Frequently asked questions about Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm Liniments
Why is it so important to use glass to make the Jow?
Glass will not leach out any chemicals into the liniment like plastic containers. Chemicals like BPA (bisphenol A) will contaminate your Jow which when applied on the skin will be absorbed in the body. New studies are also showing a estrogen like hormone that leaches out of plastic containers and therefore will be absorbed in the body.
Is Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm Liniment essentially the same thing?
That is a very common question and the answer is no. The reason many people think it is the same is that a lot of kits are sold claiming to be Dit Da Jow but are sold with the intention that it is for Iron Palm training. They claim to harden bones and strengthen ligaments but authentic Dit Da jow is for healing bruises, contusions and trauma type injuries(blood stasis, blood stagnation). The herbs that comprise Dit Da Jow are different with the exception of a couple of herbs that crossover into the Iron Palm liniment.
If Dit Da Jow is for bruises then what is Iron Palm for?
The herbs used in a Iron Palm liniment are designed to heal, minimize pain, prevent future bone and joint problems and strengthen Bones, Connective Tissue, Sinew and other areas where there has been repetitive contact. Iron Palm is also very good for relieving pain in the areas mentioned above, so even if you do not practice Iron Palm this liniment is very beneficial.
A good example would be punching a heavy bag without hand wraps and gloves. Constantly punching the bag like this will cause problems like pain and soreness and in the future problems like arthritis, also if you wish to develop Iron Palm Power you must bring Qi to the hands and protect them at the same time. Iron Palm Liniment is designed to do all this and more.
I purchased your Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm Liniment Kit Combo Special, do I make these kits together?
No, they are prepared in their individual jars but when they are ready to use you can take a small jar approx 4-6 ounces and using a 50/50 ratio add a little of each in the small jar. So now you have a Super Jow that can handle healing most injuries or a great pain reliever.
Why is it better to make your own liniment instead of buying a pre-made one?
The main advantage is the huge savings, making your own Dit Da Jow liniment will cost you approximately .60 cents per ounce and less if you already have a glass jar. Another advantage is you are in complete control of the process in making your own Jow and it is fun to make. When purchasing a pre-made liniment you must make sure it is packaged in glass since most liniments sold online are in plastic bottles and you must make sure that it is made from an authentic formula. When you make your own liniment you control everything from start to finish and are using a fresh authentic herbal kit that you can see and smell to start the process.
Do I need to practice Iron Palm training to use the Iron Palm liniment?
No, any training where you are making any constant repetitive contact using any part of the body would benefit using the Iron Palm Liniment. Iron Palm liniment helps strengthen bones, tendons, ligaments and sinew, so if you suffer an injury ro any of those areas the Iron Palm Liniment is the one to use. It also helps prevent arthritic conditions by eliminating dampness in the joints and it is a great pain reliever.
I read you can use the double soak method or heat up the alcohol before adding the herbs to make a better Jow, is this true?
I have done it both ways and have not noticed a big difference in the strength of the liniments but it can save you up to week in preparation time. So if you wish to give it a try it will not hurt the liniment and if you want to try these other methods we can can give you some tips HERE. We have found that the more you can shake the jar the stronger the liniment will become in a shorter period of time, this is the key to making any powerful liniment.
I read that if want to use the Iron Palm Liniment and the Dit Da Jow together you can, is this accurate?
Yes you can but it really depends on a few things. First if you are just treating a bruise, sprain or you banged yourself with a hammer then just the Dit Da Jow would be sufficient. If you were punching or kicking the heavy bag or even speed bag training then the Iron Palm should be used. Now if you are doing a combination of sparring, bag training, rolling on the mat practicing BJJ then both liniments can be used.You still need to prepare them individually then when they are ready you can combine a little of each (50/50 ratio)in a small glass bottle.
If I use both liniments together which one is applied first?
Iron Palm first wait a minute and then apply the Dit Da Jow, the reason for this the herbal constituents in the Dit Da Jow are a little tacky and will lock in the Iron Palm liniment.
I have also found combining a few ounces of each liniment together is great for recovering from a hard workout where there has been a lot of full contact type training.
Are the herbs you use organic?
For the most part yes, some herbs are wild crafted and no chemicals are used in any way and come under the wild crafted classification. We also store all the herbs in airtight containers and keep them refrigerated ensuring freshness and no insect infestation. All herbs are chemical free and handled with the utmost care.
I read that all kits are made fresh, what does that mean exactly?
It means unlike other suppliers no kit is pre-made and sitting, waiting for a customer. When you place an order your kit is made fresh for you. The order is placed in queue and then when your order is up it is made and shipped the same day, generally if you order on a Monday it is shipped Wednesday. We notify you when we receive your order and let you know when it has shipped, if you use Paypal to pay then we notify them and they notify you.
