Various Wicking Materials.*
Stainless Steel Mesh (SSM):
SSM or Wire cloth is one of the more commonly used wicking materials in rebuildable atomizers. It is preferred by many because of its durability and long life. It is described by many to provide a cleaner taste and will not add particulate matter to your vapor like many glass fiber wicking materials.
SSM comes in a variety of formats. For our purposes the mesh density, weave and allow are the most important factors. Acceptable alloys are 304 and 316. 304 is acceptable, 316 is generally superior in regards to corrosion resistance. Given the properties of SS in general, either alloy is going to be just fine. The weave of the fabric and the mesh density will affect the air gaps or overall density of the mesh. Regarding mesh density you will see it referred to by a number such as 325, or 325x325. This means there are 325 threads per inch, think of it as the thread count on bed sheets. Acceptable thread counts are from 325 (looser) to 500 (tighter). Many people have sworn by 400 mesh as being the best but the rolling process plays a significant factor in your wicks performance. Anything beyond 500 has very little testing. The final factor of the material itself is the weave. You will see a variety of weaves in this particular range of thread counts. The majority will be standard which is a standard over under single weave. A Twill weave will have 2 strands in one direction woven with 1 strand in the perpendicular. Twill will reduce air gap size and can make a 325 twill act more similarly to a 400 standard. Some people report a perfectly clean taste when using SSM, others say there is a metallic taste. Personal preference applies here.
With SSM you will cut an appropriate sized square of material out and then roll it into a tube and oxidize it via heating to red hot and quenching it in a mineral laden liquid (most use tap water). There are a million different permutations of this method so Ill spare you the details and point you to YouTube. Look up your particular atomizer and you should find no less than 10 videos explaining how to create the perfect wick for it.
Organics:
There are a wide variety of organic wicking materials being tested and used. I will briefly cover some of the community findings on the more popular materials. Please keep in mind, any material you pick up may not be pure. It may have been impregnated with any number of chemicals to prevent wear, brighten its appearance, clean it, protect it from pests, remove existing pests, or just to make it smell pretty since a lot of organic compounds smell organic. Proper research, cleaning, and preparation should be taken into consideration before inhaling the fumes from any wicking material. We quit smoking so we wouldnt die, no reason to kill ourselves in a new and creative way.
Cotton: Cotton comes in a variety of formats. Some of the more popular sources are cotton balls, gauze and candle wicking. As stated earlier, check carefully before you use cotton as a wick, it may not be clean. Its never a bad idea to clean your wick before use by boiling and drying though this can have some negative effects on the texture of cotton. Gauze comes with the benefit that it can be purchased sterile and pre-packaged in little paper containers. Due to its medical applications you can see the list of ingredients on the packaging to see if it has been chemically treated. Cotton, like the rest of the organics to follow, cannot be dry fired like SSM. It will simply burn. Cotton will char and you may inhale bits if that happens. It may also fray and small bits of cotton may make their way into your lungs. If you are careful in your wick prep and careful to keep it moist you will minimize the chances of inhaling any cotton bits into your lungs. If you do however manage to suck in some cotton it degrades rapidly and outside of working in a cotton manufacturing plant, poses no serious health risk when inhaled in small quantities. Cotton imparts its on specific flavor to juices for a little while.
Bamboo: similar to cotton and can be found in a variety of formats. You must be extra careful with Bamboo due to the fact that it is almost exclusively used (in fiber format) for yarns and cloth. It is often mixed with other fibers for texture, strength or appearance and very frequently is treated with chemicals. Useage is identical to cotton, prewash if youre so inclined, and never dry fire. Bamboo has been reported to impart its own specific flavor which some are actually fond of, others distaste strongly.
Hemp: Another natural fiber that will almost always be of questionable origin. I strongly recommend pre-washing any hemp thoroughly before use. Other considerations from above apply.
When using organic wicking material your wick formation will be dependent on the format you purchased and by the atomizer you are using. In Genesis style atomizers you can roll up cause or stick a segment of braided yarn through the hole. You will have to experiment with your set up to determine the best arrangement for your particular situation.
The Hybrids and in closing:
Many people are using hybrid wicks to get the best of both worlds so to speak by either wrapping a SSM wick in cotton/bamboo or vice versa and filling a SSM wick with cotton or bamboo fibers. There are many tests out there regarding what the perfect set up is but it will be highly dependent upon the user. If you vape heavily in bursts then you will need a faster wick than someone who vapes 1 to 2 puffs then puts it back in their pocket. The rebuildable atomizer you are using will also dictate what sort of wicking set up works best for you. There are many options and an excess of information available to you here on ECF and in various other sources on the web. Always research anything before you use it in an E-cig whether it be batteries, juice or wicking material. Safety first! I hope this helps.
*(Note: This is not all inclusive of every type of wick material out there, I specifically left silica and other glass fiber materials out because after much research and discussing with a couple of doctors I decided to go with the words of the last Doctor I spoke to.. "without testing you can't know for sure it's going to kill anyone but if there are obviously safer alternatives that don't involve potential mesothelioma... just go with that." I also only included the "most popular" materials as based on the various threads here and elsewhere, if your favorite wicking material has been left out and you feel terribly offended... sorry, it's lonely in rebel land.)
