ACHILLES RDA by Titanium Mods

[AndriaD]

Mine are no different on the base; the number is different, but otherwise I really can't see any differences -- no extra etching on it.

But, I do see the differences as shown in the pic on the first page - mainly, the one that really stands out, is the distance of the stars from the helmet:

I set them up as those on the 1st page are shown, with the one that I think may be authentic on the right -- the stars on each side of the helmet are further from the helmet, than the stars on the Achilles on the left.

I do feel a slight difference in the threads, though I've never noticed particularly which I was using, but one of them, when I take the cap off for a refill, is a freaking monster to get threaded back on, takes forever to get it started; the other goes on very easily; I've also noticed just a *slight* difference in the threads when I put the tanks on; with one of them, there's a distinct feel, almost a "click" or "chunk" if you will, when it's fully threaded, like it's found its home. But as I said, I've never really paid much attention to which I was using when I felt these things. There may be just the *tiniest* difference in how they vape, but it's so extremely slight, I could never tell from the vape which is which -- which tells me that the cloners did a bang-up job on the clone, with only the slight raggedness of the cap's threads and the too-close stars to tell them apart.

Andria

 

[MostlySunny]

This might show what I'm talking about better. The real one is on the left, you can see the scripting "to my friend" on the base and the airhole is on the other side. The numbers on the bottom, the real one font is larger. And since I got one of the last ones, if you're number is higher than 247 I'd venture to say it's a clone as well. Not that it matters much. They both work well.

 

[AndriaD]

This might show what I'm talking about better. The real one is on the left, you can see the scripting "to my friend" on the base and the airhole is on the other side. The numbers on the bottom, the real one font is larger. And since I got one of the last ones, if you're number is higher than 247 I'd venture to say it's a clone as well. Not that it matters much. They both work well.
View attachment 495107

Ahh ok; both of mine are way over 247; the one with the more-distant stars is 0876; the one with the nearer stars is 2207. So I'm guessing that the slight differences are just std. variation.

Still don't understand why they made so few of these, they're such terrific attys. Makes no sense -- design and build a great thing, and then... just stop for no apparent reason.

Andria

 

[MostlySunny]

Ahh ok; both of mine are way over 247; the one with the more-distant stars is 0876; the one with the nearer stars is 2207. So I'm guessing that the slight differences are just std. variation.

Still don't understand why they made so few of these, they're such terrific attys. Makes no sense -- design and build a great thing, and then... just stop for no apparent reason.

Andria

I don't think it's easy to get materials etc in the Ukraine these days. He is still selling the liberty, which is lovely, but I'm not in the market for another expensive purchase. Also, the Achilles came out about 3 yrs ago. http://titanium-mods.com/home/69-liberty-full-titanium.html

 

[AndriaD]

I don't think it's easy to get materials etc in the Ukraine these days. He is still selling the liberty, which is lovely, but I'm not in the market for another expensive purchase. Also, the Achilles came out about 3 yrs ago. http://titanium-mods.com/home/69-liberty-full-titanium.html

Heh... aside from the outrageous price, it looks way too complicated -- all those holes?!?! Good grief!

I'll stick with my clone Achilles.

Andria

 

[TraderX]

I just wanted to give you guys an update. The Achilles arrived about a week ago and it is every bit as awesome and excellent as Bronze and Andria have stated it is, probably even better because I am sure they did not want to over hype it as the holy grail. This tank has got to be the very best kept secret in vaping. I really believe there would be a whole lot of Kayfuns collecting dust if more vapers gave this tank a try! I really am grateful to have seen both Andria's and Bronze's posts about this wonderful tank.

A further update on my Kayfun builds. I have now re-wicked my Kayfuns at least six times or more using the method described by Bronze and Andria exclusively. Without exaggeration, it has totally turned around my Kayfun usage and pleasure! I no longer cross my fingers and hope for the best. I expect a great vape now, and I am getting it every single time! What helped me very specifically was Bronze mentioning to "not" put on the bottom chimney section until my wick was glued to the base with e-liquid. This has simply made a world of difference for me. It was very easy to picture these instructions in my mind, then go forth and actually complete the task properly. I am astounded at how much shorter my wicks are using this method. It is easy to cut the wicks to the proper size so they do not get into the juice channel, and this method just flat out works superbly.

