This and that cotton

[Giraut]

I'm playing with different types of cottons, to see if there's a type that's better than the other. So far I've tried carded cotton, Koh Gen Do cotton pads, ordinary makeup cotton pads from the supermarket (that I pinched from the missus) and loose white medical cotton from our local chemist.

As far as vaping is concerned, I find the difference is a big fat nothing: they all wick perfectly fine. As far as the wicking job is concerned, I find carded cotton easier to work with, and the Koh Gen Do cotton too dry and too fragile to roll easily into a nice, even wick. As for the loose white cotton, it gives off a faint funny taste for a minute or two, that goes away fairly quickly. And they all last as long in the atty before the wick needs changing.

Am I the only only one to find that, at the end of the day, cotton is cotton is cotton? At the price those makeup pads sell for (Koh Gen Doh or supermarket), I expect something rather more impressive in terms of performances to justify the expense.

 

[wally]

Phil Busardo did a vid on the subject if I remember the rayon and the Japanese cotton came out way in front with rayon being just a little better but he did not approve of the rayon.A PBusardo Video - Wick Testing - Organic Cotton, Hemp, Japanese Cotton, & Rayon

 

[Thunderball]

I'm playing with different types of cottons, to see if there's a type that's better than the other. So far I've tried carded cotton, Koh Gen Do cotton pads, ordinary makeup cotton pads from the supermarket (that I pinched from the missus) and loose white medical cotton from our local chemist.

As far as vaping is concerned, I find the difference is a big fat nothing: they all wick perfectly fine. As far as the wicking job is concerned, I find carded cotton easier to work with, and the Koh Gen Do cotton too dry and too fragile to roll easily into a nice, even wick. As for the loose white cotton, it gives off a faint funny taste for a minute or two, that goes away fairly quickly. And they all last as long in the atty before the wick needs changing.

Am I the only only one to find that, at the end of the day, cotton is cotton is cotton? At the price those makeup pads sell for (Koh Gen Doh or supermarket), I expect something rather more impressive in terms of performances to justify the expense.

I too tried all the cottons I could get my hands on last year and this past summer as well. Im with you. At the end of the day, I find cotton is cotton and one works as well as the other after a few minutes........for me anyway.

The Rayon ( although you didnt ask) may wick better, but it does shrink a bit ( as opposed to cotton seems to slightly expand) Rayon may have a better taste. I go back and forth between cotton and rayon.......probably because I bought the sallys mega box and dont know what else I will do with it.

PS... I liike the cotton balls better than the pre formed squares and flat sheets. I dont like having to have scissors etc.....

 

[Giraut]

Phil Busardo did a vid on the subject if I remember the rayon and the Japanese cotton came out way in front with rayon being just a little better but he did not approve of the rayon.

If it's the video in which he hangs bits of wicking materials and checks how fast the juice goes up, yes I think I've seen that one. If not, well I'll take your word for it, as I'm not sure I can't stand watching another minute of Busardo.

Also, I'm not certain his experiment translates well into real world usage - i.e. with the wick threaded through a coil and pressed into a deck well. After all, the material inside the coil is slightly squished, and that must reduce juice flow, surely. It does with silica, so I see no reason why it wouldn't reduce it with cotton or rayon also.

EDIT: Yes, that's the video.

 

[wally]

Phil Busardo did a vid on the subject if I remember the rayon and the Japanese cotton came out way in front with rayon being just a little better but he did not approve of the rayon.A PBusardo Video - Wick Testing - Organic Cotton, Hemp, Japanese Cotton, & Rayon

Actually after re-viewing this is a very good vid.

 

[driver379]

I too tried all the cottons I could get my hands on last year and this past summer as well. Im with you. At the end of the day, I find cotton is cotton and one works as well as the other after a few minutes........for me anyway.

The Rayon ( although you didnt ask) may wick better, but it does shrink a bit ( as opposed to cotton seems to slightly expand) Rayon may have a better taste. I go back and forth between cotton and rayon.......probably because I bought the sallys mega box and dont know what else I will do with it.

PS... I liike the cotton balls better than the pre formed squares and flat sheets. I dont like having to have scissors etc.....

LOL I ended up with the same big assed box ! Wick for years.

 

[CgS_Drone]

I have the Ko Gen Do, Muji, CVS cotton and the Rayon. I am still playing around with them. The Rayon and Muji are actually my favs. The Rayon as my wicks start to dry doesn't get a really nasty hit right off like cotton does. The Muji has 4 layers where the Ko Gen Do doesn't as much so it's easier to layer apart for me. In the end though if I keep the wicks wet its all about the same other than the ease of working with the Muji when doing the initial wicking.

 

[Huckleberried]

As far as cotton goes, I've tried sterile, plain old, Ko Gen Do and boiled simple cotton yarn. The yarn was was easiest to work with, the flavor lasted better for me between changes than ANY of them and I didn't have to wait around for cotton ball flavor to go away. If cotton were my only option, I'd go with the yarn. I have moved on to another wicking material since, but that was my choice then.