Stainless Steel Mesh (SSM):
SSM or Wire cloth is one of the more commonly used wicking materials in rebuildable atomizers. It is preferred by many because of its durability and long life. It is described by many to provide a cleaner taste and will not add particulate matter to your vapor like many glass fiber wicking materials.
SSM comes in a variety of formats. For our purposes the mesh density, weave and allow are the most important factors. Acceptable alloys are 304 and 316. 304 is acceptable, 316 is generally superior in regards to corrosion resistance. Given the properties of SS in general, either alloy is going to be just fine. The weave of the fabric and the mesh density will affect the air gaps or overall density of the mesh. Regarding mesh density you will see it referred to by a number such as 325, or 325x325. This means there are 325 threads per inch, think of it as the thread count on bed sheets. Acceptable thread counts are from 325 (looser) to 500 (tighter). Many people have sworn by 400 mesh as being the best but the rolling process plays a significant factor in your wicks performance. Anything beyond 500 has very little testing. The final factor of the material itself is the weave. You will see a variety of weaves in this particular range of thread counts. The majority will be standard which is a standard over under single weave. A Twill weave will have 2 strands in one direction woven with 1 strand in the perpendicular. Twill will reduce air gap size and can make a 325 twill act more similarly to a 400 standard. Some people report a perfectly clean taste when using SSM, others say there is a metallic taste. Personal preference applies here.
With SSM you will cut an appropriate sized square of material out and then roll it into a tube and oxidize it via heating to red hot and quenching it in a mineral laden liquid (most use tap water). There are a million different permutations of this method so Ill spare you the details and point you to YouTube. Look up your particular atomizer and you should find no less than 10 videos explaining how to create the perfect wick for it.
Organics:
There are a wide variety of organic wicking materials being tested and used. I will briefly cover some of the community findings on the more popular materials. Please keep in mind, any material you pick up may not be pure. It may have been impregnated with any number of chemicals to prevent wear, brighten its appearance, clean it, protect it from pests, remove existing pests, or just to make it smell pretty since a lot of organic compounds smell organic. Proper research, cleaning, and preparation should be taken into consideration before inhaling the fumes from any wicking material. We quit smoking so we wouldnt die, no reason to kill ourselves in a new and creative way.
Cotton: Cotton comes in a variety of formats. Some of the more popular sources are cotton balls, gauze and candle wicking. As stated earlier, check carefully before you use cotton as a wick, it may not be clean. Its never a bad idea to clean your wick before use by boiling and drying though this can have some negative effects on the texture of cotton. Gauze comes with the benefit that it can be purchased sterile and pre-packaged in little paper containers. Due to its medical applications you can see the list of ingredients on the packaging to see if it has been chemically treated. Cotton, like the rest of the organics to follow, cannot be dry fired like SSM. It will simply burn. Cotton will char and you may inhale bits if that happens. It may also fray and small bits of cotton may make their way into your lungs. If you are careful in your wick prep and careful to keep it moist you will minimize the chances of inhaling any cotton bits into your lungs. If you do however manage to suck in some cotton it degrades rapidly and outside of working in a cotton manufacturing plant, poses no serious health risk when inhaled in small quantities. Cotton imparts its on specific flavor to juices for a little while.
Bamboo: similar to cotton and can be found in a variety of formats. You must be extra careful with Bamboo due to the fact that it is almost exclusively used (in fiber format) for yarns and cloth. It is often mixed with other fibers for texture, strength or appearance and very frequently is treated with chemicals. Useage is identical to cotton, prewash if youre so inclined, and never dry fire. Bamboo has been reported to impart its own specific flavor which some are actually fond of, others distaste strongly.
Hemp: Another natural fiber that will almost always be of questionable origin. I strongly recommend pre-washing any hemp thoroughly before use. Other considerations from above apply.
When using organic wicking material your wick formation will be dependent on the format you purchased and by the atomizer you are using. In Genesis style atomizers you can roll up cause or stick a segment of braided yarn through the hole. You will have to experiment with your set up to determine the best arrangement for your particular situation.
The Hybrids and in closing:
Many people are using hybrid wicks to get the best of both worlds so to speak by either wrapping a SSM wick in cotton/bamboo or vice versa and filling a SSM wick with cotton or bamboo fibers. There are many tests out there regarding what the perfect set up is but it will be highly dependent upon the user. If you vape heavily in bursts then you will need a faster wick than someone who vapes 1 to 2 puffs then puts it back in their pocket. The rebuildable atomizer you are using will also dictate what sort of wicking set up works best for you. There are many options and an excess of information available to you here on ECF and in various other sources on the web. Always research anything before you use it in an E-cig whether it be batteries, juice or wicking material. Safety first! I hope this helps.
*(Note: This is not all inclusive of every type of wick material out there, I specifically left silica and other glass fiber materials out because after much research and discussing with a couple of doctors I decided to go with the words of the last Doctor I spoke to.. "without testing you can't know for sure it's going to kill anyone but if there are obviously safer alternatives that don't involve potential mesothelioma... just go with that." I also only included the "most popular" materials as based on the various threads here and elsewhere, if your favorite wicking material has been left out and you feel terribly offended... sorry, it's lonely in rebel land.)