No one likes to admit that they did not know what they were doing on a public forum, but it is clear to me that I truly did not know what I was doing. Yet I was following the directions of well known celebrity vapers on YouTube. What a sad state of affairs it is that so many people are using these videos to learn the "improper" way to wick a Kayfun. I never dreamed a solution could be so simple. I honestly wonder if P.Busardo and others even realize they are wicking improperly, and that a fool proof and easier method exists? Anyway, I am rambling here, which I tend to do when I am happy.

Thank you again Bronze and Andria, you two fine folks made a significant and very enjoyable improvement in my vaping experience, and I really owe you both big time. Thank you again very much!

 

[AndriaD]

I just wanted to give you guys an update. The Achilles arrived about a week ago and it is every bit as awesome and excellent as Bronze and Andria have stated it is, probably even better because I am sure they did not want to over hype it as the holy grail. This tank has got to be the very best kept secret in vaping. I really believe there would be a whole lot of Kayfuns collecting dust if more vapers gave this tank a try! I really am grateful to have seen both Andria's and Bronze's posts about this wonderful tank.

A further update on my Kayfun builds. I have now re-wicked my Kayfuns at least six times or more using the method described by Bronze and Andria exclusively. Without exaggeration, it has totally turned around my Kayfun usage and pleasure! I no longer cross my fingers and hope for the best. I expect a great vape now, and I am getting it every single time! What helped me very specifically was Bronze mentioning to "not" put on the bottom chimney section until my wick was glued to the base with e-liquid. This has simply made a world of difference for me. It was very easy to picture these instructions in my mind, then go forth and actually complete the task properly. I am astounded at how much shorter my wicks are using this method. It is easy to cut the wicks to the proper size so they do not get into the juice channel, and this method just flat out works superbly.

No one likes to admit that they did not know what they were doing on a public forum, but it is clear to me that I truly did not know what I was doing. Yet I was following the directions of well known celebrity vapers on YouTube. What a sad state of affairs it is that so many people are using these videos to learn the "improper" way to wick a Kayfun. I never dreamed a solution could be so simple. I honestly wonder if P.Busardo and others even realize they are wicking improperly, and that a fool proof and easier method exists? Anyway, I am rambling here, which I tend to do when I am happy.

Thank you again Bronze and Andria, you two fine folks made a significant and very enjoyable improvement in my vaping experience, and I really owe you both big time. Thank you again very much!

Yeah, wicking them correctly really puts the FUN in Kayfun! I tried it the "bunnyears" way at first too, but it never worked right; it makes the wicks much too long, and they choke the thing so that neither liquid nor air "flows" properly.

I just re-inserted the whistle-screw in one of my Achilles last night. As I'd mentioned, my two vape just slightly differently, and I finally figured out that one of them was just too airy for me, without its screw, though the other one is perfectly tight, and also without its screw. Those danged tiny screws are not easy to get back in! I managed to get it started with one of the tiny bluedrivers, a phillips-head one, and then was able to finish tightening it to flush with the hex-key that came with it. Now it vapes just as tightly and perfectly as the other one.

There was a post recently somewhere on the forum about an Achilles II; I googled it, and the only place I could find it was the original mfr, titanium-mods.com -- but of course, it said "no longer available" even though titanium-mods made a FB post about it on Oct 7... what the heck is it with those guys? They make like 10 at a time or something and then just give up on a design? Anyway, it's pretty; shinier than the original, lower-profile, BUT, it has a bigger airhole, so I'm not sure I'd like it anyway; the wonderful tightness of the draw is my most-favorite thing about the Achilles, and messing with that just makes it as mediocre as every other RDA I've ever tried. It comes with a matching driptip, which is pretty, but of course I'd have to use my angled-adapter with it, to keep the hot-spats off my lips. How people can vape an RDA and not have hot ejuice in their mouth constantly is quite beyond me; the only way I've found to fix it is either the angled adapter, or a knucklehead driptip; the hot spats go straight up, but don't curve around the angle to hit my mouth.

