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Can I just go buy cotton balls at drug store for rewicking?

John C

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Do I have to use the cotton they sell at vape shops or can I just go buy some cotton at walmart or a drug store?
 

JLFROST

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There are assumed to be a lot of impurities in any old cotton from the corner drug stores like seeds or other chemical treatments used.
It's suggested you buy the cotton organic, but I am sure you can find that around somewhere local rather than always at a vape shop.
Probably cheaper as well

A side note that many may argue
if anyone brings up the topic of Japanese Cotton just say no to save yourself money.
It hardly makes a difference for myself in flavor but makes it easier to wick
 
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hitman4274

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the studio 35 or the maxim you hear grimmgreen talk about is where its at in the cotton ball game... other than that get some cotton bacon :)
 

Teresa P

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Hmm.....you know, those cotton rounds could be cut in strips like the Japanese organic. Might hit Wally World for some of those and try it out. ;)
Perhaps a stupid question, but where did the term "cotton bacon" come from?
 

UncleRJ

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Yes you can but I suggest you boil it before use.

I had purchased a bag of CVS organic cotton but since I am a paranoid bastard, I called the 800 number in very small print on the back of the bag and talked to the folks that sold CVS the cotton,

The last treatment of the Organic Cotton before it goes into the dryer and then into the bag is a bath of Hydrogen Peroxide (to make it white and pretty) and they suggested I boil the stuff before use.

So keep your eye out for the small print people!
 

efektt

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Hmm.....you know, those cotton rounds could be cut in strips like the Japanese organic. Might hit Wally World for some of those and try it out. ;)
Perhaps a stupid question, but where did the term "cotton bacon" come from?
Its a brand of cotton sold to vapers. Not a term, its a product.
 

Teresa P

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Oh, I know that, was just wondering why "bacon."
 

BoomStick

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the studio 35 or the maxim you hear grimmgreen talk about is where its at in the cotton ball game... other than that get some cotton bacon :)
Haha! Ok chief.
pJIwzTa.jpg
 
Hmm.....you know, those cotton rounds could be cut in strips like the Japanese organic. Might hit Wally World for some of those and try it out. ;)
Perhaps a stupid question, but where did the term "cotton bacon" come from?

Most people peal off and throw away the denser outer layers from japanese organic cotton. I don't think you can do that with the cotton rounds, and if you did, I'm not sure there would be anything left. The cotton rounds are nowhere near as thick as the japanese cotton. (Actully, tried it and gave up, really fast.)
 

Teresa P

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Well, I know the cheap ones peel pretty easily. I use them to remove eye makeup. But the cheap ones aren't organic. Haven't used the others.
 

NightOwl

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The Japanese organic cotton pads have really long strand cotton that runs the length of the pad. You cut a thin strip length wise which makes for fantastic wicking, no discernible cotton/peroxide taste, and easy coil insertion. No short and curlies to divert the juice and snag on the coil. I highly recommend the stuff.

In other threads on VU, Cotton Bacon is reported to be dental cotton unrolled and boiled for you already. Cool name, cool they sell it at B&M vape shops, cool if you rather not boil it yourself, but rather expensive for dental cotton. If you watch the video on their website you can see it is not long parallel strands like the Japanese cotton.

Koh Gen Do is the Japanese cotton brand I use and I love it. They sell it on Amazon and reportedly at the make up counter at Nortstrom's.

Short answer, yes, you can use drug store cotton. Just boil and dry it first.
 

gpjoe

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Unroll a cotton ball and you'll get the 'bacon' reference.

You know what, I never used it and always just assumed that it was cotton pads cut into strips or wicks. Now that I've actually looked at it (google images) it is literally unrolled cotton balls that cost 60 cents each. Wow.
 

AZ4running

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So you need to boil drug store cotton ball before use in an atty?
 

BoomStick

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So you need to boil drug store cotton ball before use in an atty?
I would recommend only using the organic cotton balls from the drug store as they're only treated with hydrogen peroxide in order to whiten them. What has been done to the regular cotton balls is uncertain. Some choose to boil them, some don't. I don't. It's really up to you.
 

hitman4274

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I would recommend only using the organic cotton balls from the drug store as they're only treated with hydrogen peroxide in order to whiten them. What has been done to the regular cotton balls is uncertain. Some choose to boil them, some don't. I don't. It's really up to you.
this... but there is plenty of cotton dedicated to vapers ... this would be the best route...
 

BoomStick

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this... but there is plenty of cotton dedicated to vapers ... this would be the best route...
But why though? They boil it for you? Fancy packaging? I think you've been had by a marketing scheme, but I could be wrong. Is there a reason it's better?
 

AZ4running

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Ok. I have just been using it right out of the bag with no issues. Organic cotton of coarse. All hydrogen peroxide is is water with an extra oxygen molecule so I dont see how that would be harmful. Water H2O peroxide H2O2.
 
