# Show us your vape roots



## Intuthu Kagesi (23/10/20)

In the period 2009 through 2012? I unsuccessfully tried to give up smoking by trying various electronic cigarettes. They included devices that looked similar to "real" cigarettes with ends that glowed to simulate being alight when you inhaled, where you would need to replace a plastic tip with a little ball of cotton wool saturated eliquid in it, which would only provide some 10 puffs, (_if you were lucky_). Well that was an absolute disaster, and vaping round one was an epic fail!

Along came Ego with the devices, (_and clones_), in the pic below, seemingly a godsend, as they now held around 1.5ml of eliquid, and their, (_claimed_), 1000 to 1500mAh batteries were good for a day on a charge.

Well eliquids still weren't what they are today, and the objective was to taste, (_smell_), like a normal stinkie, whilst providing copious quantities of nicotine, (_a mere 1.2% in a 5ml bottle_), so once again, I failed dismally with round two. I was a 30 a day Camel Classic smoker, probably getting more nicotine out of a single puff than the entire 5ml containers of the time ... so the items below were relegated to a box in my garage, (_yes I'm a hoarder of a sort_), and the experiences above become the foundation of my reticence towards vaping ... which I may add, only changed fairly recently.

So earlier today, in yet another bored lock down moment, I dug 'em out, cleaned, rewicked, recoiled, charged and popped in some "modern" eliquid ... and ... I get why I failed to give up smoking back then;
Compared to a modern pod, they might? get a 2/10, and that's only because our MTL eliquids are streets ahead of what was available way back when ... t'was fun, and ... it's time to put them back into the garage methinks.

Reactions: Like 7 | Winner 9 | Can relate 2


----------



## vicTor (23/10/20)

hi, may I ask why you only joined this forum in 2020 ?

Reactions: Like 6 | Agree 1


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (23/10/20)

vicTor said:


> hi, may I ask why you only joined this forum in 2020 ?


Hi Victor, 
You may indeed ask ...
I only quit stinkies and began vaping in earnest this year, shortly before lockdown, as I had pretty much given up on the idea having been exposed to the early ineffectual, inefficient devices, and ... clearly had no common interests with this group until then.

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 10 | Funny 1


----------



## vicTor (23/10/20)

Intuthu Kagesi said:


> Hi Victor,
> You may indeed ask ...
> I only quit stinkies and began vaping in earnest this year, shortly before lockdown, as I had pretty much given up on the idea having been exposed to the early ineffectual, inefficient devices, and ... clearly had no common interests with this group until then.



well, thank you for such an insightful reply, I hope you will now be better equipped

I will admit, you attempted vaping years before I did, nice one

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2 | Winner 5


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (23/10/20)

vicTor said:


> well, thank you for such an insightful reply, I hope you will now be better equipped
> 
> I will admit, you attempted vaping years before I did, nice one



I think you got the better deal NOT exposing yourself to the earlier devices @vicTor 

Modern MTL devices and eliquids are friggen amazing, and the transition from smoking to vaping is relatively easy nowadays particularly so with easily obtainable stinkie flavors loaded with whatever nicotine level you'd wish for ... Once I'd let go of stinkies and transitioned into vaping, the cutting back on nicotine levels and introduction of other than tobacco flavours was even easier, particularly so after my sense of smell returned and happened to walk past some smokers huddled outside a building in The Vale ... that stench ... OMG! ... and to think I used to hone like that

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 10


----------



## vicTor (23/10/20)

yes, that smell is horrid isn't it

I'm glad you have transitioned man, trust me it's only for the best

ps - I'm in the Vale

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 5


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (23/10/20)

vicTor said:


> yes, that smell is horrid isn't it
> 
> I'm glad you have transitioned man, trust me it's only for the best
> 
> ps - I'm in the Vale



Thanks man, I'd known for some time that stinkies weren't for me, (_for anyone actually_), but being an addictive oral personality, needed a transition, and ... I've found it 

I'm in St.Andrews, literally down the road from The Vale ... we should meet up for a cup of coffee and a vape sometime, (_I'm also a coffee/caffeine addict, and The Vale has more coffee shops per square mile than anywhere else in SA _)

