Pipe smoker seeks advice

MHP

Five years ago I bought an e-pipe. It was a disappointment, never producing much vapour and the liquid was unpleasant with an apple flavour - nothing like pipe tobacco.

VIP set up a kiosk in the local Tesco last week so I bought an e-cig with what the salesman said was "Benson & Hedges" liquid. Although still nothing like tobacco, it was better than my previous experience. The main drawback is the short battery life and short liquid life.

I'm interested in experimenting further. Reading through the posts here is bewildering for a novice, so I'm looking for recommendations from you guys.

Is looking for a tobacco-flavour liquid a pipe dream? My preferred mixture is burley/virginia with a hint of perique i.e. mild but with a bite. I have a dislike for oriental/latakia so Turkish or 'English blends' are out. I've read here of a 'French pipe' flavour liquid - does that mean it tastes of Gauloises or Gitanes? If so, it's not for me.

Regarding the equipment, I would like a large capacity battery but not monstrous in size. The e-pipe had a 950mAh battery which was just about enough.

From my reading, it seems that clearomizer is the way to go. I like simplicity so what's the best non-fiddly model?

Thanks...

BeansBeans

Unfortunately for people starting out, I dont think any flavouring actually tastes like a cigarette, I have no idea about pipes. A lot of people swear by House of Liquids tobacco flavours being the closest they have come to it. I do like their liquids I do think they taste like tobacco just not burned tobacco. But I think for most people their desire to find something that matches the taste of cigarettes goes away fairly quickly I know it did for me anyway.

The only french pipe flavour I have tried was from liqua, Im not really sure how to describe the flavour, kind of woody, not sweet thankfully. My other half hates it, she thinks it smells like the incense they use in a church.

As far as clearomizers go, the Anyvape Davide BDC is the least fiddly one I have ever used. I hate clearos generally, but have persisted with them for the sake of a glass tank. I love this clearo though. It doesn't gurgle or leak, has a glass tube of course. But it just works really well and its easy to use. It holds 3ml of liquid which is a good amount, of course it depends on how much you vape. You can get bigger clearos I think the Dbox Puritank, is around 4ml.

Anyway hopefully a pipe smoker might amble along to this thread and help you with more specifics from that side of things.

grindle

House of Liquid will be introducing a new El Toro juice soon called Perique - King of Vapes. I got a sampler a month or two ago and it's pretty amazing stuff.

Their Virginia Prime is delicious too but the Perique is a step above.

These juices absolutely destroy coils because the liquid is steeped with actual tobacco leaves, so if you do get into them either get use to replacing heads daily or try to get into rebuilding quickly (which will give a big upgrade to the taste of any juice but some don't want the fiddle.).

dePeatrick

The Perique is something else....I am travelling at the moment and keep a vial of it near me at all times, I have diluted it with Eden and Puros.....but it is still something else tbh ...... The closest I have ever tasted to a pipe tobacco, so close ...well.....who could say? HOL liquids...would love to hate them but they produce the best liquids I can get.....so far.....I make my own liquids from cigars and apart from the coil killers they are.....and they are seriously coil killers....like about 20 min on some...!!! HOL comes the closest I have had so far......I keep repeating so far....cos I intend tasting the rest

tommy2bad

OK any 950mAh battery should last about 8 hours vaping, two of them will put in a day. Because of the form of a pipe most take an 18350 battery, these little fellas last a while but it will take at least 3 to get a full days vaping. Thats all based on my usage now, I know people who get two days from a 900. As they say ymmv.
Most pipe mods are mechanical, i.e. no eletric circuits to regulate the output so the strength of the battery will dwindle as they drain. After about 2 thirds they get a bit weak. Alow for this when buying batterys.

As to juice tasting like a pipe tobacco, not going to happen, you wont be burning leaves so the smokey bit is not as prominent, some mixers add a smokey taste but it's not the same. On the other hand the taste is closer to the smell of tobacco and once you find a flavor you like it a case of wondering how you ever thought smoking it was a good idea.

French pipe has an oakey tinge and is a bit sweet, not too much but enough to make it loose the bite. I had a europa blend juice from sun pipe mods and it was really pipe tobacco like, dry and tangy with a good woody after taste.
Expensive though so only ever got one bottle. Oh and it was 0 nic but tbh I didn't mind as it was for vaping like a pipe not smoking a fag. Long slow draws and let the vapor float around your head. Mmmmmmm.... Whare was I? Oh yeah, good tobaccos. Just get a few different flavors, HoL do samples it's worth trying them all.
Clearos are good, easy to fill and use, cheap enough to make them practically disposable. A new coil is 2 quid and will last a day at least.
Just one thing, a lot of E Pipes are made with a propritory carto designe, try to find a 510 or ego threaded one so you have a choice of head to put on it.
Example of a mech 510 pipe here; http://vapourhut.com/VH-Pipe

the_syco

Another e-pipe is http://www.vaperus.ie/mod-tubes/275-smok-e-pipe.html which you use an 18350 battery with.

It's a 510 fitting, so you can get various fittings for it, and using an ego-510 adapter, you can fit a Kanger clearo to, for easy vaping.

MHP

Thanks all for the info.

So I should look for a Clearomiser and a couple of 950mAh batteries and not worry about seeking a pipe-tobacco flavour.

Is there a starter kit you would recommend?

I bought my original e-pipe from e-cig.com. Are they recommended?