 

[CgS_Drone]

I will say one thing though, Between the 500' of Rayon, 80 pads of Ko Gen Do, 80 Pads of Muji and the role of CVS. I shouldn't need any wicking material for a long time.

 

[Giraut]

Well, I'm normally a silica man myself. I've never liked cotton because it needs changing all the freakin time. But now that I have my new mod that won't destroy cotton wicks, I'm getting back into it, simply because it's easier to build with cotton than with silica.

I'll try rayon some day, if I meet a vaper who'll give me a piece to try out. But for some reason, I have a feeling I won't be terribly impressed. I mean, my cotton builds already makes saturated menthol juice almost unbearable to vape for me - and believe me, I can take a LOT of menthol before feeling I have too much of it in my face - so I'm not sure what more rayon could bring me. Still, I'd like to try it.

 

[Neunerball]

....probably because I bought the sallys mega box and dont know what else I will do with it....

LOL I ended up with the same big assed box ! Wick for years.

You could have utilized it for Christmas decoration. Just my $0.02.

 

[driver379]

As far as cotton goes, I've tried sterile, plain old, Ko Gen Do and boiled simple cotton yarn. The yarn was was easiest to work with, the flavor lasted better for me between changes than ANY of them and I didn't have to wait around for cotton ball flavor to go away. If cotton were my only option, I'd go with the yarn. I have moved on to another wicking material since, but that was my choice then.

What are you using now?

 

[Giraut]

Deleted

 

[Huckleberried]

What are you using now?

Rayon. I got a sample of it in a PIF box I participated in. I was really surprised how much brighter fruit flavors taste. I'm more of a desserts type vaper, but fruits have new life with rayon. I really didn't think it'd be THAT much better. I was wrong, lol.

 

[Browncoat]

I probably haven't tried as many different kinds as some of you posting here, but I'm of the same opinion. Of everything I've tried, wick is wick is wick. Each type has its own little quirks, drawbacks, and advantages...but I'm just not seeing one that stands head and shoulders above the rest as far as flavor or longevity goes.

The best I've come across so far I got from one of the guys at my local B&M. He has family who owns a cotton farm in Georgia, and they send him some. It's picked from the field by hand, cleaned by hand, then sent to him. You don't get much more organic than that. It's about the same as a run-of-the-mill cotton ball, except it's a bit more dense.

 

[Robert B]

I'll try rayon some day, if I meet a vaper who'll give me a piece to try out. But for some reason, I have a feeling I won't be terribly impressed. I mean, my cotton builds already makes saturated menthol juice almost unbearable to vape for me - and believe me, I can take a LOT of menthol before feeling I have too much of it in my face - so I'm not sure what more rayon could bring me. Still, I'd like to try it.

If your in the US, pm me your address and I'll send you some rayon to try if you want.

 

[Giraut]

Ah, thanks Robert, you're very kind. But I'm not in the US. I'm on the other side of the pond. No worries though: I'll probably find someone who uses rayon at the next vape meet at our local B&M.

 

[Neunerball]

....The best I've come across so far I got from one of the guys at my local B&M. He has family who owns a cotton farm in Georgia, and they send him some. It's picked from the field by hand, cleaned by hand, then sent to him. You don't get much more organic than that. It's about the same as a run-of-the-mill cotton ball, except it's a bit more dense....

No offense, how far is the distance between the field and the closest road?

Re. the wick: IMO, it's really subjective. Everyone is unique, and so are their taste buds, and their habits. Just utilize the wick, YOU like best!

 

[Browncoat]

No offense, how far is the distance between the field and the closest road?

I have no idea. He's just a kid who works at the local B&M vape shop. I just took him at his word. He could get the stuff from a dumpster behind Walmart for all I know.

 

[Neunerball]

I have no idea. He's just a kid who works at the local B&M vape shop. I just took him at his word. He could get the stuff from a dumpster behind Walmart for all I know.

It was just a thought of mine. In general, I'm just worried about people calling a product organic and the field they got it from is right next to the Highway.
Somewhat like the jogger next to the road, jogging during rush hour, and thinking he's doing a good job in keeping healthy.

"...To trust is good, to controll is better..."

 

[Giraut]

Well, it's the same when you buy e-liquid isn't it? What tells you this bottle with a shiny nice label wasn't made in somebody's dirty kitchen? I know only a few manufacturers that are big enough and open enough about their manufacturing capabilities that I trust to make juice with quality ingredients and a reasonable level of hygiene. The rest... who knows.

So when you buy organic cotton, unless you're certain of the provenance, or the manufacturer has a good reputation, you're basically trusting them blindly.

 

[Neunerball]

Well, it's the same when you buy e-liquid isn't it? What tells you this bottle with a shiny nice label wasn't made in somebody's dirty kitchen? I know only a few manufacturers that are big enough and open enough about their manufacturing capabilities that I trust to make juice with quality ingredients and a reasonable level of hygiene. The rest... who knows.

So when you buy organic cotton, unless you're certain of the provenance, or the manufacturer has a good reputation, you're basically trusting them blindly.

I totally agree! That's why I quoted:"...To trust is good, to control is better...". It's better to do your research. Luckily, a big VG & PG provider is around the corner (Kennesaw, GA).