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 8


----------



## vicTor (24/10/20)

Intuthu Kagesi said:


> Thanks man, I'd known for some time that stinkies weren't for me, (_for anyone actually_), but being an addictive oral personality, needed a transition, and ... I've found it
> 
> I'm in St.Andrews, literally down the road from The Vale ... we should meet up for a cup of coffee and a vape sometime, (_I'm also a coffee/caffeine addict, and The Vale has more coffee shops per square mile than anywhere else in SA _)



awesome, I'll be I touch

Reactions: Like 8


----------



## Hooked (24/10/20)

As for me, I successfully stopped smoking with Nicorette, which one is supposed to use as a temporary measure. I chewed the cud for two years. At that time I was living in Oman and things were quite cheap, since Oman does not impose Customs Duty on imports.

When I returned to South Africa, I was horrified at how much my Nicorettes were costing me, but giving up nicotine was not (and is still not) an option. I reckoned that vaping would be considerably cheaper. Little did I know ...

How I got on to vaping I can't remember. I didn't know anyone who vaped - I hadn't even seen anyone vaping. But, there I was, Googling vape shops near me. My first mod was an Eleaf iJust Start. My first two bottles of juice were a Coffee Banana cake and a Turkish Delight.

I started with Coffee Banana and my first thought as I tasted it was, "I'm inhaling chemicals". It was awful. If that had been the only juice which I'd bought I probably would have given up on vaping.

Lucky for me, the Turkish Delight was utterly divine! 

I was still chewing Nicorette during the day, but come the evening I would sit on the deck and vape and swoon with delight - pun intended.

When my Nicorettes were finished I vaped full-time and I've never looked back, much to the dismay of my bank manager.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 11


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (24/10/20)

Hooked said:


> As for me, I successfully stopped smoking with Nicorette, which one is supposed to use as a temporary measure. I chewed the cud for two years. At that time I was living in Oman and things were quite cheap, since Oman does not impose Customs Duty on imports.
> 
> When I returned to South Africa, I was horrified at how much my Nicorettes were costing me, but giving up nicotine was not (and is still not) an option. I reckoned that vaping would be considerably cheaper. Little did I know ...
> 
> ...



"*Chewing the cud*" ... that's hillarious . With the benefit of hindsight ... WHATEVER IT TAKES to get you off the stinkies has to be a good thing.

I'm happy for you that you made the transition off 'em, and the key I think is just that ... a transition to a new smell, (taste?), that you enjoy, as once your sense of smell kicks back in, the stench of stinkies should keep anyone far away from em' and stuck to your new vaping associations(s), (_which based on your profile pic and your post are probably Coffee and Turkish delight?_).

Well done!

Reactions: Like 5 | Agree 1 | Winner 2 | Thanks 1


----------



## Silver (24/10/20)

Thanks for the thread @Intuthu Kagesi and congrats on quitting the stinkies !

I agree, the early days equipment was not easy to stop with
Today’s devices and liquids make it so much easier and better
The only challenge is picking something given the wide range of available choices

Reactions: Like 7 | Agree 1 | Thanks 1


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (24/10/20)

Silver said:


> Thanks for the thread @Intuthu Kagesi and congrats on quitting the stinkies !
> 
> I agree, the early days equipment was not easy to stop with
> Today’s devices and liquids make it so much easier and better
> The only challenge is picking something given the wide range of available choices



Agreed! ... I do believe that vape stores should place a greater emphasis on education and support to overcome said challenges, and in the process they'd secure a client for life with ongoing word of mouth marketing.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 6


----------



## KB_314 (24/10/20)

@Intuthu Kagesi interesting post - maybe you can edit the title to something like 'Show us your vape roots..'
Would be cool to see pics of how everyone started and their retro gear.

This was my humble start. I fished out some old pics from the '..vape family' thread.



And after a year on the forum..



Today, only the Reo setup is still in use. But I do wish I'd kept the P3 (it found a good home though - @Andre if ever you decide to sell it on, I'd happily take it off your hands )

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 9


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (24/10/20)

KB_314 said:


> @Intuthu Kagesi interesting post - maybe you can edit the title to something like 'Show us your vape roots..'
> Would be cool to see pics of how everyone started and their retro gear.
> 
> This was my humble start. I fished out some old pics from the '..vape family' thread.
> ...



