herbivore21
Well-Known Member
Let's face it, d-nail sell too many different products to have one single thread. This thread is to describe the SiC, Sapphire and Quartz halos by d-nail.
As per their own management at the time, d-nail shifted their focus toward providing the bleeding edge of nail design a year or two ago, starting with the debut of the SiC halo (the first SiC nail, for which the respective d-nail staff have a design/utility patent).
Fast forward a couple years and there are few who do not yet realize that SiC and Sapphire are the best nail surfaces currently on offer.
As somebody who has owned all of the above halos since/before their official release, I will provide some initial thoughts on the differences between them:
1. SiC halo - This is the best torch nail on the market IMO (the SiC and ceramic torch only version included, depending on whether you ever want enail functionality one or the other will suit you better).
You will get fantastic flavor, you will never damage this nail from overtorching it, you are not likely to break it unless you subject it to serious abuse (it is much more durable than quartz or sapphire). SiC is also easier to clean than quartz or sapphire if you dab oils which do not qtip cleanly, rather than whole resin glands (ie: full melt, which tends to qtip much more cleanly off of a dish than rosin/solvent extracts).
As an e-nail, SiC is second only to sapphire in flavor. SiC gives bigger, denser clouds and vaporizes the same dab more quickly than sapphire. If you are someone who likes 'hot and hurty' dabs more than low temp flavor savoring dabs, SiC may be preferable for your needs.
2. Quartz halo - IMO, this is not recommended over the other halos. Whilst it is the best quartz I've used (and I've owned considerably more expensive Pukinbeagle quartz before, more than once!), quartz is inferior to all other halo materials on offer. Whilst it uses the trademarked d-nail wik surface, which aids to spread your dab more evenly, it does not vaporize as quickly or efficiently as the other halos.
The inner surfaces of the outer sides of the dish are very hard to clean after moderate use (this is true of ALL quartz nails, you get stubborn buildup on the surface of the nail that the heater doesn't contact). The quartz halo should not be torched IMO, and care must be taken not to over-tighten the securing nut, as this may break the quartz with heat expansion during use. The wicking surface means that this is the best quartz nail on the market, but IMO quartz has had it's time in the sun and it is time to step aside and let SiC and Sapphire take their rightful crowns
The quartz halo costs more than the SiC, and this makes it an even harder proposition to justify 
3. Sapphire Halo - This is the overall best nail on the market at present IMO, so long as you are prepared to go all e-nail (sapphire should never be torched, not ever!). I own the Liger sapphire and SiC offerings too, but cannot recommend them over the d-nail equivalents, which are cheaper, and vaporize more efficiently/quickly due to superior carb cap function and spread of the oil via the wicking surface of the dish, which uses capillary action to spread your oil evenly across the surface, promoting more even, quick and tasty vaporization. Sapphire tastes better than SiC, conducts heat better than quartz but is less resistant to thermal shock (sharp, large changes in temp from hot to cold or visa versa). Sapphire is very, very expensive as a raw material and these nails are no different. For those that don't have the budget to spend on a sapphire halo, I strongly recommend SiC as the next best thing
D-nail are the most affordable vendors of high quality SiC and Sapphire on the market. The only competition in the high end of nails is from the equivalent Ligers, which cost considerably more money and do not function better (although depending on your usage scenario, will not necessarily function worse - the liger w/ SiC and Sapphire has a place in my daily driver lineup). They also have offered impeccable service in my experience over the years, and their service is unmatched by any other nail vendor I've ever dealt with.
Well that'll do for a start, I'm sure others will add their experiences and thoughts too
As a guideline for the thread to keep it easier on the readers, please highlight clearly (perhaps even make the text bold like I have done above) which halos you own, and which you have used.
As per their own management at the time, d-nail shifted their focus toward providing the bleeding edge of nail design a year or two ago, starting with the debut of the SiC halo (the first SiC nail, for which the respective d-nail staff have a design/utility patent).
Fast forward a couple years and there are few who do not yet realize that SiC and Sapphire are the best nail surfaces currently on offer.
As somebody who has owned all of the above halos since/before their official release, I will provide some initial thoughts on the differences between them:
1. SiC halo - This is the best torch nail on the market IMO (the SiC and ceramic torch only version included, depending on whether you ever want enail functionality one or the other will suit you better).
You will get fantastic flavor, you will never damage this nail from overtorching it, you are not likely to break it unless you subject it to serious abuse (it is much more durable than quartz or sapphire). SiC is also easier to clean than quartz or sapphire if you dab oils which do not qtip cleanly, rather than whole resin glands (ie: full melt, which tends to qtip much more cleanly off of a dish than rosin/solvent extracts).
As an e-nail, SiC is second only to sapphire in flavor. SiC gives bigger, denser clouds and vaporizes the same dab more quickly than sapphire. If you are someone who likes 'hot and hurty' dabs more than low temp flavor savoring dabs, SiC may be preferable for your needs.
2. Quartz halo - IMO, this is not recommended over the other halos. Whilst it is the best quartz I've used (and I've owned considerably more expensive Pukinbeagle quartz before, more than once!), quartz is inferior to all other halo materials on offer. Whilst it uses the trademarked d-nail wik surface, which aids to spread your dab more evenly, it does not vaporize as quickly or efficiently as the other halos.
The inner surfaces of the outer sides of the dish are very hard to clean after moderate use (this is true of ALL quartz nails, you get stubborn buildup on the surface of the nail that the heater doesn't contact). The quartz halo should not be torched IMO, and care must be taken not to over-tighten the securing nut, as this may break the quartz with heat expansion during use. The wicking surface means that this is the best quartz nail on the market, but IMO quartz has had it's time in the sun and it is time to step aside and let SiC and Sapphire take their rightful crowns
The quartz halo costs more than the SiC, and this makes it an even harder proposition to justify 3. Sapphire Halo - This is the overall best nail on the market at present IMO, so long as you are prepared to go all e-nail (sapphire should never be torched, not ever!). I own the Liger sapphire and SiC offerings too, but cannot recommend them over the d-nail equivalents, which are cheaper, and vaporize more efficiently/quickly due to superior carb cap function and spread of the oil via the wicking surface of the dish, which uses capillary action to spread your oil evenly across the surface, promoting more even, quick and tasty vaporization. Sapphire tastes better than SiC, conducts heat better than quartz but is less resistant to thermal shock (sharp, large changes in temp from hot to cold or visa versa). Sapphire is very, very expensive as a raw material and these nails are no different. For those that don't have the budget to spend on a sapphire halo, I strongly recommend SiC as the next best thing
D-nail are the most affordable vendors of high quality SiC and Sapphire on the market. The only competition in the high end of nails is from the equivalent Ligers, which cost considerably more money and do not function better (although depending on your usage scenario, will not necessarily function worse - the liger w/ SiC and Sapphire has a place in my daily driver lineup
). They also have offered impeccable service in my experience over the years, and their service is unmatched by any other nail vendor I've ever dealt with.Well that'll do for a start, I'm sure others will add their experiences and thoughts too
As a guideline for the thread to keep it easier on the readers, please highlight clearly (perhaps even make the text bold like I have done above) which halos you own, and which you have used.
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