Not One, But Two Newbie-Style Questions

[ddavelarsen]

That's right; I'm nothing if not efficient. Two questions for one subject line.

Here's the first: Does nicotine content have anything to do with the throat hit? Or is it that my mad vaping skilz are coming online? I switched from 36 to 48mg nic level, and switched suppliers, so don't know which it is, but I'm getting a much better hit with the new stuff. Any ideas?

And here's the second: Does the throat hit slack off as the atomizer warms up? I'm using a small penstyle with cartomizer - Vapor King from Vapor4Life.com. The vapor production absolutely seems to fall off as the cartomizer warms up. I'm taking to using two units simultaneously, letting one cool while I switch to the other. Is this expected?

Thanks for any help. This place has been a trove of good advice and I appreciate it all.

[keenan]

To the first question, dont quote me, but I believe I read somewhere that the higher the nic content, the stronger throat hit. I have only used 24mg, so I cant say from experience.

For the second question, my 510 atty getting hot definitly affects throat hit and vapor production. If Im vaping like crazy, after a while I notice a drop off, so I set it down for a few minutes. After a short rest, shes good to go !

[Christopher]

Here's the first: Does nicotine content have anything to do with the throat hit? Or is it that my mad vaping skilz are coming online? I switched from 36 to 48mg nic level, and switched suppliers, so don't know which it is, but I'm getting a much better hit with the new stuff. Any ideas?

Both. The higher nic content will give you more throat hit. Although to be honest I think 48mg is a little high. That's only my personal opinion though.

Second, as with anything you've probably fined tuned your vaping skills. Just the same way you learned to smoke cigarettes you are learning to vape to what appeals to your taste.

And here's the second: Does the throat hit slack off as the atomizer warms up? I'm using a small penstyle with cartomizer - Vapor King from Vapor4Life.com. The vapor production absolutely seems to fall off as the cartomizer warms up. I'm taking to using two units simultaneously, letting one cool while I switch to the other. Is this expected?

There are a couple things in play here, first off cartomizers although convenient are not consistent. Second I don't think the heat is what causes the drop in throat hit so much as it's you getting used to the hit after a long vape session.

Ever remember not being able to smoke an analog for say a couple of hours, then you finally get a chance to smoke and you got a little light headed? Then there would be other occasions say while drinking, in which you could pound a pack with no problem and definitely have no light feeling, that's because during that particular session, your body become accustomed to what was coming in.

Our bodies are incredible machines which can adjust to the most abnormal situations. A simple example would be a construction worker, his/her hands are more likely to build up callus than say a desk job worker. My assumption is when you vape your throat builds up a bit of resistance, then after a break things go back to normal. This would explain harsher throat hit when you vape in the morning. The linings of your throat are very sensitive.

[kitsune]

I'll add my 2 cents

1. 48 mg does seem a bit high--be careful with that. I use 18 mg with the 510 and get an excellent throat hit. I might just be the brand you are using. The other thing I do is to add just a small amount of menthol to all my liquids--doesn't taste like menthol, but adds to the throat hit.

2. When I am vaping more often, I will have 2 units in use and alternate. When the atty is cool, the throat hit is improved.

3. I also find if the throat hit/vapor drops off--I add a drop directly to the atomizer

Happy vaping

[keenan]

@ Chris - You are SOOOO much better st answering these questions then I am !

@ kitsune - I do EXACTLY the same thing with alternating, works well. I havent tried the menthol trick yet, cause I SOO dont like menthol, but if you say it doesnt add to the flavor, Ill give it a try.

On an un related note - just walked my dog, and there is a STEADY heavy rain outside, VERY rare for Floriduh, so I gotta go dry off. My dog ( dachshund, his name is Oscar Mayer Doodle Kelly ) HATES the rain, and it looked like I was dragging a wet sock through the streets !

[kitsune]

Hey Keenan--I have never been a menthol smoker. with adding menthol--a little goes a long way.

Just love that wet dog smell........