*That's a brilliant idea on changing the thread title @KB_314 ... Can you help changing the Title to "Show us your Vape Roots" @Silver? *

Love that first pic of yours too ... I see you too indulged in them "Pseudo Ciggies", the first iteration of commercial eciggies, however looking at the rest of your loot, you seem to have persevered as apposed calling it quits as I did, until technology caught up with my requirements, along with "doekie" ensuring that I couldn't go back during those early lockdown months.

As to your second pic ... weeeeeell ... you're well down that Rabbit hole

Reactions: Like 9


----------



## Silver (24/10/20)

Lovely pics @KB_314 !
My oh my that brings back great memories

@Intuthu Kagesi , I’ve changed the title

Reactions: Like 6 | Winner 2 | Thanks 1


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (24/10/20)

Thanks so much @Silver 

OK Guy's ... Show us where it all started for you ... I'd certainly love to know of others success stories leaving the stinkie domain

Reactions: Like 5


----------



## Hooked (24/10/20)

Intuthu Kagesi said:


> "*Chewing the cud*" ... that's hillarious . With the benefit of hindsight ... WHATEVER IT TAKES to get you off the stinkies has to be a good thing.
> 
> I'm happy for you that you made the transition off 'em, and the key I think is just that ... a transition to a new smell, (taste?), that you enjoy, as once your sense of smell kicks back in, the stench of stinkies should keep anyone far away from em' and stuck to your new vaping associations(s), (_which based on your profile pic and your post are probably Coffee and Turkish delight?_).
> 
> Well done!



Most definitely coffee @Intuthu Kagesi !!!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 1


----------



## Rob Fisher (24/10/20)

I remember the day I managed to snag my first Woodvill!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 12


----------



## Rob Fisher (24/10/20)

And the REO collection started to grow!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 11


----------



## Rob Fisher (24/10/20)

And later on the Asmodus and Serpent Mini 25 Phase!

Reactions: Winner 10


----------



## Rob Fisher (24/10/20)

Subtank, Nautilus, Cyclone, Dibi and Atlantis!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 7


----------



## Rob Fisher (24/10/20)

And my pride and joy which is still with me! The fully engraved REO!

Reactions: Winner 12


----------



## AKS (24/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> And my pride and joy which is still with me! The fully engraved REO!
> View attachment 211633
> View attachment 211634
> View attachment 211635
> View attachment 211636


Wow! Just absolutely positively WOW!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 5 | Thanks 1


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (24/10/20)

Shooooweeeee @Rob Fisher ... everyone else's collections pale by comparison ... that is one amazing, (and enviable), collection 
I'm particularly impressed with your woody's, (_I meant the mods _ ) ... and you've just given me the incentive to build one

Reactions: Like 5 | Funny 1 | Thanks 1


----------



## Hooked (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> And my pride and joy which is still with me! The fully engraved REO!
> View attachment 211633
> View attachment 211634
> View attachment 211635
> View attachment 211636



This is truly special @Rob Fisher!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 5 | Thanks 1


----------



## Silver (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> And the REO collection started to grow!
> View attachment 211629



lol, I remember the Captain America drip tip Rob!
That was classic

and the engraved Reo is something amazing! 
still cant believe how good it looks

Reactions: Like 6 | Thanks 1


----------



## NecroticAngel (25/10/20)

For me it was all about the juice  I tried various twisps over the years, not realizing there were other vapes out there, when twisp came out with the first sub ohm at a good price I bought 2 of them and that was close to the beginning of the end of the stinkies for me, I then discovered vape juice at Chinese shops, and having a wide range to choose from was exciting. Then I bought THE juice. Just the one bottle and I could never find it again, which got me onto google, discovering that there were other vapes and also that you could make your own e juice... so armed with a dual battery wismec luxotic squonker and a goon, I found blck vapour and started to try recreate this juice, I made so many juices that are far better that even this and that's how it all began for me 

I've never tossed the bottle so heres a piccie for you!