I don't know what mfr makes the Achilles clone, but it will be interesting to see if they decide to clone the Achilles II, since the original makers don't seem to have any interest in making enough of them to meet demand. If I could get a clone A2 that was cheap enough, I might try it out, see if I could tighten the airflow sufficiently to make it enjoyable to vape.

Andria

 

[CaveFurby]

Andria...I just noticed your post from yesterday. This is really ironic, I knew nothing about the Achilles II until a week ago. I really like unusual/interesting rdas and drippers...and this one really caught my eye, watched all the vids and read everything I could on it. I ordered a clone a couple days ago...and can't wait. Looks like it will be a perfect rda for me for those slow long drags with great flavor. I assume its about equivalent to say a nautilus in its draw?
Actually it was the Prometey atomizer I saw first, and I ordered that too....both are clones but from the pics and what I've read they both look really nice! I think I've found my new two favorites!

 

[Bronze]

Trader, I'm glad the Achilles and Kayfun are working out for you. I think you are at a point now where you can say wicking the Kayfun is a piece of cake. It is not complicated once you know how it is done. While I believe drippers impart more flavor than tanks (marginally), tanks still have their place. I prefer a Kayfun over an Achilles when I can't bother myself with frequent refills. Yes, the Achilles has a nice juice capacity (among the best in RDAs) but they still require more refilling than a Kayfun.

Last note on the Kayfun: You should be able to easily replace your wick on the Kayfun (or any atty for that matter). Simply snip off one end close to the coil and pull it out from the other end. Hold the coil in place with your fingernail so it doesn't deform from yanking on it. Give it a dry burn. Replace the wick. Your coil should last months. Especially if you're using 28 gauge or thicker wire. Replacing the wick is no big deal and I do it approximately every 10mls but your juice will tell you how often is necessary. It varies greatly depending on how clean or how gunky your juice burns.

 

[AndriaD]

Andria...I just noticed your post from yesterday. This is really ironic, I knew nothing about the Achilles II until a week ago. I really like unusual/interesting rdas and drippers...and this one really caught my eye, watched all the vids and read everything I could on it. I ordered a clone a couple days ago...and can't wait. Looks like it will be a perfect rda for me for those slow long drags with great flavor. I assume its about equivalent to say a nautilus in its draw?
Actually it was the Prometey atomizer I saw first, and I ordered that too....both are clones but from the pics and what I've read they both look really nice! I think I've found my new two favorites!

It might be like the Nautilus on the absolute smallest hole, though truthfully, I tried the Nautilus for such a short time before deciding I hated it and sold it, I don't really recall. But the Achilles has a VERY tight draw, actually quite similar to a carto. That's why I like it -- as tight as a carto, with as much flavor as a Kayfun, plus top-fill and never leaking... it's just perfect.

Andria

 

[CaveFurby]

Ok. I have used cartos and liked them, both alone and in my carto tank, so I understand. I'm seriously impressed by the design of the Achilles, the deep wells, the elevated cone, the o-ring seals, the simplicity of a single coil. Its a very, very handsome rda. Seriously happy I found a nice clone of it!

 

[AndriaD]

Trader, I'm glad the Achilles and Kayfun are working out for you. I think you are at a point now where you can say wicking the Kayfun is a piece of cake. It is not complicated once you know how it is done. While I believe drippers impart more flavor than tanks (marginally), tanks still have their place. I prefer a Kayfun over an Achilles when I can't bother myself with frequent refills. Yes, the Achilles has a nice juice capacity (among the best in RDAs) but they still require more refilling than a Kayfun.

Last note on the Kayfun: You should be able to easily replace your wick on the Kayfun (or any atty for that matter). Simply snip off one end close to the coil and pull it out from the other end. Hold the coil in place with your fingernail so it doesn't deform from yanking on it. Give it a dry burn. Replace the wick. Your coil should last months. Especially if you're using 28 gauge or thicker wire. Replacing the wick is no big deal and I do it approximately every 10mls but your juice will tell you how often is necessary. It varies greatly depending on how clean or how gunky your juice burns.

