Healthiest way(s) to use the VaporGenie

[LifeOpus]

Hey FC!

I bought a VaporGenie due to its price range--if other, more favorable vaporizers (i.e. MFLB or Lotus) were in my range, this problem would be easily solved. I would like to be able to vaporize with health effects as minimized as possible as far as lighters go; however, I've done a lot of reading around on the internet (of course, after I bought it, right?), and there's a really large lack of consensus on what the safest lighter to use is, somewhat flimsy arguments of which seem to include:

• Soft flame lighters
  • Butane combustion either
    • doesn't burn cleanly due to impurities or otherwise
      
    • only yields water & carbon dioxide
    • yields water & carbon dioxide, as well as carbon and carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion
  • Uses rare Earth metals in the flint
    • which is toxic, but can be avoided by lighting prior to using the flame
• Torches
  • Butane
    • burns much cleaner than in soft flame lighters
      
    • emits more butane
• Hemp wick
  • burns cleaner than butane because it's natural
• etc.

Now, I would like to go about determining what the so-called best way to vaporize is. As far as Bic having "impurities", the MSDS confirmed the presence of isobutane in Bics at 100%. Beyond this, combustion of alkanes such as butane will reasonably be incomplete to an extent, yielding some carbon/carbon monoxide; I don't see any other reason butane would pose much of a problem, at least not what I see most people making it out to be. For hemp wick, I don't see the logic at all from a health perspective because Cannabis combustion by-products are guaranteed (what we're trying to escape from with vaporizers, albeit they'd be lessened!)

I'm beginning to think--for me--the best option would have been something like a MFLB rather than the VaporGenie because it doesn't require lighter input and avoids the fume issue altogether, but I'd like to make do with what I have if at all possible while being healthy. If anyone could provide input on the issues at-hand, it would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to contradict anything I said, as I truly would like to know!

 

[Skyscraper]

You aren't smoking out of a pipe with no filter but a metal screen (or maybe no screen in a glass spoon). The VaporGenie is already a big step up compared to that. Get an electric ignition lighter of some kind. Torches also work. Hempwick on the other hand is not recommended. I've smoked with hempwick before and found it to be harsh and contributed a taste to the herb that was like rope. It also supplies a weak flame.

 

[JimmyCricket]

You should be fine with a torch lighter like the ones that come with the Lotus/Vapman.

http://vaporgenie.com/lighters

 

[max]

I've done a lot of reading around on the internet (of course, after I bought it, right?), and there's a really large lack of consensus on what the safest lighter to use is

Lack of consensus doesn't mean there's no true answer. A torch lighter burns all the carbon that a regular butane lighter doesn't, and that's a fact. How much butane comes out of the lighter is irrelevant when it all gets burned, and it does. Get 5 times refined butane and you won't have to worry about impurities either. Unlike butane powered vapes like the Lotus and Vapman though, the Genie manuf. recommends using a regular lighter instead of a torch.

The Genie and MF both have a larger learning curve than battery operated units, since the user has to control the heat via how long it's applied. Both models are still a good choice for many people. It's all about finding a type of vape that suits you.

 

[bounce5]

You aren't smoking out of a pipe with no filter but a metal screen (or maybe no screen in a glass spoon). The VaporGenie is already a big step up compared to that. Get an electric ignition lighter of some kind. Torches also work. Hempwick on the other hand is not recommended. I've smoked with hempwick before and found it to be harsh and contributed a taste to the herb that was like rope. It also supplies a weak flame.

Check out the Vaporgenie forum for more tips:
http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/vaporgenie.1/page-136

Vitolo just posted a video about how to use the VG with hempwick by braiding it. One of the big tips I learned was that you can't use candlelight (bics..etc.) lighters or hempwick all the time because it leaves soot on the ceramic filter...and apparently that ruins it. Used with a bic or hempwick once in a while, possibly not an issue. It can be restored by taking it out and heating it up until it's red using a torch lighter...but I'm not sure if it really restores it back to like new condition...So for daily use torch lighter is the way to go. I also read using it with a torch lighter will slowy get rid of soot, if any built up on it from previous use.

 

[KidFated.]

Torch for the win.

 

[JiggyJack]

I tended to use a torch even though they say to use butane. Either way I never liked the idea of inhaling whatever fumes came off them so I tended to use it more like the Vapman.

I'd hold it upside down and heat the ceramic for a bit and then take a draw, alternating between a few seconds of heat and draw (I had a little candle/lantern that had a perfect ring to put the headpiece in over a candle and would pre-heat the disc).

https://instagram.com/p/0qtHq2LoLC/