Reactions: Winner 12


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (25/10/20)

NecroticAngel said:


> For me it was all about the juice  I tried various twisps over the years, not realizing there were other vapes out there, when twisp came out with the first sub ohm at a good price I bought 2 of them and that was close to the beginning of the end of the stinkies for me, I then discovered vape juice at Chinese shops, and having a wide range to choose from was exciting. Then I bought THE juice. Just the one bottle and I could never find it again, which got me onto google, discovering that there were other vapes and also that you could make your own e juice... so armed with a dual battery wismec luxotic squonker and a goon, I found blck vapour and started to try recreate this juice, I made so many juices that are far better that even this and that's how it all began for me
> 
> I've never tossed the bottle so heres a piccie for you!
> View attachment 211646



Thanks for that @NecroticAngel  .... Twisp ... Now there's a S.A success story; I remember when Philip, (_cant remember his surname_), and Nick Newstad set up their company in 2007?. None of the better Chinese companies took them seriously, and certainly weren't prepared to white label their products for this duo, so they approached some of the cheaper Chinese clone manufacturers, and began their marketing in SA in earnest, and ... Twisp was born. They became a tier one brand and THE "go-to" for eciggies within their first year of operation ... Vape shops should take heed to this! ... Support and educate your customers!

I love your opening sentence; "_For me it was all about the juice_", certainly speaking to ex smokers who have moved to vaping, they, (_yes ...me too_), love the technological aspects of vaping, and certainly the rituals associated with cleaning, coiling and rewicking, charging, etc. etc. ... however; there is another common thread ... The eliquid; 
I have noticed that there are definite emotional bonds to our "first loves", that taste that gets us out of the evil clutches of stinkies, and we seem to go back there from time to time, or in your case ... spend a lifetime trying to recreate that moment ... and I'm OK with that, as it supports leaving them stinkies behind ... Good one NecroticAngel!

Reactions: Like 5


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Beautiful REO fire buttons back in the good old days!

Reactions: Like 4 | Winner 4


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Customised REO done by @Genosmate! I still have this one! It's a beauty! I used to name all my REO's and this is Camilla!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 7


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

My favourite RDA for my REO's back in the day was the Divo! It was the forerunner to the very popular Cyclone from Vicious Ant.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 6


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

The reason I bought my Dremel was to open the air holes on the Divo's and Cyclones to get a little more air.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 6


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Some Squonkers... the brass mini REO in the front weighed a TON and was way too heavy to be practical but man o man did it look good when it was polished up. Also, it was the time of the Hands Drip Tips!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 6


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

The slow change from REO's and squonking to SubOhm tanks driven by the awesome CCell ceramic coil from Vaporesso. The Snow Wolf Mini and Vaporesso Target tank!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 6


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> The reason I bought my Dremel was to open the air holes on the Divo's and Cyclones to get a little more air.
> View attachment 211665
> View attachment 211666



Here's a potential business for the entrepreneurs out there, as Gunsmithing is to Guns, maybe "Vapesmithing" is a potential specialist service offering

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2 | Funny 2


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> Some Squonkers... the brass mini REO in the front weighed a TON and was way too heavy to be practical but man o man did it look good when it was polished up. Also, it was the time of the Hands Drip Tips!
> View attachment 211667



I absolutely LOVE the woodys and Steampunk designs ... WOW!

Reactions: Like 4


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

The start of the search for the perfect Methol Juice!

Reactions: Like 4 | Winner 2


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Subtanks with the bell cap and the ceramic coils as well as the Target tanks also with ceramic coils!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 5


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Hi Ho @Silver and I out to lunch with our REO's!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 7


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Now we are going way way back!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 4


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Sigelei 20 Watt Tube Mod with the Russian 91% RTA. I still have this setup!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 5


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

My SnowWolf Mini Phase!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 6


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

The Nautilus was a Game Changer... and some people still use this tank today!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 5


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (25/10/20)

A am curious @Rob Fisher ... Do you take out some of your oldies in that fantastic collection, and vape on them from time to time, or; Have they been relegated to a display cabinet? (_hopefully not to a box in your garage_)

Reactions: Like 4


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

This too was a Game Changer in its day! The MPT 3

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 4


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Intuthu Kagesi said:


> A am curious @Rob Fisher ... Do you take out some of your oldies in that fantastic collection, and vape on them from time to time, or; Have they been relegated to a display cabinet? (_hopefully not to a box in your garage_)



A lot of them have been sold and or given away... some like the Russian 91% and Sigelei are in my display cabinet and some are in boxes in the boathouse.