[keenan]

OK, tried the menthol trick. I put 1 drop of VT menthol in a cart that already had VT Traditional, and added 2 more drops as well, and all I can taste is the menthol. Might just be me, as I am so NOT a menthol smoker. Did I not put enuff Traditional ?

[ddavelarsen]

Thanks a million for the good advice - and so quickly! I sure do appreciate the web. I can remember trying to learn unconventional stuff before the internet, and it was very slow going... Living in a small town, small library... You can imagine. Anyway, this forum is a Godsend. Forums generally have been a wonderful advantage in my life. I'm a custom knifemaker, and my learning curve accellerated dramatically when knife making forums came online. Before that, it was trial and error; mostly the latter. This forum has had the same effect for me. Thanks to everyone.

And I appreciate your concern about the 48mg nic level. Honestly though, I am such a hardcore nicotine addict that it's really just a drop in the bucket. Part of that might be my e cig itself, which I'll be carefully atuned to when I get that cool VP2. But 36mg was really not very satifying at all - I had to constantly be vaping or I'd go into nic withdrawal. Or go out to my car to smoke, which became increasingly unpalatable. So anyway, I'll be careful with my dose but I'm pleased with it for now. It's allowed me to quit the analogs entirely... Today! First day, no analogs, no plan to get any. Talk about dancing in the streets! Vape on.

On an un related note - just walked my dog, and there is a STEADY heavy rain outside, VERY rare for Floriduh, so I gotta go dry off. My dog ( dachshund, his name is Oscar Mayer Doodle Kelly ) HATES the rain, and it looked like I was dragging a wet sock through the streets !

Man that's a great image. Thank you for cheering up my workday!

[ddavelarsen]

keenan, I'm watching your experience closely too. My brother is a big menthol vaper but I don't like it. My wife was never a menthol smoker, but likes menthol vapor. (She also likes watermelon. ) Diversity rules!

[kitsune]

Keenan--I usually mix about 10 to 1. i.e--1/2 ml menthol to 5mls whatever flavor you choose. Yes--more traditional. can try a drop or two in ml or so.

Dave--it really amounts to what works for you--there is a lot of trial and error in learning the ins and outs of vaping. We are all so different with our vaping amount and styles. Just ask and somebody will come up with the right answer. Welcome to the vaping world. Really great community.

Happy Vaping

[elem187]

be careful with that high nicotine... I had a bottle of 36mg and started getting terrible side effects (sweating, fast pulse, high blood pressure, nasuea, etc)

get some plain PG with no nicotine and cut that bad boy!

[ddavelarsen]

be careful with that high nicotine... I had a bottle of 36mg and started getting terrible side effects (sweating, fast pulse, high blood pressure, nasuea, etc)

get some plain PG with no nicotine and cut that bad boy!

Thank for your concern. But believe me - I've been a high-intake nicotine addict for 40 years. I smoked two packs of non-filter Pall Malls a day, and it was not enough nicotine; it's just all the smoke I could take. Vaping the 48mg is letting me squeak by without analogs, so that's a good thing! But even at that, it's just barely cutting it. I tried 36mg for several weeks and almost threw in the towel; it just wasn't sufficient nicotine. Maybe when I get a PV that generates some real vapor I'll change my mind, but for now I'm happy at 48.

[SteveD1]

To ddavelarsen

I find myself interested in the Non Menthol stuff...I had smoked regulars for years until a cough in winter drove me to the refreshing menthols.Every spring I would swap back,then one year I hated the regs and stayed with the menthols.Now with dryness in the throat not being a issue I have tried several Tobacco flavors and like the 555 and the Hilton so far and have been looking for a good camel copy to try.Still have to have that menthol vape regularly but the 555 is hard to beat!!

And to answer the cartomizer issue yes they need recovery time I think more time to juice up and cool off.The juice only flows so fast.My 510 recovers well with the auto drip mod with the spring and half the packing a stock cart has.

