Nicotine Comparisons

[440BB]

One issue with slow/long distance nic shipments is seasonal heat. Whatever the vendor and price, a longer period in transit in hot climates will definitely accelerate nic oxidation. I would opt for the speediest shipping over any other issue if it's shipping internationally.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

OT...perhaps even more so.

Re: 'legal in New Zealand...' At present I like the current 'not illegal' status here in the US of A. At least that keeps the door open for development and a free market.

With legalization I fear 'regulation' will come. Regulation will likely raise prices and establish limits where there have been none. While regulation might offer some protections, so does good sense. It may be that few other than the likes of AEMSA (Big e-liquid in the making) will be pleased with regulation that might come with 'legal' status.

That having been said, how is New Zealand handling 'legalization?'

 

[Cynophobe]

OT...perhaps even more so.

Re: 'legal in New Zealand...' At present I like the current 'not illegal' status here in the US of A. At least that keeps the door open for development and a free market.

With legalization I fear 'regulation' will come. Regulation will likely raise prices and establish limits where there have been none. While regulation might offer some protections, so does good sense.

I'm afraid that "good sense" and our gov (Oz) are not acquainted, for the most part. Back OT. NZ get their nic from where? O/S I would assume. So it would seem to me that nic etc, has some hefty frequent flying points already. I find it as Stylemessiah stated, that the gouging on freight and the turnaround expense if something is awry in quality control it is out of the question for any vendor of a lesser service standard to be of any help. It is an expensive gamble to get imported nic. On legislation. We have advocacy groups here that do very little for the membership except "15 minutes of fame" or infamy in some cases, indirectly lining their pockets in many surreptitious ways along the way.
I wonder how it is that some US vendors can post items for under $20USD while others think of a number, then double it. The USPS Int'l rates are an example. To forwarders, I have had no probs with a cheap internal rate in the US to get it to my 4wder, then cheaper again than a vendors price sent to me in the land of stuff that wants to kill you.

 

[stylemessiah]

Meanwhile, at Vaperstek....

The website freight issue is fixed, and Aussies can now get cheaper freight if they choose

USPS (First Class Package International Service) $27.33
USPS (Priority Mail International) $55.49
FedEx (International Economy) $61.57
USPS (Priority Mail Express International) $75.87
FedEx (International Priority) $80.88
FedEx (International First) $193.79

Previously it was:

FedEx (International Economy) $61.57
USPS (Priority Mail Express International) $75.87
FedEx (International Priority) $80.88
FedEx (International First) $193.79

I want to send a shout out to Penny at Vaperstek for many emails last night and a follow up again today to get the missing freight options fixed on their website. All bar one nic supplier ive dealt with in the past could take notes on customer service.

 

[Vapntime]

So, I got my hands on a CNT Nicotine COA. It is very similar to NicSelect, almost identical, I'm no expert though. One advantage so far though for CNT is that the COA covers alot more 'impurities' including arsenic, cadmium, heavy metals and interestingly residual solvent which I have always wanted to know.

I'm not saying NicSelect doesn't test for these just that CNT have made them available to the public so far. Sometimes more information can sway a purchase even though it might not mean much, for me anyway lol.

Another consideration is that CNT is coming out of a highly regarded drug manufacturing facility in Switzerland. On the other hand NicSelect is coming from Alchem International, a world-class, FDA-inspected manufacturer of plant-based chemicals for the pharmaceutical industry, located in India.

 

[Winblows]

Surely an ever recurrent question.
Durability of 100g/ml PG base sealed and stored in a freezer?

 

[Rossum]

Surely an ever recurrent question.
Durability of 100g/ml PG base sealed and stored in a freezer?

Likely indefinite. Since completing my lifetime stockpile 2 years ago, I use my nic on a FIFO basis. The oldest is from January of 2014, so about 4-1/2 years old. I have yet to detect any changes in it at all. No darkening, and no off smell or taste.

 

[stylemessiah]

Surely an ever recurrent question.
Durability of 100g/ml PG base sealed and stored in a freezer?

As Rossum says, and ive seen others report, it will last a good longish while.

My only point to add is that its far more important the state it arrives in, and getting what you pay for.