Reactions: Like 5


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

iTaste MVP with the adapter and Nautilus!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 3


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

When the Atlantis came on the scene! Was an awesome SubOhm Tank and my guess is it would kick butt on a few of today's SubOhm tanks!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 3


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> A lot of them have been sold and or given away... some like the Russian 91% and Sigelei are in my display cabinet and some are in boxes in the boathouse.



I'm leaning towards you making some kind of a cabinet housing the bits you still have, along with a collage of the pics displayed on this thread as a backdrop of sorts for the next Vapecon ... Add in a writeup of the history of vaping in SA and you'd have a definitive drawcard

Reactions: Like 3 | Thanks 1


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Intuthu Kagesi said:


> I'm leaning towards you making some kind of a cabinet housing the bits you still have, along with a collage of the pics displayed on this thread as a backdrop of sorts for the next Vapecon ... Add in a writeup of the history of vaping in SA and you'd have a definitive drawcard



Food for thought for sure!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 5


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

The ESG Skyline was the first of my real High-end purchases.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 7


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

The Serpent Mini's converted me to RTA's! Especially the Mini 25.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 6


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (25/10/20)

This collection of yours / your postings just keep getting better  ... I'd hazard a guess that you have a good few forum members drooling at the mouth ... I certainly am!

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2 | Funny 1


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

The only regulated REO in the world. It was fitted with a DNA40. The shape was the original REO which was taller than the REO's we know today!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 6


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Right in the beginning!

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 6


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Tanks and Mods of old!

Reactions: Winner 8


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

My original ADV. Tropical Ice!

Reactions: Like 3 | Winner 3 | Funny 1


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

The Vank Hunk Tank designed by @HPBotha! It was a fantastic and revolutionary squonker... sadly it never went further than the prototypes because the investment to production was so high for a one man band.

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 5


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

One of the heaviest mods in history... this was a white elephant!

Reactions: Winner 6


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (25/10/20)

I'm curious as to the physical size and weight of that itazte, as early into lockdown, with vape shops closed, a friend of mine gave me one of his old mods, a Joyetech Cuboid, (circa 2016), along with a SMOK tank, which effectively moved me from a Fetch and Fetch Pro to the domain of rebuildables.

I must say that the "preheat" function the Cuboid has is sorely missed in my Gen and GenS mods, however the Cuboid could easily double up as a weapon as weight goes, being made of steel and weighing in at some 350grams with batteries , this in spite of being as compact as what it is.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 3


----------



## THE REAPER (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> Food for thought for sure!
> View attachment 211690


There is no emoji for that looks awesome.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

Intuthu Kagesi said:


> I'm curious as to the physical size and weight of that itazte,



It was large but more than anything it was heavy! Very heavy!

Reactions: Funny 3


----------



## KB_314 (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> Right in the beginning!
> View attachment 211694


Great pics @Rob Fisher brings back memories. The Nautilus, Nautilus Mini and Pro Tank Mini 3 were fantastic compared to other clearo's of the time - probably got more people off cigarettes than any other tanks. Hard to believe people used to rebuild coils for them.
Today, my struggle to find my wife the perfect low-maintenance, small, MTL setup continues. I'm honestly considering going back to the Nautilus mini - pod systems aren't lasting her more than a few months. Ordering some BVC coils next week I think.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Winner 2


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> It was large but more than anything it was heavy! Very heavy!



I guess you could carry it around as a weapon of sorts

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


----------



## Silver (25/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> Right in the beginning!
> View attachment 211694



Innokin MVP2 was a solid winner of note in the day!
Lovely to see @Rob Fisher

Reactions: Like 3 | Thanks 1


----------



## Rob Fisher (25/10/20)

KB_314 said:


> Great pics @Rob Fisher brings back memories. The Nautilus, Nautilus Mini and Pro Tank Mini 3 were fantastic compared to other clearo's of the time - probably got more people off cigarettes than any other tanks. Hard to believe people used to rebuild coils for them.
> Today, my struggle to find my wife the perfect low-maintenance, small, MTL setup continues. I'm honestly considering going back to the Nautilus mini - pod systems aren't lasting her more than a few months. Ordering some BVC coils next week I think.