I used to love that terrific capacity of Kayfuns, very seldom needing to refill them... but then I started making this strawberry & cream DIY, which is such a massive gunker that using it in a Kayfun meant a LOT of wasted juice; although it didn't taste bad when it turned brown, my husband told me it stank badly, like "burnt crap" (he actually said the S word, but you get what I mean). I thought if it smelled that bad, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to vape it, so I'd end up wasting 2-3 ml down the drain. That was the primary reason I kept trying to find a good RDA that I would really enjoy using; the Magma came close, but its leakage problems and needing to keep it vertical at all times meant I couldn't really take it anywhere.

When I found the Achilles, ah, pure rejoicing! It doesn't leak, even if I lay it down on its side; the 2.5ml is enough capacity that I don't have to constantly fiddle with it, but it reduces wastage CONSIDERABLY -- when I dump out the brown dregs of the well, it's never more than a few drops. And I just LOVE that I don't have to constantly be taking it off the mod, just to refill it; the CF4 and iStick30 I use most often both have stainless threads, so they resist wear, but I'm sure they're not completely impervious; it's nice that I don't have to challenge them so often.

Andria

 

[RipCigs]

Well, you've convinced me. I want one
Does FiF have free international shipping? Honestly never heard of them before. I wanted to order one but all i got are these disabled Vote buttons, what's up with that? Out of stock?

 

[CaveFurby]

I'm not sure what that means either, curious.

 

[AndriaD]

Yeah that means they're currently out of stock. They didn't take long to get more, last time it happened.

Andria

 

[RipCigs]

I have asked FiF, and they replied:

Good afternoon! Achilles is not in production anymore, Yeahsmo plan to make Achilles v2 soon, but not Achilles.

:/

 

[PoliticallyIncorrect]

I'm very late to this party. I just discovered the Achilles yesterday (in photographs and descriptions), and I haven't been this excited about a hunk of metal since the first time I saw a Magma. Which turned out to be a leaky little SOB.

From the sound of things, I'm too late. I've worn my fingers down Googling the thing—no luck. None in stock, not here, not on the Pacific Rim (unless you're interested in a bulk shipment of 1,000 pieces), none on Ebay. And don't even think about the Ukraine.

Maybe, sooner or later, an Achilles II might show up, but I'm worried about the big-bore DT on it (I'm a tootle-puffer, don't do lung hits). Does anyone know if it's replaceable with a standard 510 DT?

 

[Skitterpop]

I had one in my cart 3 weeks ago, got a phone call and forgot about the order. Remembered today went to order and well you all know the story. I guess I will wait for the version 2 to show up.

 

[Bronze]

I have asked FiF, and they replied:

Good afternoon! Achilles is not in production anymore, Yeahsmo plan to make Achilles v2 soon, but not Achilles.

:/

Hmm, did they give you a time table?

Sure glad I got my three when I did.

 

[AndriaD]

I'm very late to this party. I just discovered the Achilles yesterday (in photographs and descriptions), and I haven't been this excited about a hunk of metal since the first time I saw a Magma. Which turned out to be a leaky little SOB.

From the sound of things, I'm too late. I've worn my fingers down Googling the thing—no luck. None in stock, not here, not on the Pacific Rim (unless you're interested in a bulk shipment of 1,000 pieces), none on Ebay. And don't even think about the Ukraine.

Maybe, sooner or later, an Achilles II might show up, but I'm worried about the big-bore DT on it (I'm a tootle-puffer, don't do lung hits). Does anyone know if it's replaceable with a standard 510 DT?

It's a nice looking driptip, but yeah, much too wide bore. Looks like a regular driptip connector though, though it has 2 o-rings instead of 1. I'd still have to use either an angled-adapter or a knucklehead, to keep hot juice off my lips, so I'm less worried abut that, than I am about that huge opening on the air-hole stack. It's like they're trying to remove the best part of the Achilles so it'll suit cloud chasers better -- even though they have a veritable avalanche of good attys available to them!

Andria