The Japanese organic cotton pads have really long strand cotton that runs the length of the pad. You cut a thin strip length wise which makes for fantastic wicking, no discernible cotton/peroxide taste, and easy coil insertion. No short and curlies to divert the juice and snag on the coil. I highly recommend the stuff.

In other threads on VU, Cotton Bacon is reported to be dental cotton unrolled and boiled for you already. Cool name, cool they sell it at B&M vape shops, cool if you rather not boil it yourself, but rather expensive for dental cotton. If you watch the video on their website you can see it is not long parallel strands like the Japanese cotton.

Koh Gen Do is the Japanese cotton brand I use and I love it. They sell it on Amazon and reportedly at the make up counter at Nortstrom's.

Short answer, yes, you can use drug store cotton. Just boil and dry it first.
Where can I get Japanese cotton LOCALLY is there anywhere else besides a vape store?
 

Teresa P

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Where can I get Japanese cotton LOCALLY is there anywhere else besides a vape store?
Since there isn't a demand for it other than vaping, a vape shop would likely be the only place you might get it without ordering online. No need for it at places like Walmart, drug stores, etc.
 

Zohmbiebuilds

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Since there isn't a demand for it other than vaping, a vape shop would likely be the only place you might get it without ordering online. No need for it at places like Walmart, drug stores, etc.
The cotton balls at CVS and Walgreens claim to be organic so yes, I'd use then.

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AnthonyLouis

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Wow... back in the day before we had vape cotton we only had cotton balls and jap cotton and life was good... boy were we stupid. I do not sell nor am I affiliated with any vape cotton in anyway. There is a GIANT difference in say Cotton Bacon over cotton balls or even jap cotton. I’m not the science guy, idk the technical terms and other mombo jombo but I do know vape cotton is indeed better and worth the money. Hell it isn’t even expensive. You can get a bag of cotton bacon v2 for under $5 and have that last you god knows how long. I don’t even remember when I bought my 2 bags of cotton bacon & native wicks platinum, that’s how long ago it was. The vape is much cleaner tasting which is a must if you make your own juice. Gotta get those flavors right. Each wick last longer, no break in time when first installing, holds more juice, wicks MUCH better and best of all... no nasty taste you get from jap/cotton balls that you get so used to contaminating your pallet that you don’t even realize what your juice truly taste like any more.

I am not knocking anyone here that uses cotton balls or jap cotton... but please do yourself a favor and go get a bag of cotton back v2 or native wicks platinum. Really the best thing to vape on.


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fightinggoat

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Been using cotton bacon, wizard wick, and jap cotton for years, recently picked up a bag of organic cotton balls for a few bucks at a local grocery.

I love them, so cheap, just the right size unrolled for my 3-4mm ID coils, wicks superbly, no off taste at all, last just as long as vape cotton, fluffier, just overall better for way less.
I don’t boil them, just unroll and wick. They really soak up juice quick and I don’t think I will ever spend the money on cotton bacon or jap cotton again.

Been Testing these cotton balls for about a month or two now and just cannot find any negatives.
 

St.Roostifer

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Wait for a second and back the truck up. Are people really skimping on cotton due to cost after spending how much money for mods and atty's? I'm all for seeking out a good deal but cotton is literally the cheapest thing one can purchase for rebuildables.

Never mind, I see the door so I'll just show myself out. :)
 

inspects

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Wait for a second and back the truck up. Are people really skimping on cotton due to cost after spending how much money for mods and atty's? I'm all for seeking out a good deal but cotton is literally the cheapest thing one can purchase for rebuildables.

Never mind, I see the door so I'll just show myself out. :)
Hahaha...lmao.....:giggle:
 

AnthonyLouis

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I don’t get it tho... vape cotton is literally the cheapest part of vaping. $5 for a bag of cotton bacon that last god knows how long... like I previously said, I bought 2 bags of cotton bacon and 1 native wicks premium and I had it so long I couldn’t even tell u when I bought them.

I guess everyone is different because there most definitely is a BIG difference between cotton bacon and regular old cotton balls.... if there wasn’t these companies would be out of business by now because the gimmick phase would be over since the “hype phase” from when they first came out is over.

Again, to each there own... I just think it’s silly to not get a better quality cotton... I mean I guess it’s not that big of a deal, it’s not like where putting liquid on it, vaping it and putting it into our bodies or Anything like that.


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AnthonyLouis

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I personally hate jap cotton... I always got a weird taste from it... I actually tried to use it again the other day after a local shop gave me a few sheets of it with a purchase... I figured I’d use it in my flavor testing Atomizers after I mixed up some recipes... I can’t explain the taste I get from it but it’s there in the background of my juice. It could be because I make my own juice and I know exactly what it should taste like? Idk... I’ll just never be able to use jap or cotton balls ever again. Strictly no fly zone for me.


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SteveS45

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I guess you could but I only use cotton that is manufactured and designed to be used for vaping, If you need to boil cotton or whatever you need to do to use it, what is your time worth? I 'd rather be vaping and my time is money so add in your hourly rate when you calculate the savings! Just my personal opinion you must remember.
 

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