OST Old School Monarchy MTL, crafted by Rekavape and kindly provided by shareAvape for review, without receiving money or having any working relationship with them. This is a (small) RTA that, with its distinctive aesthetic, might suggest a dripper or even a BF atomizer. It is, in fact, a fully functional RTA with a generous 3ml capacity, initially designed for MTL (Mouth-to-Lung) vaping. Due to its success, a DL (which is actually an RDL) version has also been released, alongside various accessories for customization. The "normal" version came out a few months ago; the one pictured here is the Upgraded version, which addresses some minor flaws of the first.
This atomizer is much smaller than it appears in photos, measuring 31.5 mm in height (excluding drip tip and pin) with a 22 mm diameter. With a 3ml capacity, it feels almost like a "large" dripper rather than a typical tank. The weight, as declared by the manufacturer, is 41 grams, consistent with the original, and it's made from 316 stainless steel. A small spoiler about the airflow: it's fixed but adjustable via airpins.
The packaging is quite distinct from typical styled atomizers, featuring a black tin lid and clear plastic for the rest, all secured by a sort of faux straw. Inside, you'll find the OST Old School by Rekavape, three airpins (plus one already installed), and spare o-rings. Lastly, a card certifies the "Upgraded" version, which, compared to the standard model, boasts higher quality PCTG sections, revised engraving placement indicating the tank extraction point, and optimized 510 threading length.
In my case, the color of the OST Old School available on shareAvape is called "PC + Silver," where "PC" stands for PCTG as indicated on the packaging sticker. It's a fully clear PCTG, not opaque or frosted, but there's a wide selection of aftermarket accessories in various colors and materials, including Black, Peek, and Pei. The drip tip, though seemingly small, has a bore of approximately 3.7 mm, with the "outer" PCTG being quite thin.
The top cap features two small teeth on its underside, designed to lock or unlock it once installed on the tank block. To ensure a watertight seal, there's an o-ring that also prevents the PCTG from being damaged during rotation, as there's no contact with steel, and a second o-ring is installed at the end of the chimney. Aftermarket top caps in other materials are also available on shareAvape. For refilling, there are two large holes that allow air to easily escape as liquid enters.
The tank block is joined by threading on the bell, thus eliminating plastic-to-steel threads, with the plastic section held between two o-rings. When performing thorough cleaning, caution is advised as it's not very thick. Here too, various aftermarket sections are available on shareAvape to customize the OST Old School. The bell design begins to emerge, appearing flat externally. The chimney's diameter is approximately 5.8 mm. The thoughtful addition of thickness to the chimney is excellent, proving much more effective at keeping heat at bay than external dissipation fins.
A brief explanation of the system, which I imagine can be described as a bayonet mount, meaning no threads are involved.
On the tank block, there's a niche that serves several purposes when aligned; this will be visible with the engraved designs on the outer part of the deck. When aligned with the two arrows, it allows the tank block to be extracted or inserted. Rotating it towards the drop symbol closes the liquid control. Moving it towards the airflow hole gradually opens the liquid flow. This makes management and insertion similar to that of a BF atomizer or dripper, with the added benefit of having JFC (Juice Flow Control) and being able to rebuild with a full tank.
Here, you should see the slots that allow liquid supply to the deck and the internal tooth that enables rotation and end-stop. The bell's interior remains flat except for the top, which takes on a sort of domed shape. The bell's diameter, excluding the initial part as it's part of the bayonet system, is 12.5 mm, while its height is 11 mm, still with the benefit of the doubt given the domed section. On the deck, you can see the wicking ports and the nice, high posts.
In detail, the posts are slightly off-axis but remain close together, so this atomizer doesn't favor many wraps – 5 are more than enough, or if you opt for 6, you'd almost need a microcoil. I don't know if the modder's intention was for an atomizer to be built with the coil belly-down, but it's definitely the most natural way to insert the coil. It's possible to install it normally, some might find benefits in rotating it counter-clockwise, or placing the coil with diagonal legs. I've tried all methods, and they all worked, so it's a matter of preference. Be careful with excess wire, or the top cap won't fit.
The bottom cap features some engravings, but what's most interesting is the pin - airflow, where the feeling, more than having a flathead screw, is like dealing with the beloved (at least for me) hex keys, as you insert a flathead screwdriver and, thanks to the rectangular profile, the screwdriver tip doesn't slip. There are 4 airpins / airflows of 1, 1.2, 1.5, and 1.8 mm, plus I believe the airflows from the DL version also made by Rekavape are compatible. The airpin size is engraved on the bottom cap, making them easy to identify.
Unscrewing the airflow also removes the positive post, so be careful with replacements when the build is installed. The JFC system is quite simple, with a mirrored double hole of 2 mm in diameter that allows air to enter, then managed by the 4 airpin holes that then allow passage through the "final" hole of a chosen diameter from those listed. Therefore, the draw remains tighter than a hypothetical airflow ring with 2 + 2 mm holes; the draw is MTL. To replace the airpin, the small peek insulator must also be removed each time and installed on the one you want to insert. In the spare parts, there are o-rings to install on each airpin or keep as spares.
Build: This is (mostly) a 5-wrap atomizer, as it's physically designed that way given its geometry. Rather than adding more wraps, increase the coil's inner diameter, as there's room even for a 3 or 3.5 mm bit. Also, regarding wire gauge, given the atomizer's weight and dimensions, I wouldn't overdo it, and I'd especially stick to a single wire. I personally get along very well with a simple 28g.
Flavor rendition: It's very good and faithful, not overly sweet, and adapts well to "NET" (Naturally Extracted Tobacco) and synthetic tobaccos, including VCT.
Draw: With the mirrored double 1mm hole, there's some noise due to the amount of air entering. But that's all; when vaping, it's a nice draw, with the coil belly-down for contrast, and with the 1.5 mm airpin, it almost touches "distinguished" in the report card for an atomizer without an airflow ring. With a normal coil, however, the 1.2 mm is better if you're looking for a true MTL draw, as the 1.5 mm loses that pleasing "tightness." The presence of a 1.3 or 1.4 mm would certainly have been more useful than the 1.8 mm, but for those who love an open MTL draw, it's perfect. The airiness of the airpins is faithful to what's declared, both in terms of hole diameter and roughly the draw they return, perhaps even tighter.
The management and speed of a dripper, with capacity close to that of many RTAs. I don't know if the name OST Old School comes from wanting to revisit old atomizers, but that's exactly the feeling. There's still the convenience and "modern" touch of the JFC (Juice Flow Control) that further aids ease of use and the ability to rebuild with a full tank. The Rekavape OST Old School version is a work in progress, as aftermarket accessories are still being released on shareAvape that, in addition to aesthetics, also increase the ml capacity, but the "base" version provides a precise idea of the project.
Rekavape Upgraded Monarchy Style MTL OST Old School is available on shareAvape, a shop specializing in RTAs, various box mods, and AIO products, at the following link:
Rekavape Upgraded Monarchy Style MTL OST Old School F-Dama Tank with 4 Air Pins 316SS 22mm 3ML & Reviews - shareAvape in PC (my version), Peek, Pei, and Black plastic parts. Additionally, there's a stainless steel version called Silver (my version), a Black version, and a Dama (damascus-like) version, plus various accessories.
Thanks to the e-cigarette forum community and staff for allowing me to post my impressions.
