Stepinwolf

Yeah, any creme type flavor does not seem to age well, I had some small samples I made early on go so dark, I was afraid to vape them.

Thankfully I didn't have much, but it still hurts to watch it go down the drain knowing there was good nic in the mix.

Nice to see you again Flash, just quit your bumping into me here in the shadows.

Steampunk

You find that a problem?!

Flashwitt

*chuckles* He thinks it's accidental.

eGopuppy

Impressive CD cabinet Stepinwolf. Even got gloves for serious mixing!

Rose

LOL! Your avatar puppy looks pissed off!

tek

ive missed you flash, how have you been?

Flashwitt

FLAVOR UPDATES!

I have to come back around about the Bavarian Cream from Flavor Apprentice. Yes, it goes dark. BLACK even- and I would care about the color less... except the flavor becomes something else entirely. It's like cloying, sticky molasses-based caramel. Which maybe works for some, but not for me. Sad sad sad.... I have a bunch of little bottles around here now that I can barely stand to open and sniff they're so wretched. BUT- it should also be noted that it doesn't seem to do this until after it's mixed into nicotine or other stuffs. The flavor bottle I bought, unmixed, is still mostly untainted, colorwise, and the flavor of it is MOSTLY the same as when I bought it, if a little less light and airy. I still don't mix with it, and may end up throwing the stuff down the drain. Again...

Like Step, I had to taste the tobacco absolute and tobacco extracts, but unlike Step, I LIKE tobacco a lot even now that I'm not smoking. My opinion is a bit different because of this.

The tobacco Absolute- the thick green stuff- is... well yes, tobacco-ey, but tobaccos are all very different, and this one on the whole is skunkier than I prefer tobacco to be. Plus, ONE drop in a 10 mil of anything else is POWERFUL. Anymore than that, and it goes acidic fast, and turns everything a wretched green, and tastes... like... Well, just nasty. Like the bavarian cream, I now have several mixes that are standing around mocking me.

The Tobacco Flavor is cheap, and you get what you pay for. It's gross. Tastes like nothing so much as old-lady's cold cream. Seriously. So strong I can't even open the bottle without it poisoning my senses. Exact same effect from her PG Tobacco Blend. (I smell that cold cream stuff in the absolute, too, now that i think of it. Also present in the M-type, though not as strong. If you really enjoy tobacco? Steer away from the tobacco extracts, I say.

Toasted Almond from the same source is a staple for me- but only because she discontinued her Chestnut, which was amazing, and the perfect buttery, nutty note in my opinion. I miss it every time I mix, and kick myself for not having bought more when she had it available.

Starting to look like Capella discontinued Buttered Popcorn. It's a friggin conspiracy, I'm telling you!.

OH oh oh! And another JOY from Flavor Apprentice, to dull the sting of the tobaccos- Bourbon Whiskey. It's BOURBONY BLISS! Going to try her rum flavor, too, as soon as my Paypal has something in it again.

berger

So what do you use for tobacco flavors then?

Flashwitt

You tell me, and we'll both know. Actually, I'd been using Totally Green's stuff, but can't afford to order out of Croatia right now, and haven't got the patience to wait for it to age. Liberty Flights makes a range of flavors, but every time I decide to try one, they're out of it. And if they ever bother to restock ANYthing it'd be news to me. They're always running out of things forever.

CountryCarolyn

I have been watching liberty-flights now for several weeks. I want to try that lychee and that passion fruit and now I do not want to try the max b so mark that one off my list, hee hee.

Flash go for that cuban, it doesn't have that "rodent" taste you described nor does it taste like caramel and it is not a sweet one. More of a dry cigar.

I want to try that tuscan reserve also but I can't find any place that carries it in anything smaller than a 30ml.

Stepinwolf

I changed my outlook on tobacco flavors since that earlier post, a little, I do like the nutty 555 type and have been using FA's brand (DK Tobacco base) for a few months now. Not as nutty as I would like, but it's okay, I sort of experiment around with other flavors mixed in, like Cappela's popcorn, peanut butter and other nutty/salty flavors to change it up a little, not enough to overpower but enough to taste a slight difference. (like 16% DK, 4% another flavor) I also usually put a few drops of the pure tobacco (after it has been diluted) in too, just to give it a more natural tobacco flavor, but it takes very little of that or you can overpower a batch.

I tried a few of the other flavors from PA, I really read the reveiws and thought the dill pickle would be good for some reason, it's not, and it practically ruined a cartomizer because I can't get the taste out. The new popcorn is a little better, (well, better than the dill pickle at least) but after it ages it seems to get a bit harsh.

Other than 555 the only mix I use regularly is a peach menthol, with the menthol on the low end like (1/4). I have lots of other flavors to play around with, but those seem to be my current favorites, I will probably get tired of one or the other eventually.

Flashwitt

To save that carto- if it's worth the effort, you might take the Purge or Purify from Vape the Rockies out for a spin. The user reviews are all thumbs up, and the one serious pro review gave it VERY high marks.

