Classic metal grinder: the standard three part model
This is the model you will find in almost every headshop, and the one most people start with. It is built from three metal parts in a grey, lightly brushed finish: a lid, a grinding chamber and a catch chamber. Lid and grinding chamber each carry a field of diamond shaped teeth that mesh together. The floor of the grinding chamber is perforated, so anything fine enough drops straight through into the chamber below. You turn at the top and take the result out at the bottom, instead of picking it back out from between the teeth every time.
The lid is finished with a leaf in relief, its veins cut deep and darkened against the lighter metal. A band of raised dots runs around the rim of the lid and of the bottom section. That band is not decoration: it is what gives you enough grip to turn the halves against each other with dry or cold fingers. The three parts screw together, which keeps the grinder shut while it sits in a bag or a pocket.
Working with the grinder
Do not fill the grinding chamber to the brim. A half full chamber turns more easily and grinds more evenly than a packed one. Turn back and forth a few times rather than in one direction only, and the coarser pieces get caught properly. If it starts to feel stiff, there is usually material sitting in the thread: wipe it out with a dry cloth or an old toothbrush. Empty the grinder completely now and then and brush the teeth, because a film of resin will eventually make the parts drag.
Three parts, two parts or four
The difference between models comes down to the number of chambers. A two part grinder is just a lid and a grinding chamber, so everything stays between the teeth. This three part version adds a catch chamber below, which makes emptying it a good deal cleaner. Four part models add a screen and a separate pollen chamber on top of that. Which one suits you depends mostly on how often you use it and how much you want to grind at once.
At Avalon Magic Plants this grinder sits alongside the Amsterdam grinder 2 part, the Bulldog Classic grinder, the wooden grinder with a leaf motif and the four part models from Black Leaf. Your order leaves our warehouse in discreet packaging.
