(torch)Lighter based vaporizers & throat irritation

[OhTheAgony]

I've been vaping for about ten months now, but only recently tried my first lighter based vape in the form of a metal - and now also a glass Vapo Bowl. These particular vapes work best with a torch lighter which is what I use as well, mine is filled with ultra refined Ronson butane (just trying to be as detailed as possible here).

I'm really enjoying this way of vaping. I was never really in to bongs when I was a smoker but I am now apparently. The glass & water filtration + the big torch and similar flame are a lot of fun to play around with plus very convenient to use for me, and the vapor is just so dense & satisfying.

The thing is that since a few days I've noticed my throat is really sensitive, as well as the inside of my cheeks and my palate. It kinda feels like light burn wounds to be honest. Is this a normal and known side effect from these type of vapes or am I simply oversensitive and/or doing it wrong? I know I'm always the last one to drink my coffee or finish a hot meal because my mouth burns easily so that already answers a part of my question, but I'm curious about other their experiences with these type of vapes and also to what I can do about it (and if this is perhaps one of the reasons so many of you seem more interested in electronic vaporizers than lighter based vapes). I already changed my technique as much as I could to minimize the amount of direct-flame-inhalation, but I think I also might need a little more filtration/cooling then my 250ml Ehle can provide.

Anyone that has any ideas, thoughts, or better yet experience on the matter please share them here.

 

[Abysmal Vapor]

I think Ronson is crap butane ... At least the one they sell round here in eastern europe LOL .. It has bittering agents and i can smell the sulfur from 5 meters..
My dbv used to irritate my throat much more than both glass and metal vapo bowl.. Also you need to check if your lighter if it is not spraying gas.. Also don't suck the torch flame.. Torches create a narrow stream of hot air straight forward continuing the flame's vector..
I am not trying to say that you are not doing it right.. but if your method differs from mine i suggest you try it.. I am sucking hot air.. not the flame itself.. Use a higher flame if you must but just keep at least 3-5 cm away from the whole.. I also notice that rotating the flame in different angles help effectiveness just as the no ground version of the SSV.. Quick massive clouds without and dark browning is a mastery , so as i said.. Start slowly from a distance.. and by reducing the distance between flame and the cap hole to you likings..
Short Distance + Slow Draw = Combustion.
Short Distance + quick draw = Throat pain
So i suggest medium to far distance and medium quick to slower drawing .
Also you might get some tea to ease your throat pain . Mullein , Mentha piperita, Spearmint , Marshmallow (this one works wonders), Ginger, Propolis ,Elderberry,Camomile.. Lime Blossoms.. Any combo or solo of these herbs will solve your problems with throat i thing ..
For better cooling i suggest crushed ice.. Just put some cubes in the blender or in a bag and smash it with something like they do to CM .

 

[OhTheAgony]

Thanks for the tips Abysmal, especially the ones about flame distance seem to make sense, I'll experiment some more with that & I think I still have some Chamomile left as well so I guess it's tea time.

My flame seems just fine whiteout spraying or leakage, but I do see two different flames. There's a bright blue thin one straight out of the nozzle and another wider blue one of about equal length in front of that that's hardly visible in daylight but clearly there in darker circumstances. Would that last one be the air stream you mention?

I usually stick the bright blue flame in the hole in the Vapo Bowl for a second or 6 - 8 without inhaling, and then move the lighter back until the tip of the second flame barely touches the opening of the Vapo Bowl and inhale for a few seconds until vapor looks really dense in my tube and I start fearing for combustion, and then remove the lighter, inhale some more, remove Vapo Bowl cap and clear the tube.

I think the Ronson butane we get is fine btw(it's suppose to be purified 5 to 8 times). It tastes shitty out of a regular flame Ronson (Varaflame Premier MK1, for the other lighter fetishists out there) lighter but seems tasteless with a torch. Do the cans they sell there say 'ultra purified' as well? I know there's also a cheaper Ronson gas for solder torches etc., perhaps that's what you tried.

 

[djonkoman]

sometimes, especially on sunny days when someone else is using my VG, I clearly see the hot air
you have the bright blue flame, the lighter blue around it as you mention, the hot air is the 'layer'after that, you see it as you always see hot air and it's a pretty big area, bigger as both other flames

 

[OhTheAgony]

Your English-flame-description sounds a lot better than mine Djonko

Do you always use a torch with your VG? I was under the impression regular lighters are preferred among VG users?

 

[crawdad]

Short Distance + Slow Draw = Combustion.
Short Distance + quick draw = Throat pain
So i suggest medium to far distance and medium quick to slower drawing .

ive found similar with my glass vg be it with a torch or flame. i tend to keep it semi-close and draw very slow but only keep the torch fire on for a very short time, initially.

i have more control when using a flame (more slack in how long you can keep it on before combust) but admit prefer to use a torch...it takes a bit to get used to the short heat times in comparison to a flame but as with most things its worth it in the end to take the time to learn.