The Nautilus Mini is still as relevant today as it was when it was first released. Our best friends who I never ever thought would give up smoking I managed to convert to vaping a couple of years ago and they are still using the Nautilus Mini and I doubt will ever change.

Reactions: Like 5 | Winner 2


----------



## Neal (26/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> Tanks and Mods of old!
> View attachment 211695



Impressive as always Doctor Rob. I spy a couple of Trinity bell caps for the Sub tank mini there, I still run one as a daily work horse, my all time favourite tank. At the risk of being cheeky do you still have them and if so would you consider selling them? I am down to my last survivor of three and would be knackered if it got broken.

Reactions: Like 4


----------



## Rob Fisher (26/10/20)

Neal said:


> Impressive as always Doctor Rob. I spy a couple of Trinity bell caps for the Sub tank mini there, I still run one as a daily work horse, my all time favourite tank. At the risk of being cheeky do you still have them and if so would you consider selling them? I am down to my last survivor of three and would be knackered if it got broken.



@Neal I wish I had some... but they all went to good homes a long time ago.

Reactions: Like 3 | Winner 1 | Thanks 1


----------



## CJB85 (26/10/20)

I am afraid that after all of @Rob Fisher 's posts, my story will be like offering someone a Simba chip after they just had dinner at the Test Kitchen... but here goes.
The first vape I ever tried was shortly after my daughter was born.
My wife and I both quit smoking for the duration of her pregnancy, but the stress of having a 29 week preemie in ICU eventually broke us and the stinkies came out again. As someone who's dad smoked for most of my childhood, I didn't want my daughter to grow up with a dad smelling of smoke all the time.
I blindly bought an ancient little Twisp device (I forget the name, but it was a tiny little pen style early in 2015) for my wife and I to share and it was a disaster. The coils were about the size of a TicTac, filling the tank without getting an airlock and overflow required more dexterity than brain surgery and the little 10ml bottles of liquid seemed extroadinarily expensive at the time. The novelty lasted only about two weeks and we were back on the Marlboros full time.
I started smoking at age 14 and after my son was born in 2018 the looming reality of an early smoking related death started to really haunt me. I wanted to see my kids grow up and needed the change, but change was tough. I eventually got my hands on a Twisp Cue shortly after it came out (loved the idea of swapping pods instead of refilling at the time), but it never made it past the point of being a secondary option to use when smoking was impractical. In December 2018 we went down to Port Edward with my in-laws and challenged myself to use nothing but the cue for the holiday and I nearly made it, I smoked a cigarette on the last day and it was so bad that I decided to really try Vaping as a permanent replacement.

Bring on 2019 and my discovery of this awesome (and effectively life-saving) forum. I lurked around for a bit, slowly started asking questions and in March 2019 bought a Pico kit off the forum classifieds and that was all she wrote. I dumped my cigarettes on the same day I bought that device and have not touched a cigarette again.

It took a trip to Vapecon 2019 and she has been a happily dedicated vaper since then.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 10


----------



## Neal (26/10/20)

Rob Fisher said:


> @Neal I wish I had some... but they all went to good homes a long time ago.



No problem mate, I shall just have just have to be extra careful with the survivor I still have.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1


----------



## Stranger (26/10/20)

September 2012

I just got stubborn and said to myself that I was going to vape and not smoke. Have to admit in the beginning I asked myself many times "what the hell am I doing"

Cigalikes and then a Twisp box




Man I used to battle my ass off with these things. However I was getting my nic fix @36 mg and developing a palette for menthol and mint. Spinners and RE4's and 5's came along



and I hung on in there determined now to be bloody minded and not give in to the evil stinkies. Before too long ... the mighty Pico and Kangertech bringing out some interesting tanks.