Do I have to make the liniment once it arrives?
Yes and no, we recommend you do especially if you open the package, if cannot prepare your liniment when it arrives place in the freezer without opening the package until you are ready.
If you do open the package and cannot prepare your liniment, seal it up like you received it and place in the freezer. This insures you do not lose any potency from some of the aromatic herbs .
We package the herbs so they do not lose potency in transit or if you cannot prepare right away, placing in the freezer helps maintain freshness if you cannot prepare right way. If you can’t place in the freezer do not worry the herbs are packaged to retain their potency.
You recommend Vodka, can I use anything else?
You can use Gin. 40% alcohol and 80 proof is what you want to use. Grain alcohol or Everclear while good for extraction evaporates to fast on the skin to allow the herbs to be absorbed. While there are ways to get around this, it is easier just to use Vodka or Gin.
I really want to use right away, do I have wait months to use?
You can use in as little as 3 weeks if you shake the jar a couple of times a day for 2-3 minutes each time, this really speeds up the extraction process. In 3 weeks you can take a little out to use but we still recommend you shake the jar as often as you can to continue the extraction process and guarantee a strong Jow.
Do I have to grind up the herbs when I receive my kit(s)?
No, we send you the herbs ready to pour in your jar. Some herbs are ground to a powder and some are not. There are some herbs that lose some potency when ground to a powder, especially if it is done with a machine since the speed of the blades creates excess heat which can damage the herbs. So we grind by hand the herbs required to make a powerful Jow and take the guesswork out for you, making it very easy to prepare.
While their are some instances where you need to grind the herb in a powder like for a medicinal wine, but when preparing a liniment the powdered herbs have tendency to clump together especially the resinous herbs, when this happens they become more difficult to extract, when they clump together the jar needs to shaken with great force and for extended periods of time for proper extraction.
Do the kits make exactly one gallon?
Either kit will make up to 144 ounces, but since a lot of people only can find one gallon glass jars we recommend making a gallon. Of course you can go the opposite way and make only half a gallon and the liniment will be more concentrated and stronger but you will be making less of it. So depending on the size jar you have and how much you want to make will determine your output.
Can you ship to other countries?
Depends on the country, we have a lot of customers in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries. Germany is one country we have had problems with. If you live outside the USA send us a email with what you would like to order and we will check if there are any restrictions with shipping to your country, if not we will give a total price with shipping and handling.
Can I use a Carboy or Demijohn glass container?
Yes, it takes a little more patience to add the herbs since the mouth of the container is small but it can be done as long as you take your time, we still prefer you to use a large mouth opening if at all possible.
Do I throw the herbs out and strain the Jow in 12 months?
No, the herbs will always stay in the jar. The herbs never totally lose 100% of their constituents even after sitting for a few years, that is why the Dit Da Jow gets stronger with age. Besides the Jow getting stronger another benefit with leaving the herbs in the jar is at some point you will run out of liniment and just have the herbs in the jar.
So a nice trick if your jar is large enough and if you are going to make a second batch within 12-18 months is to order a second kit and add that to the jar with herbs from the first batch. Now you have two kits in the jar, just add the alcohol and your second batch will be stronger than the first. If you do not want to add the herbs in with a new kit you can also either by hand using a muslin bag or with a small wine press squeeze the herbs so you get all the liniment out and then throw out the herbs and start fresh again.
Also the herbs in the jar can be used as a poultice for serious injuries. They can be scooped out and wrapped in a gauze or cheesecloth around a injured area. Using the liniment as a compress is really effective for chronic or serious injuries read all about HERE.
How do you apply these liniments on the skin?
The liniments can be applied with your hand or with a cotton ball. When applying on the upper part of the body always go in the direction of your fingertips, lower part of the body go in the direction of your toes, this follows the pattern of your Qi flow. Use enough to saturate the area and let it air dry and use as often as you feel necessary. You can find more information HERE.
Another way to apply is with a leach free roll on applicator, this was recommended by one of our customers and it does a nice job applying to hard to reach or specific acupuncture points of the body, you can read more about this HERE.
Does the jar or container need to be airtight?
Yes it does and that is important, first because the alcohol will evaporate if it is not airtight and second you will need to shake the jar so it must be sealed good, either a twist or clamp down lid is sufficient.
Are these formulas based on any lineage?
Yes both our Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm formulas are Shaolin based and 100% authentic and referred to in the book Shaolin Si Mi Fang Ji Jin which in English means “Highlights of the Shaolin Monasteries Secret Formulas”. All of our other Liniment Kits are based on various lineages like our Wing Chun Dit Da Jow or the Hung Ga Kuen Dit Da Jow
When pouring in a smaller jar for daily use, do I have to strain it?
