What's wrong with regular cotton?

[gpjoe]

I was using organic cotton balls for the longest time but switched to Japanese cotton pads, which I prefer for the ease of use. As some others have stated it is much easier to get a consistent wick using a pad and a sharp pair of scissors. I can't detect any difference in taste.

 

[AndriaD]

Hi everyone, why is everybody against regular cotton, it's not bleached with clorox, just with Hydrogen Peroxide - A super-charged water with an extra atom of Oxygen: H2O2 .... Correct me if I am wrong

I really can't explain it, and I certainly never expected it, but I've tried both "sterile cotton balls" (regular ol cotton) and "organic cotton balls"... and the flavor is probably 10 times better with the organic. No idea why, I just know it's true. Someday I'll try the KGD japanese cotton, but so far, organic cotton and also rayon are just fine.

Also you don't need to boil the organic; boiling them actually makes them taste bad; if they are not dried very carefully, fungus can grow in them.

Andria

 

[DaveP]

The best I've used has been Koh Gen Do Japanese cotton in pads. The pads are combed well and the fibers look parallel compared to cotton balls. I also like the salon coil cotton from Sally's Beauty Supply. I haven't yet tried the rayon cellucotton yet. My local store was out last time I was in.

 

[EBates]

Naah, I just steal a few Sterile cotton balls from wife's makeup stuff. Pinch off a little bit of a cotton ball, stuff it into the coil of my kayfun and vape on.

Tried some Organic cotton last week (BIL has some) I was not thrown into fits of WOW. So, I'm back to the stash I stole from the wife. I guess I just don't git it.

 

[capthook]

 

[capthook]

 

[Balazs Jarosi]

Im using Johnson's Baby cotton balls. Also tried the ... organic cotton pads. No difference for me at all.

I prefer the balls because you can just go to any store and buy them, while the ... pads needs to be ordered.

Peace

 

[SLIPPY_EEL]

i really like regular old cotton balls wicked like this guy shows>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1hqRp9TDDE

 

[xpen]

I prefer the cotton pads.. sterile cotton tastes funky for some time, probably because of the bleaching agents they use for making it white.
Since KGD went ballistic in price (and very hard to find, of course), I've resorted to muji 'ecru' pads. Good as well, IMO.

 

[BigEgo]

Honestly, because it caught on. Its as simple as that.

Guys grossly exaggerated how amazingly fantastical super duper amazing uber mega better the flavor was, threw in a few words like organic, then a few negative words about the normal stuff like pesticide and chemical then the giant circle jerk of people convincing each other its the greatest thing since sliced bread got rolling...

...perception...

...placebo effect....

...take your pick.

At this point in time, there's absolutely nothing proving one type of wick safer or healthier than any other. Anyone proclaiming one is safer than the other is talking out their rear. (damned word filters)

Yep, which is why I would like to see actual scientists take these wicks into a lab and run the vaper through a GC-MS.

I am personally not sold that cotton is the best wicking material. For one, it's burn temperature is low. This isn't usually a problem, but I am sure we all are inhaling some burnt cotton. And, two, raw cotton is a known health hazard (that's why they treat it) and cotton mill workers have to protect themselves or risk contracting byssinosis (lung disease). Now, it's doubtful we are inhaling lots of loose cotton fibers since the wick is saturated but it is something that makes me wonder about the safety.

In a way, I worry more about organic cotton than I do bleached. Organic cotton hasn't been treated (at least not the way regular cotton is) and is therefore subject to potential bacterial contamination. Cotton is a plant and gram negative bacteria naturally grows inside it. This is why only sterile cotton is used for medical purposes. I have vaped sterile cotton and I get a weird taste (probably from it's treatment), so that's a non-starter for me. Also, some people have reported allergic reactions when vaping on cotton, which means that something from the cotton is being transferred into the vapor (I think we all knew that anyway).

I think the industry should look into some synthetic materials with very high heat tolerances (ceramics, etc.). Ekowool looks good, but I haven't tried it. There are various mineral wools out there as well (though I have no idea how it would work in an e-cig).

 

[xpen]

Keep in mind that eliquid vaporizes well beyond 100 degrees Celsius, and that should be enough to kill/disable just about any dangerous (living) stuff in the wick..
I don't think much cotton gets a chance to become airborne from a wet wick.. if on the other hand the wick is dry, you are definitely going to notice it [emoji2]
The best solution would/will be no wick at all, but until such a technology breakthrough is available well I'll keep on going with organic wicks.