Why do we continue to use wooden barrels for aging alcohol? What about the superior taste of some teas prepared in a teapot made from region specific natural clay, with water boiled in an iron kettle? Or the use of briar wood for fine tobacco pipes. Why do these materials live on in a modern age? I think it is about more than just tradition.
It's about the materials themselves, and the way in which they impart complexity into the experience of using them. They are, in themselves, complex. They are not inert, they enhance the experience by interacting with the raw materials in very interesting ways.
The industrial revolution has created the need for materials that react to stress in a predictable way. This has led to the refinement of natural materials into more pure forms. And these materials are perfect for the industrial manufacturing process. So, the makeup of modern vaporizers follows suit. Plastic, stainless steel, glass, ceramic. These materials are most common. But, are they the best materials for the application? It seems to me that their use in vaporizers is more a result of the modern manufacturing process, and less to do with what actually works best for our very specific task.
I have always found that refined materials feel one-dimensional. I don't know exactly what biological process leads to this feeling, but I think that it has something to do with our history of interacting with nature. We have an innate ability to understand the language of materials. The minute details and inconsistencies in wood, stone, metal ore, etc. make it possible for us to interact with those materials on an intimate level, whether we are aware of it or not. The texture of nature is like braille for our brains.
Feom the point of view of someone that makes sculpture, I understand your point entirely. I love how you so eloquently put that "the texture of nature is like braille for our brains"
Having now quit tobacco/nicotine and got comfortable with vaping Cannabis on its own, I can not see what I thought was so fascinating about smoking. The ritual isn't really a ritual, it is simply a means to an end; as the best and easiest way to get the drug into the blood stream. In some ways I'm happy to have plastic vapes (and the tech inside) that make consuming Cannabis feel more clinical and less 'ritualistic'. The modern plastic vape makes me think of 'science', 'health' and "life saving' - in comparison to smoking in which materials such as rolling papers, fire and tobacco bring to mind associations of 'death' and 'ill health'. At the same time plastic, batteries, solder etc all have bad associations such as being 'synthetic' 'toxic' etc. I feel our doubt about these materials lies in their dangers. But actually most of us here trust science. Thats why we are vaping in the first place. I know some devices have published reports or papers that can prove their devices are safe, such as the Volcano. Hopefully more of the vape companies can tap into our belief in science and make the materials/devices that they produce 100% certified for the health conscious. Vaporising is high tech, lets embrace it! Clinical yes. Efficient yes. Soulless maybe. But still with its heart in the right place.
While wood comes from a living thing, that fed on the earths soil, giving it a more individual and natural feel. Vapes that use wood, (excluding the Lotus) all use modern forms of energy to heat the material such as batteries, mains etc, and have electrical components inside. This to me personally seems to somewhat contradict the ethical, connection to nature that wood has. But yes it is true that these vapes have more character. This should be exploited so as to create a vape that creates an experience full of character and soul that complements the character and soul of the very herb you are using!
Wood kind of speaks more of the past, plastic of the future.
In art there was a movement called Arte Povera, meaning poor art; it was characterised by it's use of worthless or organic materials such as wood, rock, wool etc. Glass on the other hand can be seen as a posh material in comparison. Plastic could often be described as cheap which is why I think many don't like plastic vapes, but my point is that I feel in creating that perfect 'character' or 'soul' of a vape one should have certain sensibilities about materials. Even though the MFLB has loads of character I personally feel using a toxic Lithium battery in a natural hand carved wooden box just feels wrong. The lotus as well as having a wooden cap, has cave man fire, which for me has associations with the 4 elements...fire, earth, air, water. The miVape boasts posh, clinical, all glass components, but then wraps itself in cheap plastic. Madness! Any way I think there is something to looking at materials in this way.
While some vaporizers simplify and homogenize the ritual, others compel the user to invest time and effort perfecting technique and understanding subtle nuances in order to maximize the experience. Further, some vaporizers encourage experimentation, which is shared daily on this forum. Log vapes like the HI and Underdog, the Lotus, MFLB, Vapor Genie, Flash Vape and others demand and reward the effort you put into them. And they have plenty of personality and, yes, soul. Some people will always opt for the convenience of a Keurig coffee dispenser while others will painstakingly pull a shot of espresso in pursuit of that perfect cup. I think something similar is happening in vaporizers. Some eschew manual vaporizers that require user investment, others embrace it.
I really like this point. DIY makes things more personal. But in that context I also find the homogenized nature of the plastic vape to be useful when trying to quit smoking as it depersonalises the experience.
Saying this, we the people create cultures such as 'weed culture' and then that culture is sold back to us by the big corporate companies until there is no culture left. Vapes started their humble beginnings in the bedrooms of enthusiasts; now it's a money making business. As the future of vapes is likely dictated by companies with money, our culture may be in their soulless hands. The DIY culture within the vape community will be important in keeping it alive as a real culture created for people rather than purely for profit. The knowledge and materials for mods/experimentation/diy in a dream scenario would hopefully become so accessible and cheap that every one of us would have the ability to make our own perfect vape to match our preferences or even our individual herbs/concentrates; and we won't need Storz & Bickel or Goboof or anyone else to dictate to us how we go about our vaping.
Great thread!
. And everything goes silent.
