ECO ALPACA YARN WICK

[UncleIronLungs]

I've done a bit of reading tonight about wicking materials.
I started off looking into rayon then got side tracked by a mention of an ALPACA wick.

From the evidence I've seen about this stuff, it has the potential to be a brilliant natural fibre for us vapours and our endeavours.

Here's a link to the main site...

http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-EcoAlpaca.asp

This stuff is natural and untreated. It has good flame resistance and brilliant wicking ability. True the idea of using animal fleece does seem a bit strange, I'm up for trying anything though to find the safest ways possible to enjoy my vape.

Now here's why I'm posting this topic.

I need your opinions on this material and input about whether or not there may be any possible negatives that I'm unaware of.

What would be the best way to wash this stuff initially? Boiling is out of the question as it causes fraying!

Ill definitely buy in a sample and have a test to see how I get on with it, if there's any funky smells or unsatisfactory burning, gunking etc.

Let me know what you think of the idea.

 

[Zamazam]

Um, go for it! Let us know how it works...

 

[Ellipsis]

a video would be awesome...we could watch your facial expression as the yarn shocks, mats and felts...

 

[Xhalin]

You like gamey tasting Vape huh

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Haha all you nay sayers. Hey we wouldn't get anywhere if we aren't willing to try new things.
Anyone got anything constructive to add?

 

[UncleIronLungs]

I found this business in the UK where i'm planning on sourcing the yarn:

http://www.thetoftalpacashop.co.uk/home.aspx

I've just sent them this message asking about the production process.

Hello,

I'm contacting you because I have a few questions I need answered with regards your alpaca aran yarn.

This may seem a bit odd to you but I'm involved in the ecigarette business. There's an ongoing campaign to test out various different materials to be used as a wicking media for the liquid inside these devices.

I've stumbled across alpaca fleece and it's incredible properties that would make it ideal to be used in this regard.

The main stay for the community at the minute is to use Japanese organic cotton. This cotton has performed well for many people but it still goes through a certain amount of processing before it reaches the consumer.

From what I understand Alpaca yarn from you is 100% natural, untreated and free from anything other than the fleece taken from the Alpaca itself.

Could you confirm for me that this is the case. I need to be 100% certain this product has no chemicals or anything unwanted on it before proceeding with these tests.

Once you can put my mind at ease I will continue with my order and confirm my suspicions on this product.

Thank you for your help.


This is going to be interesting for sure. If this ends up tasting like ass I won't be a happy boy, but it's a ton of yarn for £15 so should last a very long time.

Wish me luck haha.

 

[Xhalin]

I wish you luck .... Just messin with you brother... Take it with a grain of salt... Let us know how it turns out

 

[UncleIronLungs]

I know you are bud, don't worry I'm not one of these high horse people.

I've also seen a comment from another alpaca post where someone replied, 'I bet that spits bad!'. That's quite a pun indeed .

Even if this stuff is the bomb I'm not too sure how easy it's going to be to persuade others to adopt it.

Once I get it sorted etc I'll post pics of the results, with a comparison to organic Japanese cotton. Maybe vape both for a week each or something like that. Anyone got any ideas of parameters are or specifics I could use for a valid test?

 

[Jah]

I've done a bit of reading tonight about wicking materials.
I started off looking into rayon then got side tracked by a mention of an ALPACA wick.

From the evidence I've seen about this stuff, it has the potential to be a brilliant natural fibre for us vapours and our endeavours.

Here's a link to the main site...

http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-EcoAlpaca.asp

This stuff is natural and untreated. It has good flame resistance and brilliant wicking ability. True the idea of using animal fleece does seem a bit strange, I'm up for trying anything though to find the safest ways possible to enjoy my vape.

Now here's why I'm posting this topic.

I need your opinions on this material and input about whether or not there may be any possible negatives that I'm unaware of.

What would be the best way to wash this stuff initially? Boiling is out of the question as it causes fraying!

Ill definitely buy in a sample and have a test to see how I get on with it, if there's any funky smells or unsatisfactory burning, gunking etc.

Let me know what you think of the idea.

as far as cleaning it upon arrival, maybe steaming it (via microwave in a steamer bag). not sure if this would cause the same fraying boiling would, but it would be free of contaminants. What about the dander in the fleece? wouldn't it be filled with organic matter (other than the fleece itself lol).
Either way, im looking forward to hearing more about this, always nice to find something new

 

[UncleIronLungs]

I'll soon tell you about the organic matter on arrival. I hope to God it's had some sort of cleaning to remove that kind of thing!
I'll do a few different cleaning methods to. This way I'll see the extent of fraying that happens during boiling.

Wouldn't it be feasible to use some kind of eco friendly, non bio washing powder or something to give it a good hand wash 1st?

