wick question

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Vito Capone

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Before I changed over to the aga-t, I tried both cheesecloth and candle wick. The cheesecloth and candle wick I bought at hobby lobby. I boiled both first just to be safe. The candle wick had to "soak" a lot longer before it got good, once it did it was very tasty. The cheesecloth was so so.
 

tenshi

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If you're really nervous about whether or not silica wicks are dangerous, then just use cartomizers until further studies are done concerning wicks. So far the studies that I've studied have used cartomizers as part of their methodology and have indicated that there are no apparent risks to human health from e-cig mist (based on the compounds analyzed). Example, PAH carcinogens are absent and no heavy metals were detected (specifically chromium, arsenic, and nickel which can cause cancer, and lead a known neuro-toxicant).
 

tenshi

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My best guess is to make sure your tanks are always wet... Since the dangerous form of silica is the crystalline silica dust and long term inhaling that dust is what causes silicosis. Crystalline silica is insoluble in water with a melting point of 1710 deg C so I seriously doubt it will enter the vapor phase... But like I said, if it really makes you nervous, just stick to cartomizers till more studies come in.
 

GalenCopes

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Lets put it this way, I sucked on cigarettes for way more years than I want to admit without having any idea of what is in the cigarette and filter. Why would I sit there and worry about the very slight risk that I may suck in the crystalline form of a wet wick? I use a vivi nova and will not change my setup any time soon.

Don't worry, the sky really is not falling!

Galen
 

meli.

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The scare surrounding silica as Tenshi states is based on crystalline silica Dust. There is no conclusive evidence to suggest the silica wicks we are using creates this dust and that it is actually logging itself in our lungs. However, it is wise to keep wicks wet and after dryburns rinse the wicks well before use.

I'll also add that no wicks/fillers be they SS Mesh, Ceramic, Silica, Foam, Fish wicks, Cotton or other Organic Fibers are guaranteed 100% safe, simply because very few things in the world are proven so. At present there has not been Enough testing on the safety of any type of wick.

There are tests underway to prove the safety of SS Mesh and I believe tests are being conducted on silica wicks too. Unfortunately it is a waiting game and until we have conclusive findings we have no way of knowing. But on the Up side as others have already pointed out, our methods of Vaping are far better and far outweigh the Dangers of Smoking.
 

AttyPops

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I switched to SS mesh for the Vivi Nova. I use occasional stock silica wicks too when I don't have a SS mesh prepped and burn out/gunk up a head.

I'm not panicing about it. Many have noted the "disappearing silica" phenomenon...but we don't know how much makes it into the vapor if any. Others insist they get "scratchy throat" although that can happen with just juice vaporization issues too. So..."grain of salt, ounce of prevention" is my current motto. Now let's hope that there's no danger with SS mesh....

Virtually all atomizers and even cartomizers have silica somewhere. Even cartos have them (they are little wrappers around the coil surrounded by filler). Most everyting has something that wicks to a coil and that something has to be heat proof.
 

tenshi

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I've read about the disappearing silica phenomenon too. Due to the insolubility of silica in water, my guess it just stays on the tank as residue until we wash the tank out. As AttyPops said, virtuallly all atomizer and cartomizers have silica... But to me, that's a good thing concerning the future studies on the safety of the silica wicks because the cartomizer studies have proved that e-mist/vaping is safe (no PAH carcinogens nor harmful heavy metals).
 
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