Stepinwolf

Yeah, I was lazy and just rinsed it out, normally I run them through my ultrasonic a few times, it gets rid of almost anything.

I even put peach menthol in the cart, I didn't think there would have been that much reside because I hit it a few times then dumped it out, then rinsed it and let it dry, but the flavor still came through, even over the menthol.

Teri

Step, Are you talking about cartos with filler in them? I tried boiling some out when I first started, but after 3 days of letting them get good and dry, they still tasted awful when I filled them.
I am going to try again with my sonic jewelry cleaner and some Everclear this time. Will it work or am i wasting my time? Anyone?

Stepinwolf

Nope, it was a ce 2 carto, it just was not enough to just rinse it with water.

I use vinegar and water to clean mine, usually 50/50 but I have a cheapo ultrasonic that shuts off after 3 mins so it takes it a number of cycles to clean. It doesn't really start to heat up until about 5 or 6 cycles, but usually I run it 10 or more. I just hit the button everytime I am in the kitchen or walking by. I am not sure everclear would work as good as vinegar, and vinegar is definately cheaper, just be sure to rinse them well, and let them dry for a day or so afterwards. I then dry burn to be sure they still work okay.

Normal procedure for me is when a carto gets a bit old/weak, I rinse them in hot water, then toss it in the ultrasonic, and wait to run it when I have enough to just about cover the bottom. I don't run it for just 1 or 2 cartos. Sometimes they work better, sometimes they don't, the ones that don't become spare parts, or at least go into the spare part bin. (never throw anything away, you might need something off it later)

Hope that helps.

HiRezL

I'm using ce2 clearomizers, here's my procedure:
When they are empty I examine them. If they have a crack, I disassemble and run through the ultrasonic. I use a 3 minute ultrasonic that runs on water, I use water that I've filtered through my PUR filtration pitcher. I also disassemble and clean if they are getting hard to draw.
If they are still drawing fine, just re-fill.
I have a large stock of cleaned parts in zip-locs, so I assemble a new clearomizer from pre-cleaned parts, and fill.
After the ultrasonic, I dry all the parts. The atomizer section gets a dry burn. The tubes are examined again, if crack is just one end, I save and reuse, using the uncracked end as the bottom on re-assembly. Both ends cracked, trash it.
I buy new tubes from madvapes 5 for $2. I go through about 10 a month.
Using this system, I haven't had to buy new clearomizers in months, basically all the parts last forever except the tubes. I hear they are coming out with polycarbonate tubes that don't crack, if that is so and they work as advertised, once I get 30 or 40 of those, I should be done buying anything but liquid and the occasional battery.

CountryCarolyn

Teri, I am impatient so sometimes I can't wait for it to dry a few days. I blow force all the water out after I boil. I didn't do this on a few and it was horrible a few days later. Reminded me of mildew, eww. From then on I blow them out, from the mouth end, till not one drop of water lands on my hand. After this step if I am really impatient I will stick the carto on a battery and take about 3 hits, then fill with juice from both ends. Brand new carto.

Like stepinwolf, I find adding salt helps. Once I got froggy and added salt and vinegar. Now I just use salt.

Teri

I'm looking for how to clean the dual coil cartomizers. It would be nice to make them last longer than they do. So far, I have gotten a week out of my first ones. They're just starting to get yucky looking. I figure I might be able to get another week from them, maybe more. I just hate the thought of trashing them if there's a way to clean them.

Can I just put them in the jewelry cleaner with Everclear for about ten minutes?

Stepinwolf

I have tried cleaning the dual in my ultrasonic but not much luck. It's worth a try with everclear I guess.

I know what you are talking about, after a week or so they turn almost black towards the bottom, pretty nasty looking. I may try my steamer, I have used that on cartos with filler with pretty good success. It's just a little hand held steam cleaner with a small nozzle that will fit into the end of cartos.

CountryCarolyn

My 4081's are horrible, very tight, constricting, nothing like the duals. I have some 4081's that I have had for months.

The duals are so nice I haven't boiled one yet and I am in the second week. I have done a simple rinse in hot water and blew it out, works fine and taste good.

Teri

I'll let y'all know what happens when I do clean them then. Step, they aren't black yet, but they are beginning to turn a nice shade of cafe au lait at the bottom.

berger

did you try rinsing and using that brush yet?

Teri

I don't have that brush. I haven't tried cleaning a dual yet ( not even sure how). I see it coming in about week, though.

Teri

Berger, where is that post where you talked about those little brushes? I can't find it. Was that also instructions for cleaning the duals? Can I get those teeny brushes at wreck shack?

RY4

Are you talking about the clear ones? With those, I use hot water from the sink and the spray nozzle. Spray it down, then blow it out. Keep repeating until looks clean again. The brush method is on this thread:

Berger's ram rod method

They have worked well on mine so far.