry so that the adhesive can set. You can also heat the sticky portion a bit with a lighter to expedite the process; just make sure you don't prematurely light the joint.

Summary:

• Dab with your tongue, don't swipe
  

or

• Lick the backside of the sticky portion

Fix this, and your joints will stay stuck

Once you stop swiping the glue off, there is one important weak spot with rolling papers: the corner. If the corner of your paper isn't stuck down, the entire joint will eventually unravel. Rolling paper corners are similar to a propagating crack in a windshield. The pressure is concentrated at the tip of the crack, so it will slowly spread. Joint papers are the same way; the paper will eventually come undone if the corner isn't stuck down well because it is a weak spot in the paper.

So, make sure you get the corner wet and stick it down well when you finish your roll. Otherwise, the whole joint can come undone in a matter of minutes.

If this article was helpful, check out Schtips

We’ve spent a lot of time rolling joints and paying attention to what actually makes them easier to roll and more consistent. Rolling can be tricky, especially when sizing is inconsistent and the tips easily slip out (see our filter tip size guide), so that curiosity eventually led us to develop reusable filter tips focused on ease of rolling, airflow, and cleaner sessions. That work became Schtips.

Why don't my joint papers stick?

When people lick their rolling papers, they often swipe our tongue along the sticky portion (gum), removing the adhesive from the rolling paper. If there is no more adhesive, the paper flops around like a soggy pancake. Make sure that instead of swiping your tongue, you dab it so you don't remove the adhesive.

Corners also allow rolling papers to slowly unravel. Make sure you stick your corners down well.

Wrap up

Next time you roll up, try dabbing with your tongue when you get the paper wet. You can also try licking the backside of the paper once it's rolled. The key is to avoid removing the sticky gum when you touch your tongue to the paper. Then be sure your corners are fully stuck down.

If you'd like to make your rolling experience more stable and consistent, try our 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm reusable filter tip set.

Cheers to your next roll.