Next time I'm in the supermarket I'll have a look around and see if there's anything available like that.

Thanks for the micro bag suggestion.

 

[Jah]

i would be careful using any solvents other than water on it, even the eco-friendly powders may be a nightmare to completely remove from the fleece after you remove the other stuff from the fleece with it 8)
GL with whatever you try, trying new things for wicking is what brought us rayon, and tons of people love that stuff.

 

[UncleIronLungs]

I've just received this reply from them..

Thanks for getting in touch Jeff.
Our chunky chestnut is completely unprocessed and 100% natural so I believe this could be ideal for you.

Looks like I'll be shooting for the chunky chestnut then..

https://www.thetoftalpacashop.co.uk...CHUNKY/-Chestnut_Alpaca_CHUNKY_Knit_Yarn_200g

I'll give them a call soon to discuss getting a smaller quantity of this or maybe blag a sample.

 

[Whiskey]

Vaping through animal hair?? Not sure...LOL

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Lol I'll be honest with my review. I'll let you all know what it's like to work with, the best method of cleaning. If its easy to fit into my coil, fraying etc.
I'll also be honest about wicking ability and what it's like when vaping, any odd after tastes or anything like that.
I have high hopes for this, just hope it lives up to expectations.

She left me a contact number so I'll give them a bell Thursday and see what I can find out about it and try blagging a smaller sample. 200gms for 30 quid is a tad on the high end for a wicking material.

 

[anendeloflorien]

Sounds pretty interesting, I think it could work quite well.

I don't really have anything all that important to add to the discussion but I worked at a research site on an alpaca farm for a few weeks a couple summers ago and they are awesome animals! They're very social and super clean too. They spend a lot of time grooming each other and in each of the fields all the alpacas chose one spot where they would go to the bathroom which I just found pretty funny/unique

 

[Whiskey]

But does Alpaca hair smell (and or taste) like other hair when it burns? I guess that is what my first thoughts were when I read this.
Also highly flammable.Would have to be treated or coated with a retardant?? And would that be safe to vape.

 

[UncleRJ]

I would tend to think that coming from a critter that in nature does not have a barn to hide in during the rain that the hair/fiber would have some natural oils in it to shed water.

How about just asking them for a small sample?

Just enough for a few builds to see how it goes.

And fraying be damned, I would boil some anyway to make sure it is clean and free of Alpaca BO. So what if your wick looks a bit frayed, it's not going to be in any kind of beauty contest. All you/we care about is how it wicks and taste.

 

[kelli]

I would tend to think that coming from a critter that in nature does not have a barn to hide in during the rain that the hair/fiber would have some natural oils in it to shed water.

How about just asking them for a small sample?

Just enough for a few builds to see how it goes.

And fraying be damned, I would boil some anyway to make sure it is clean and free of Alpaca BO. So what if your wick looks a bit frayed, it's not going to be in any kind of beauty contest. All you/we care about is how it wicks and taste.

maybe it smells like wet dog when you vape.

 

[UncleIronLungs]

I've researched the properties of the yarn. Alpaca is more flame retardant than cotton so it wouldn't burn as easy. Plus burning would only occur if you were dry burning or had a dry hit, which I suspect won't be an issue.

Alpaca yarn doesn't contain lanolin like wool. Wool needs treated in chemicals before use, however due to alpaca not containing this it doesn't need to go through any kind of chemical treatment.

Have a quick browse through Google guys, you'll soon see its got good potential. The proofs in the pudding though I suppose.

 

[UncleRJ]

I never said it did not have potential.

I have tried a few things myself that had potential.

But I always managed to get the source to send me a small sample to try before buying a large lot of the stuff.

Just ask them to send you 6" or so of any scrap or sample material they may have laying around the warehouse before pulling out your credit card.

All that being said, I really do wish you the very best of luck finding the next big thing in wicking material

 

[Whiskey]

We have a few alpaca farms around here, maybe I can snip snip in the moon light, Uncle and send you some....LOL

 

[UncleIronLungs]

I'm up for that whiskey just don't get caught! Haha.

I'll certainly give it a shot trying for some sample material, either way I'll still try it out, credit card to the ready.

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Some interesting information gathered from tests on alpaca fibre...

http://alpacaculture.com/index.php?...alpaca-fiber-study-by-aoba&catid=40&Itemid=90

http://www.askingtoexpert.com/archive/547/is-alpaca-wool-flammable.html

Protein (Silk/Wool, Cashmere, Alpaca etc):
• Burns slowly and shrinks or curls away from the flame. Will not stay lit after flame is removed. Very little smoke is produced but it smells like burnt hair (wool) or feathers (silk). Ash is a gritty powder or a dark brittle, easily crushable bead.

