Extending the life of your carto...

[cobaltblue]

I've see a number of emergency needs asking for cartos so I thought this might help. I use 510 cartos with the end cap, plug and filler. If you happen to have these, or ones similar, here's a simple way to keep them running (better actually) once the draw gets hard or they start to taste bad. It's also a nice way to use prefilled ones that taste bad from the start when cleaning them doesn't help.

Remove the end cap and plug. Pull out the filling with tweezers. Inside is a wick and a cylinder that surrounds it. These need to stay. Rinse and blow out if you'd like. Add to 10 to 15 drops on the outer edge and you're good to go.

If the cylinder comes out with the filling just take a scissors and cut it lengthwise. With a pair of tweezers, grasp the edge opposite the cut you made. Slip the cylinder over the wick. You're done.

 

[RedDeath5]

so a no fill, drip-ready carto? hmmm...i've got several at home that have fell victim to the dreaded hard-draw-syndrome. problem is, on every carto i've attempted to disembowel wound up giving me everything...atomizer coil and all. is there a trick to this?

 

[kj4lxw]

dogs-nf-carto-mod

Try this link, has some videos.

Just my experience, tried it and didn't really work out for me. Also since advent of the E2 cartos, these new models seem to do the same IMHO. The E2's are working out for me, and they are made for refilling as opposed to the original cartos that can be refilled but have a finite lifespen.

I know we all try to squeeze everybit of life out of our hardware, I do this as much as anyone, but way I see it, considering the cost of these items compared to what we used to spend on analogs, the outlay is minimal, as long as I get a few weeks of use out of a single atty or carto I'm still ahead of the game and happy. Same respect I get at least a month out of each piece of hardware because I am careful of use and do regular cleaning /maintennace of again, brings me out ahead of the game.
Alot depends on your personal habits and usage so ymmv. I generally stick to one flavor per cartos and drip in atty for rotating flavors depending on mood so that helps in prolonging hardware life imo.
I tried filler carto cleaning, boiling, etc. Just seems like alot of hassle for minimal results. Also hit and miss on results of coming cleaning, tasting better, etc.

As far as removing filler I find it is much easier if the carto has been used for awhile, vids on above link should be helpful though.

 

[cobaltblue]

I'm on dial-up but wish I could watch videos. Pretty sure everyone has torn apart their cartos to see if they could make them last and tried this, but was just happy to have found a way to get the cylinder back over the wick after having damaged a few and wanted to share. I'll have to give the new type you mentioned a try once I run out of these. Was just trying to suggest a way for those who haven't seemed to order ahead a way to prolong theirs until they could order some.

 

[kj4lxw]

Nothing wrong with your suggestion. many have posted how they got new life back into old cartos this way. Try that link and you can read what folks had done and their results.
I apologize if I sounded pushy or if it seemed like I hijacked the thread did not mean it as such and was just chiming in as to what worked for me and me only. Hope I didn't come across as a jerk.

 

[cobaltblue]

I appreciate all the info you give, kj. You couldn't be a jerk if you tried!

 

[kj4lxw]

I know people that would beg to differ....

 

[cobaltblue]

Well too bad because I don't believe it.