MHP

So I got myself an Aspire BDC glassomizer and an EgO spinner battery. I have tried two liquids - HOL Virginia Prime and Dekang Tobacco. The Virginia Prime is okay. The Dekang Tobacco is absolutely foul.
The Aspire glassomizer is a bit disappointing. The first fill was fine - lots of vapour. But gradually the amount of vapour lessened and it began to gurgle. Is this normal after a week's light use?

the_syco

Have never used the Aspire BDC glassomizer. The below is just generally how I find my own epipe.

MHP wrote: »

But gradually the amount of vapour lessened and it began to gurgle. Is this normal after a week's light use?

I find the gurgling happens when the battery is low, and happens as the liquid is not vaporised as it should be. Also explains the lack of vapour, as not as much vapour is being produced. How many times did you charge it during the week, and how often do you use it per day? Finally, where is the battery kept?

MHP

The battery was charged every day as soon as it began to give the low power warning flash. It is kept attached to the glassomizer.

StickyIcky

some of the heads on those aspire bdcs have been reported to be flunky. I guess it's new technology teething problems. Personally I find the kanger evod and the kanger protank mini are fine. I also like cartomisers and tanks. Best thing are rebuildable yokes like the kayfun and the atomic rda and the cyclone rda, but they can be pantsy at times, always good to have a carto tank as a backup.

the_syco

MHP wrote: »

The battery was charged every day as soon as it began to give the low power warning flash. It is kept attached to the glassomizer.

Having to charge it every day doesn't sound like "light" vaping :P

Hrm. Try using a Kanger clearomizer?

MHP

Okay, I'll try my luck with the Kangers.

grindle

You were using the same head for a week with Virginia Prime? I'm stunned it made the week.

MHP

grindle wrote: »

You were using the same head for a week with Virginia Prime? I'm stunned it made the week.

Oh? Is Virginia Prime a head-killer?

grindle

Public Coil Enemy #1 (but worth it for rebuilders)

MHP

Thanks. I didn't know that.
Can the clearomizer be cleaned or do I buy a replacement coil?

grindle

You can give the head a warm rinse, bathe overnight in vodka then dry-burn the coil and rinse again and leave to dry or you can buy a new head.

One costs time & the other costs money - which one do you have more of?

Heads can last a week if the juice isn't either dark, sweet or natural but I'd only expect 3-5days max depending on the juice and the power you vape at. Natural tobaccos would be on the much lower end of the timescale, possibly lower again. VP would be something I'd swap wicks on every two days, it just batters everything.

MHP

grindle wrote: »

You can give the head a warm rinse, bathe overnight in vodka then dry-burn the coil and rinse again and leave to dry or you can buy a new head.

One costs time & the other costs money - which one do you have more of?

Heads can last a week if the juice isn't either dark, sweet or natural but I'd only expect 3-5days max depending on the juice and the power you vape at. Natural tobaccos would be on the much lower end of the timescale, possibly lower again. VP would be something I'd swap wicks on every two days, it just batters everything.

Lots of time, little money, less patience.

I'll have to learn more about the different types of liquids. What should I look for if life of the head is the priority?

grindle

Clear, not sweet or filled with sediments of any kind.
An unsweetened menthol would last for aaaaaages.

If you have time, get cleaning, not much patience needed as long as you're able to wait for things to dry. Go play some games/watch movies/read books/sleep.
The cleaning of a clearomiser generally only works a couple of times because the wire is so thin in premades, so you either have to buy new heads or start rebuilding at some point, depends on your money:patience ratio.

MHP

grindle wrote: »

Clear, not sweet or filled with sediments of any kind.
An unsweetened menthol would last for aaaaaages.

Care to recommend a couple for me to try?

I think I'll have a go at cleaning the Aspire. I suppose poitin will work as well as vodka?

grindle

MHP wrote: »

Care to recommend a couple for me to try?

I think I'll have a go at cleaning the Aspire. I suppose poitin will work as well as vodka?

It would indeed, hope it's not store-bought poitin - shit is expensiiiiiiiive.

Tobacco Praze has been in my atty for a couple of weeks now and I've been through 20ml of it at this stage - still no sign of needing a rewick or dry-burn or anything.
Acquired taste though, expect comments from people you vape around ranging from "Hazelnuts?" to "Indian food?" and a lot of "That's really strange..."

Black Lightning is actually pretty sweet but for some reason aniseed-y flavours don't destroy coils and the taste stays the same for ages, possibly because aniseed is a really frickin' strong flavour.
Only buy if you like the idea of a Black Jack sweet with a hint of coolness.

Extreme Menthol is extremely mentholated, naturally. If you like menthol or that feeling you get from Olbas Oil (clear airways) you'll like it, if not you won't.

Vampire's Kiss is very popular and would take a while to gunk, same for Vapefest Eire but they're just a bit too mentholated and unsweetened for me as a casual vape.
I'm sure there are tons of others that people can recommend as I've not bought tons of different juices in my time as a vaper and the juices I use most are obnoxious coil-gunkers, so avoid natural tobaccos, Swedish Fish, Gummy Bears, Vanilla Custard and the Highbrow Vapor range if you want your coils to live for more than a few days.



















But be aware you're missing out on the tastiest juices.

MHP

grindle wrote: »

It would indeed, hope it's not store-bought poitin - shit is expensiiiiiiiive.

No, the real stuff - from the shadow of Ben Bulben.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll certainly give some of them a try.