 

[kingworm]

this is a interesting idea . dont really have anything constructive as i dont know much about alpacas except what i learned on the emperors new groove (
that they are all assholes ) but im interested in this. of ypu make it into a rug dont forget you dont wipe it you blot that shit.

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Hahaha @ the emperor's new groove!

Also hand-wash only Xp

 

[UncleRJ]

We have a few alpaca farms around here, maybe I can snip snip in the moon light, Uncle and send you some....LOL

Just be careful of where you are snipping in the moonlight.

Most of the people that own these animals have them for breeding purposes.

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Brings tears to the eyes that does!

 

[Whiskey]

Just be careful of where you are snipping in the moonlight.

Most of the people that own these animals have them for breeding purposes.

 

[kingworm]

i hate when i go to wick my rda and find a pair of nuts at the end.

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Just got off the phone with the company, managed to blag a sample. It's interesting he post today.

When I asked about cleaning and how boiling is not advised, she told me the reason boiling isn't advised is due to shrinkage! She said for the application we're interested in boiling should be fine. Big thumbs up on that one.

Next stage, tests. Hopefully the sample will be of a decent size.

 

[Prsurf2k]

maybe it smells like wet dog when you vape. View attachment 16997

Or smells like burnt hair when it does reach a burning point!!!!! I'm gonna skip this alpaca yarn stuff.

 

[Robert B]

Or smells like burnt hair when it does reach a burning point!!!!! I'm gonna skip this alpaca yarn stuff.

As nasty as rayon is with a dry hit, I can't imagine a dry hit burnt hair taste... makes me want to yack just thinking about it.

vaping animal protein? ewe

 

[MikeSully]

I've vaped an RDA with a loose dog hair on it and got a burnt hair taste without a dry hit. One of the foulest things I've experienced whilst vaping. Good luck vaping on entire wicks made from the stuff. Honestly, cotton is cheap, easy to come by and works very well. Not sure why an alternative is needed, but I hope you find what you are looking for. Godspeed.

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Personally I haven't had a dry hit in a long time. It's all about your setup. If you're getting dry hits you're doing something wrong for sure.
It doesn't matter what material you get dry hits with they'll always taste like crap!

My current setup is cotton, it's good yes but I'm always on the hunt for a wicking material that is totally natural. The thought of chemicals being used in any process is off putting to me, always makes me think what if. Yes maybe they are all washed off from the cotton and rayon but maybe there are trace elements yet!? We just don't know.

Fair enough I doubt anything we vape right now is anywhere near as bad as cancer sticks to our health. But in my mind I want to get to a situation where I can reduce the risks as much as possible.
I sub ohm pretty much always and I'm in need of something that can cope with the demand from that. If this doesn't come up to scratch I'll bin the idea but if it's actually fantastic and ticks all the boxes I can't really understand why people wouldn't adopt this as their preferred wick material.

With regards cost you could get 5 metres worth for about 3 British pounds, if wholesale prices were used. Not too shabby for something that is TOTALLY natural.

I should get chance to do some tests etc this weekend all going well.

 

[Robert B]

Personally I haven't had a dry hit in a long time. It's all about your setup. If you're getting dry hits you're doing something wrong for sure.
It doesn't matter what material you get dry hits with they'll always taste like crap!

My current setup is cotton, it's good yes but I'm always on the hunt for a wicking material that is totally natural. The thought of chemicals being used in any process is off putting to me, always makes me think what if. Yes maybe they are all washed off from the cotton and rayon but maybe there are trace elements yet!? We just don't know.

Fair enough I doubt anything we vape right now is anywhere near as bad as cancer sticks to our health. But in my mind I want to get to a situation where I can reduce the risks as much as possible.
I sub ohm pretty much always and I'm in need of something that can cope with the demand from that. If this doesn't come up to scratch I'll bin the idea but if it's actually fantastic and ticks all the boxes I can't really understand why people wouldn't adopt this as their preferred wick material.

With regards cost you could get 5 metres worth for about 3 British pounds, if wholesale prices were used. Not too shabby for something that is TOTALLY natural.

I should get chance to do some tests etc this weekend all going well.

All due respect my friend, you are about to vape Animal Protein. I wouldn't do it if I were you. I don't know if Alpaca's have ever come down with spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow), but it's a prion disease which is 100% fatal to humans & animals.

"Normal sterilization procedures such as boiling or irradiating materials fail to render prions non-infective"

 

[UncleIronLungs]

The disease can't be transferred from breathing in the fumes!

The farm where I am getting the yarn from has its own alpacas, these animal's are in perfect condition. The UK has strict laws with regards mad cow, so that is not an issue.