No, straining is not necessary, it is good to have a little sediment on the bottom of the bottle, just make sure you shake it good before applying.
What methods of payment are accepted?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and of course Paypal. If you use a Paypal link to order you do not need a Paypal account and you can use any credit card to complete your order. If you purchase on our Web Store you can use the above mentioned cards or Paypal to make your purchase. All credit card information is secure and all information you give us is confidential, no credit card information is stored or saved, so when you reorder you must re-enter your credit card information, this is required for your protection.
Can these liniments be taken internally?
No, these liniments are for external use and are not to be used internally. If you want a internal Dit Da Jow look at either ChinKoo or Tieh Ta Wan, we have these here on our shopping cart.
Can I use Dit Da Jow for sore muscles after weightlifting?
Yes, probably the best kept secret out there is Dit Da Jow repairs the micro tears of muscles better than anything out there that can be applied to the skin. After weight training you have what is called delayed onset muscle soreness also referred to as DOMS, small little micro traumas to the muscle. To speed up healing apply the Dit Da Jow to those sore muscles and the soreness disappears fast, promoting faster muscle growth and strength.
I have been buying Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm for years and was wondering if the amount of herbs given in the kits is sufficient for me, I’m a big guy.
Great question, most recipes use the original amounts of herbs from lets say 500+ years ago, for example you will see the herb Hong Hua in a recipe and it says use 9 grams, well that was fine back in the day but today we are bigger, stronger and faster. To offset that we use more herbs than what was used back then so we would use close to 30 grams of Hong Hua which is over 3 times as much to insure that you have a liniment that will work for you. Our kits are larger than what you will find at most online sites.
I’m a Vegan, does your Dit Da Jow contain any animal products?
Our Dit Da Jow and Iron Palm is 100% Vegan or Cruelty Free, actually all our formulas are Cruelty Free and no animals are harmed
I purchased a Jow and it was very hot and did not like it, is yours the same?
No, our Authentic Dit Da Jow Liniment Kit is more neutral to warm in properties and well balanced which is perfect for applying on new injuries or bruises. Applying a hot Jow to a fresh injury can cause more swelling, waiting 24-36 hours is recommended. For a fresh injury you can apply our Authentic Dit Da Jow or use San Huang San also called “Herbal Ice” for the first 24-26 hours then apply your Jow.
Why can’t I use Isopropyl Alcohol instead of vodka?
One of the metabolites of isopropyl alcohol is Acetone which can cause serious health problems with extended use even when applied externally. Isopropyl alcohol is oxidized by the way of alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver. While it is very cheap dollar wise it is not worth the health risk. Read This!
Can I use your Dit Da Jow on an open cut?
As long as it is not bleeding and it is not a big gash, yes you can, read more about it here.
Do you package your kits in plastic bags, most of the kits I see are in plastic
No, we do it the old fashioned way just like if you visited a Chinese Herb shop in your local Chinatown. All kits are double or triple wrapped in recyclable paper thus helping in small way keeping our planet green. There are other reasons we do not use plastic bags that you can read HERE.
How do I use Dit Da Jow as compress?
We have a whole page on this subject, just click on this sentence to read how to do it.
After 4 weeks, when I start using the liniment, do I refill with vodka from time to time?
No, by doing so you would just dilute down the Dit Da Jow or any other liniment you prepared, it would be like preparing a pitcher of lemonade and each time you poured a glass you would add a little water back in the pitcher, it would become diluted down and be a little weaker.
When my liniment gets low in the jar and the jar is almost empty can I just add more vodka and make another batch?
No, that will not work since you have extracted the majority of the constituents out of the herbs which in turn would make a very weak liniment. It would be like making a pot of coffee and when finished making another pot with the same coffee grounds, your coffee would be very weak the second time around.
Can I transfer my Jow from one jar to the next?
Yes, that is no problem, some customers start out with a smaller jar then upgrade to a larger one. A couple tips when doing this is to use a ceramic, glass or stainless steel ladle. First pour the liquid portion from the jar then scoop out the herbs with the ladle. When the jar is empty you can use a little vodka as a rinse to get any leftover herbs that are stuck on the side of the jar.
Quick question, in the old email for the 9 Tigers said to purchase 5 – 1.75 L. The instructions included in the package said to add 3 – 1.75 L. What are the other 2 – 1.75L for?
The other 2- 1.75 liters are to make up what the herbs absorb, you will notice over a 1 to 4 week period the herbs will absorb alcohol like a sponge, that why you make a mark or line after you add the 3- 1.75 liters of vodka. It is a huge kit and it will absorb a lot of alcohol, the mark acts as a guide. That is why we stress to immediately make a mark after you add your vodka, so you have a reference point for adding more vodka after it gets absorbed by the herbs.
If you have a question that you do not see and would like us to add, please send us an email or contact us below.