 

[Nycdeisel]

I know you are talking about a very different kind of flame powered vaporizer, but I have a Supreme which requires a good blue torch flame at all times.
The torch I use is bernzOmatic brand, I use 3x refined bernzomatic butane and I have a large can of Vector as a backup.

I never notice really any irritation in my mouth compared to my other vapes(non flame powered), but then again it is always attached to the bong in my case and it seems you do the same! yes this setup with torch and glass is quite a lot of fun!


My guess would be maybe you are going too hot, or maybe some material in the air or vapor path is causing irritation. BUT its more likely that its the butane!! As i am PRETTY sure that those kinds of units allow you to directly inhale the butane fuel(the only kind that doesnt do this is the Lotus AFAIK) so i would have to say its the actual butane in this case. My Supreme vape would never allow me to inhale butane at all.
BTW Ronson brand does suck. Vector is very high quality, 5x refined and I got a 320ml can at my LHS(local head shop) for 10 bucks.

I would try this butane first and see what happens.

 

[WatTyler]

wrt Ronson butane it's a different version that's sold in the EU and the US. At least, according to Oglesby & Butler- they say that the USA Ronson is not fit for the Iolite, but that the European one is high quality supposedly and suitable for Iolites. I'm thinking the Iolite catalyser is almost as sensitive as the human respiratory system

 

[Nycdeisel]

Well the people who made the Iolite DO make a lot of gas powered items

good butane is why i kept the same torch i have running for years(had another of the same exact one before this, died a few months ago, went and got it again! same butane and it blows strong every time!

try Vector, its over 5x refined, and I hear that its suitable for making BHO(butane hash oil) so it must be pretty pure! and its pretty widely available

 

[OhTheAgony]

Yeah, I'm really not to worried about the butane. This type of Ronson butane is highly recommended here and weird tastes or smells usually put my off right away and non of my alarm bells are ringing in that department. I'm pretty sure it was the heat, keeping the flame further away seems to help already. I didn't have that many bowls today though, but I'll keep an eye on it the next few days and see how it goes.

I've seen you post about the Supreme in a positive way quite a few times NYC. It is a completely different beast than other (cheap) lighter based vapes like the Vapo Bowl and Vapostar indeed, since the flame isn't directly in the airpath and you can keep a close eye on the temperature. I do like it though, but it's in a completely different price range which makes me not like their (lack off) warranty policy to much. You never tried anything like a Vapostar or even a Vapor Genie?

Do you have a picture of that bernzOmatic torch, is it the same one as those guys try (or tried?) to sell as a vaporizer, with the hot air attachment? I always had a thing for lighters but I can now add torches to that as well I guess. I'm using a cheap Chinese creme brullee burner atm but I really want a Blazer GB2001. Unfortunatly the shipping costs and custom fees make it quite expensive to get from over here. The Iroda PT-220 looks nice as well but isn't sold here either unfortunately. I think I'm just gonna buy me a Blazer for Christmas, it's just to pretty not to

 

[Nycdeisel]

Its a very good torch and have seen more then a handful of vaporists own the same torch. this is the exact one I have http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/...0619/Cat/436?gclid=CLLwjay71asCFYZn5QodVFDQMw

I have tried a vaporgenie, it wasnt for me, I also really did not like the taste, though I know many own them and love them. FYI I never tried the newer glass version just the original one.

I understand the Supreme is in a totally different category design and price wise, and that many are hesitant to purchase mostly because of limited supply. I will accept that it is an under dog type of vaporizer(not the Underdog log vape ), but I am not the only one with good things to say about it, you can check the Supreme thread for yourself.

What about the Lotus vaporizer? I know I know, i mentioned it already. but it seemed like a nice almost improved version of the VG, however I have never used one myself

 

[djonkoman]

Your English-flame-description sounds a lot better than mine Djonko

Do you always use a torch with your VG? I was under the impression regular lighters are preferred among VG users?

I've been torch-only for a long while with the VG, but lately I've been using both, lately I use my VG with hash(only soft hash that I can easily press into a disk, I prefer nepal since I also prefer sativa's) and I start off with a regular flame(if I'm indoors), lighter hits but more of the flavor(altough the regular flame does add a little bit of a nasty aftertaste that the torch doesn't), then when it starts producing less vapor I finish it off with a torch
outdoors only torch

 

[Abysmal Vapor]

Wrong thread..

 

[OhTheAgony]

Ah, that's another one than I had in mind and probably a lot better. The Blazer one is just lighter-porn though, I don't think I can get it out of my head until I buy one, lol.

Do you know approximately how often you can heat the Supreme with yours on one filling?

I actually followed the Lotus thread for a while when I first got here and almost bought one. I like it a lot, but the thin metal screen you heat seems a little to flimsy for a portable to me (it just looks like something I would break, often) and I think the price is a little steep for what it is. I always have to factor in additional shipping costs and customs fees and taxes when I order from outside of the EU which usually comes down to an extra 50 bucks plus another 19,5% of the cost price of the item. Doesn't really help. If I could get one of their waterpipe kits for 50 euro's or so I would have one already. That's one of the things that make the Vapo Bowls so awesome imo. They not only work great but cost close to nothing. I payed only 4,95 for my metal one which is hard to beat.