 

[kingworm]

All due respect my friend, you are about to vape Animal Protein. I wouldn't do it if I were you. I don't know if Alpaca's have ever come down with spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow), but it's a prion disease which is 100% fatal to humans & animals.

"Normal sterilization procedures such as boiling or irradiating materials fail to render prions non-infective"

prion diseases are transferred through the meat and brain material of animals that have consumed their own species repeatedly creating a misfolded protein (prion) now alpacas are assholes but they dont eat each other. prion diseases are very rare and not all prion diseases can transfer from animal to animal.

as far as that last statement. that is a failure of understanding what the sickness is. its not a infection per say its simply a misfolded protein that the body cant handle.

 

[kingworm]

The disease can't be transferred from breathing in the fumes!

The farm where I am getting the yarn from has its own alpacas, these animal's are in perfect condition. The UK has strict laws with regards mad cow, so that is not an issue.

whats that smell? oh no the mad cow got me!

 

[UncleIronLungs]

There was a serious case of mad cow in the UK back in the early 90's. I used to live near the coast and we had tons of farms around us.
Ended up they had to burn all the carcases down near my local beach. The whole village stank for weeks! Ash and Crap all over from the thick smoke.
Needless to say no one contracted the disease!!

 

[MikeSully]

Personally I haven't had a dry hit in a long time. It's all about your setup. If you're getting dry hits you're doing something wrong for sure.
It doesn't matter what material you get dry hits with they'll always taste like crap!

My current setup is cotton, it's good yes but I'm always on the hunt for a wicking material that is totally natural. The thought of chemicals being used in any process is off putting to me, always makes me think what if. Yes maybe they are all washed off from the cotton and rayon but maybe there are trace elements yet!? We just don't know.

Fair enough I doubt anything we vape right now is anywhere near as bad as cancer sticks to our health. But in my mind I want to get to a situation where I can reduce the risks as much as possible.
I sub ohm pretty much always and I'm in need of something that can cope with the demand from that. If this doesn't come up to scratch I'll bin the idea but if it's actually fantastic and ticks all the boxes I can't really understand why people wouldn't adopt this as their preferred wick material.

With regards cost you could get 5 metres worth for about 3 British pounds, if wholesale prices were used. Not too shabby for something that is TOTALLY natural.

I should get chance to do some tests etc this weekend all going well.

Not sure if you were replying to me here. I said the dog hair tasted like crap without dry hitting. So no, I'm not getting dry hits.

 

[kingworm]

we really need to stop feeding cows other cows. no hamburgers for bessie

 

[Robert B]

There was a serious case of mad cow in the UK back in the early 90's. I used to live near the coast and we had tons of farms around us.
Ended up they had to burn all the carcases down near my local beach. The whole village stank for weeks! Ash and Crap all over from the thick smoke.
Needless to say no one contracted the disease!!

Because it was incinerated. You are not incinerating your lama hair, your vaping/boiling it. But hey, to each is own, vape away

 

[kingworm]

hes also not consuming it. if and its a big if the hair had a prion disease on it he wouldnt actually inhale or eat the hair its only the wick

 

[Robert B]

prion diseases are transferred through the meat and brain material of animals that have consumed their own species repeatedly creating a misfolded protein (prion) now alpacas are assholes but they dont eat each other. prion diseases are very rare and not all prion diseases can transfer from animal to animal.

as far as that last statement. that is a failure of understanding what the sickness is. its not a infection per say its simply a misfolded protein that the body cant handle.

The animals weren't eating each other, they were being fed each other lol

 

[kingworm]

they were still eating each other lol just not willingly

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Not sure if you were replying to me here. I said the dog hair tasted like crap without dry hitting. So no, I'm not getting dry hits.

No mate I was replying to the burn comment.

Honestly though Rob I can assure you these animal's are in tip top condition. I wouldn't want to vape on something from a sick animal anyway, the same as I wouldn't go about eating meat from a sick animal also.

 

[CDZVaper]

Anyone ever tried using Hemp fiber, rope or yarn??

http://www.hempbasics.com/shop/inde...-Webbing&sid=qe7j2e3j95q85zf4lbq6z17jw65b0st3

 

[UncleIronLungs]

Hemp as I'm aware still needs to go through an initial chemical treatment before it's sold.

 

[CDZVaper]

Hemp as I'm aware still needs to go through an initial chemical treatment before it's sold.

I see. Good Luck with the Alpaca, I think it might work. I'd only be sketchy when the wick is getting dry and you can begin to taste the harshness of the cotton. I hope not though could be nasty tasting but Im glad you are willing to sacrifice your time for the good of the vaping communty. Maybe a place on the vaping Mt Rushmore one day?

 

[kingworm]

am in america but if it works and would like to spread the word im willing to try alpaca. without risk there is no reward