These along with the Mello 3 were the go to's for more years than I care to remember, all on that same 36 mg nic. A couple of mechs along the way kept things interesting.
Oddly it was a Twisp product that dragged me away from the pure MTL. My daughter kindly bought me a Twisp Vega kit. I found the draw very tight but when I opened it up, there was too much vape and too much nic. This is when the DIY exploration came in and down the rabbit hole I went head first. I can't afford high end stuff as I have commitments for what I earn, so I am patient and wait for the hype to cool down and don't mind a good clone. I have learned to build and wick along with DIY juice and am currently very comfortable with what I am capable of, which is far more since joining this forum. 8 years down the track at what started as a very uncomfortable ride but has since smoothed out nicely.

I have no regrets with this journey and sometimes the harder it is creates more value to you.

Reactions: Winner 5


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (26/10/20)

CJB85 said:


> I am afraid that after all of @Rob Fisher 's posts, my story will be like offering someone a Simba chip after they just had dinner at the Test Kitchen... but here goes.
> The first vape I ever tried was shortly after my daughter was born.
> My wife and I both quit smoking for the duration of her pregnancy, but the stress of having a 29 week preemie in ICU eventually broke us and the stinkies came out again. As someone who's dad smoked for most of my childhood, I didn't want my daughter to grow up with a dad smelling of smoke all the time.
> I blindly bought an ancient little Twisp device (I forget the name, but it was a tiny little pen style early in 2015) for my wife and I to share and it was a disaster. The coils were about the size of a TicTac, filling the tank without getting an airlock and overflow required more dexterity than brain surgery and the little 10ml bottles of liquid seemed extroadinarily expensive at the time. The novelty lasted only about two weeks and we were back on the Marlboros full time.
> ...



I agree that Rob Fishers postings on a level are almost intimidating with his rich industry experiences and amazing kit
Be that as it may ... You made it, giving up stinkies and sharing a great success story post

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 3


----------



## Intuthu Kagesi (26/10/20)

Stranger said:


> September 2012
> 
> I just got stubborn and said to myself that I was going to vape and not smoke. Have to admit in the beginning I asked myself many times "what the hell am I doing"
> 
> ...



Well done! ... You persevered on from what you call "Spinners", and I call CE4's ... It's not saying much for my staying power 

You are 100% on this forum too ... I have received an enormous amount of help and support from members here, and only wish I'd found it sooner!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 2


----------



## Stranger (26/10/20)

No judgment from me, I was borderline many times and I still to this day have a small humidor with some very nice cigars in there that I hand out to my mates that still smoke when we braai. I could have reached in there many times over. It was just the knowledge that maybe I had, had my chances and no more.
Anecdotal my ass, my cardiologist results speak for them selves.

Oh yeah, while Rob was at the high end, I was way down the bottom.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 2


----------



## Rob Fisher (26/10/20)

My very first vape was those Green Leaf cigalikes but the one that got me off stinkies was the humble Twisp Clearo!

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 7 | Can relate 1


----------



## Stranger (27/10/20)

I had one of these on the ARACHNID mech. Worked like a bomb. (Oops, should not use mech and bomb in the same sentence)

Reactions: Like 3 | Winner 2 | Funny 1


----------



## HPBotha (30/10/20)

Yoh! many MANY moons and mods later..... ended up working at Twisp and had a design hand in the Clearo 2 and 3!

Reactions: Winner 10


----------



## Stranger (30/10/20)

Not a good idea to show a pen style tube and an instruction to insert "this end up"

Reactions: Funny 6


----------



## KB_314 (30/10/20)

First was a cigalike that barely worked and was bought from a chemist. 
Then an iTaste vv with a generic clearomizer which was a decent device, but the tank was pretty bad. 
And then, finally, a setup which worked (almost) perfectly and got me off cigarettes for good. The Spinner/Spinner V2 and Nautilus Mini was a great combo, recommended to me by someone on the forum. Still have it today.

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 5 | Can relate 1


----------



## Stranger (2/11/20)

Nice one, I went through loads of those vision spinners.

Reactions: Like 2 | Can relate 1


----------



## Puff the Magic Dragon (2/11/20)

Stranger said:


> Not a good idea to show a pen style tube and an instruction to insert "this end up"



I agree with this in principle. The problem is that if someone was considering "inserting" it, it would be better inserting one of the pointy ends rather than attempting to insert it sideways. At least you are encouraging the least eyewatering alternative.

Reactions: Funny 6


----------