[keenan]

To ddavelarsen

I find myself interested in the Non Menthol stuff...I had smoked regulars for years until a cough in winter drove me to the refreshing menthols.Every spring I would swap back,then one year I hated the regs and stayed with the menthols.Now with dryness in the throat not being a issue I have tried several Tobacco flavors and like the 555 and the Hilton so far and have been looking for a good camel copy to try.Still have to have that menthol vape regularly but the 555 is hard to beat!!

And to answer the cartomizer issue yes they need recovery time I think more time to juice up and cool off.The juice only flows so fast.My 510 recovers well with the auto drip mod with the spring and half the packing a stock cart has.

I was a DIE HARD Camel Wide smoker for 25 years, when they first came out, and Camel filters before that. Wordupecig.com has a Camel Wide liquid that is REAL good. But like you, 555 is my main vape now. RY4 is pretty close, but I just cant get enough of 555 for now. Actually, Vapor Talk Traditional Tobacco is BETTER than 555, along the same line as far as flavors go. Ive been curious about Hilton, what does that taste like ?

Edited November 26, 2009 by keenan

[Speakeasy]

Thank for your concern. But believe me - I've been a high-intake nicotine addict for 40 years. I smoked two packs of non-filter Pall Malls a day, and it was not enough nicotine; it's just all the smoke I could take. Vaping the 48mg is letting me squeak by without analogs, so that's a good thing! But even at that, it's just barely cutting it. I tried 36mg for several weeks and almost threw in the towel; it just wasn't sufficient nicotine. Maybe when I get a PV that generates some real vapor I'll change my mind, but for now I'm happy at 48.

I understand exactly what you're sayin', ddave. I too am a pretty serious nicoholic. Not only smokes but cigars too, for many years. I'm one of those guys that inhaled cigar smoke the way people inhale cigarettes. And, when I had smoked the cigar too low to keep from burning my nose, I generally chewed on the butt and ate half the thing before I threw it out.

I started with 36mg. I tried to cut it so it would last longer and ended up vaping my brains out to catch up on the nicotine. I've managed to trim my intake down quite a bit by vaping, however, in just a few short weeks. I buy the 48mg when I can so that I can cut it down to 36mg or less. I'm down to about 24mg now. 48mg juice with a 50/50 cut. Vaping will help you trim the nicotine more easily than analogs or NRTs will, but unless your having some side-effects, which I doubt, nicotine isn't really that harmful.

40 years of serious smoking, huh? Thats a long time. People should remember that nicotine is a progressive addiction, like heroine. Your body will gradually build up a larger desire for it over time. I smoked for 30 years. You got 10 years on me. I would hate to think where I might be after 10 more years. Probably just as bad...

[ddavelarsen]

You know, I had a great reply going and messed around and lost it. To summarize,

I'm a 555 fan too, my VP2 is on the way, I really dig gadgetry.

Oh - and Speakeasy I forgot to mention originally that I smoked those Pall Malls down to the nub. My fingers are still stained. Yikes.

[SteveD1]

I was a DIE HARD Camel Wide smoker for 25 years, when they first came out, and Camel filters before that. Wordupecig.com has a Camel Wide liquid that is REAL good. But like you, 555 is my main vape now. RY4 is pretty close, but I just cant get enough of 555 for now. Actually, Vapor Talk Traditional Tobacco is BETTER than 555, along the same line as far as flavors go. Ive been curious about Hilton, what does that taste like ?

Hilton has more of a Tobacco taste to me than 555.I tried 2 flavors from wordup and have had to cut both of them way too strong for me.I am not sure why but the 555 and Nuport in stock blend I would have flushed it.I may try the Camel wide and If I dont like it then its on to another supplier.I need to get some of the VT flavors and I need some of Arno's 555 for sure..I just have too much juice right now.

[ddavelarsen]

Steve, given the likelihood of the FDA shutting this whole thing down I don't think there's such a thing as too much juice - or any other supplies. While juice does have a shelf life, I think a large stock of your favorites is a reasonable idea. Just my .02.

I'm with you on the 555; it has that great nutty flavor that just can't be beat! I dig it. My brother's been vaping a coffee flavor lately and really likes that. I'm going to give it a try today myself. Vape on!