Not sure if you know it but there's also a Vapocane. Those are around 30 bucks locally, that will probably the next on I try. I also want some new glass though, probably something with a carb hole which my current tube doesn't have and something slightly bigger then I have now.

Never tried a VG myself so far btw, but a glass one is on my wish list as well.

In hindsight it would have saved me so much time and money if I had never found this website in the first place, lmao. I would have just bought that BC vaporizer, try it out a coupe of times, and then go back to smoking and forget about this whole vaping thing for the rest of my life probably

 

[Nycdeisel]

I have never counted, but when I fill it again(probably tomorrow or so) i will try to keep track of it

haha dont even say that! you know you like it !

 

[OhTheAgony]

Thanksies, that would be cool.

Yeah, I do. I just have a few to many expensive hobbies, I should just go and find me a better paying job I guess

Your English-flame-description sounds a lot better than mine Djonko

Do you always use a torch with your VG? I was under the impression regular lighters are preferred among VG users?

I've been torch-only for a long while with the VG, but lately I've been using both, lately I use my VG with hash(only soft hash that I can easily press into a disk, I prefer nepal since I also prefer sativa's) and I start off with a regular flame(if I'm indoors), lighter hits but more of the flavor(altough the regular flame does add a little bit of a nasty aftertaste that the torch doesn't), then when it starts producing less vapor I finish it off with a torch
outdoors only torch

I've been doing a lot of reading in the glass VG threads tonight and learned a lot more about them, they aren't sold over here are they? Interesting to find out they can be used with torches as well anyways, I really didn't like the taste of a soft flame lighter with these type of vapes so without a torch they would have been a real option for me. What kind of butane do you use btw, and where do you buy it?

I haven't tried any hash in my Vapo Bowls yet, I was tempted to buy some today but went with another strain of weed instead which apparently doesn't vape to well. Needs some more drying me thinks, do not like paying for water (don't get the Haze from De Vriendschap atm, lol). I've never really been in to hash but I do like it occasionally so I'll pick something up soon to give it a go. If you are ever in the mood for really strong hash get the most expensive one at Miami btw. Make sure they cut you a piece of what they have in their pocket and not from the counter, that's the REALLY good stuff



My throat is feeling better already btw, thanks again for the advice Abysmal! I keep the thinner less visible flame about an inch 2-3 cm's from the bowl opening now which seems to be my sweet spot. Getting slightly less dense vapor this way but I guess my throat is worth that, maybe..

(I'll mail you back soon btw, still thinking about it )

 

[djonkoman]

I don't think the glass VG's are sold over here, azarius does have the classic VG tough
I ordered mine(the handcarved) from the US, didn't have extra fees, don't remember the reason tough, they only check some('steeksproefsgewijs', don't know the english word), so could be it just went trough, some stores you can also strike deal with that they declare the value as something under 21 euro, then it costs nothing(45 euro for gifts), dealextreme for example does this automatically

I use some of the cheapest butaneI could find that has a plastic tube instead of metal, works better to fill my torches
brand is silver match ( with 'neer zero impurities' on it), I think I bought it at the xeno, but I think the max has the same brand too

is that hash from the miami sativa or indica? strong indica's just make me sleep right now I have some manali(from de os), works very well in my VG, strong high

and amnesia in the purple days, last night a friend used my grinder and I always like that since usually a little bit stays behind, and then when I come home I get a surprise because it's usually enough for 1-2 purple-days stems
to a smoker it looks like nothing tough so most don't bother smacking it on the table to get those last bits

 

[OhTheAgony]

Yeah, after I made my previous post I read somewhere on the VG website that the glass versions are only sold by themselves unfortunately.

I don't know if there is an English word for that to be honest, I would just say 'checked at random' or something like that. I never had your luck though. Everything I ordered from either Canada or the US so far got checked and slapped with a custom fee (inklaringskosten) plus an added 19.5% for taxes over the items price and shipping costs as well (I stated that wrong in my other post). I thought the customs check was only random with products from Asia for some reason? I never have to pay anything extra when I order from the East anyway.

I think you have the prettiest VG there is btw. I think they were available again a few weeks ago but I couldn't find them in stock any longer when I looked again the other day. I don't really like the newer handcarved models, not as much as the old ones anyway.

I'm not entirely sure, but I think the hash I mentioned from Miami is a cross over but leaning more towards the Indica side. They always have something special though, but it's not always the same batch and I assume it's not always coming from the same species as well. I've always found the names they put on weed in our coffeeshops here a bit dubious tbh. I've often bought something labeled as a White Widow or a Kush while it was clearly an Afghani or a Haze for instance, so I never pay much attention to how they label it but just trust my nose and eyes which always worked well for me so far.