As ive mentioned a few times, my first ever nic order from MFS back in 2015 was yellow when it arrived and quickly died in the freezer within a few months, because it was already dodgy when it arrived and was past the tipping point. It also very nearly put me off vaping. So now i always make sure i buy decent nic, and generally i do not buy zombie apocalypse/prepper level amounts, i buy 250ml at a time, and thats good for a year for me usually. Vaping only unflavoured i can definitely gauge any change in my juice, so i wouldnt personally want to get 3 years down the track and crack a bottle (i like many break down my bulk bottle into smaller amber bottles, 50ml - filled to the brim and sealed with tape) and find it was even slightly off, so buying a years worth is just how i prefer to go.

 

[Rossum]

My only point to add is that its far more important the state it arrives in

I agree. If you can avoid doing so, don't order it in the summertime. Exposure to high temperatures does it no favors.
Nic Base Storage: Freezer vs. Room Temp Experiment

Vaping only unflavoured i can definitely gauge any change in my juice

While I don't vape unflavored exclusively, I do vape more unflavored than anything else. It is my "ADV" (currently at 13 mg/ml). So I'm pretty confident I would also notice if a bottle had "turned".

 

[stols001]

LOL Summer's rapid approach (besides other things) made me finish my stock up more quickly.

It hit 109 yesterday. I am NOT ABOUT to order any more nic (and potentially any more flavors for the season either.) I got some batteries recently and I was afraid my mailbox would blow up.

Turns out it was just the neighbor's kid.

Anna

 

[Myk]

Surely an ever recurrent question.
Durability of 100g/ml PG base sealed and stored in a freezer?

I can't give a direct comparison.

100mg that I cut to 50mg then put into 30ml bottles for freezing in 2013 are sill colorless and odorless.
100mg that I just put the liter with the air squeezed out of the PETE bottle in the freezer is slightly yellow from 2015.

I would say in glass with little to no headspace a very long time. In PETE less.

 

[Rossum]

100mg that I cut to 50mg then put into 30ml bottles for freezing in 2013 are sill colorless and odorless.
100mg that I just put the liter with the air squeezed out of the PETE bottle in the freezer is slightly yellow from 2015.

Too many variables to blame this in PET plastic alone. Different batches of nic, with one cut to half strength while the the other wasn't.

That said, I am starting to see some difference between glass and PET plastic in the samples I got specifically for that comparison, but only in the room temperature ones, not the freezer ones.

 

[Myk]

Too many variables to blame this in PET plastic alone. Different batches of nic, with one cut to half strength while the the other wasn't.

That said, I am starting to see some difference between glass and PET plastic in the samples I got specifically for that comparison, but only in the room temperature ones, not the freezer ones.

Too many variables is why I can't give a direct comparison.
How many years have you tested though?
If anything the 50mg should've had more oxygen mixed in when it was cut.

I did taste the 100mg before putting it in the freezer and didn't note any yellow. The 2013 100mg cut to 50mg is as clear as the 2018 100mg. That's enough to convince me that if you're going very long term glass is the way. If using PETE it's somewhat less.

I know from wine making when they switched to PETE for fermenters because of glass' shipping costs that PETE does breathe some.

 

[Rossum]

How many years have you tested though?

The samples that I got specifically to compare PET and glass are just a bit over 1 year old now. I've been meaning to post an update on them in the other thread...

 

[Myk]

The samples that I got specifically to compare PET and glass are just a bit over 1 year old now. I've been meaning to post an update on them in the other thread...

As minor as my yellowing was at 3 years in a freezer (no off smells, haven't tasted yet but it will be soon after a couple partial bottles of the 50mg and 2018 100mg are gone) it may not be noticeable at 1 year.
I bet at 6 years glass vs PETE in the freezer would have the PETE falling behind.

 

[Vapntime]

I agree. If you can avoid doing so, don't order it in the summertime. Exposure to high temperatures does it no favors.
Nic Base Storage: Freezer vs. Room Temp Experiment.

Summer here or summer there hehe

 

[Rossum]

Summer here or summer there hehe

Summer anywhere.

 

[r77r7r]

Lol

 

[gt_1955]

Only drawback to that thinking is that all nic in Oz is imported from the Northern Hemisphere, so winter there is summer here (and vice versa)

 

[Tiglish]

Spring and Autumn would be the best time to import as temps everywhere are much more moderate .