Well mech maintenance does work, got the Kindred V2 firing like new again!

[conanthewarrior]

I asked when I first received the Kindred V2 about how to maintain a mech to keep it firing like new, and got some great tips. I have 12 mechs, and really need to give the others a clean and some TLC to get them firing like new.

I noticed sometimes I had to really press the fire button in a certain area to get it to fire, but now press it anywhere and it works.

I noticed the Kindred V2 wasn't firing as well as when I got it new, so I got some brasso wadding and a stiff toothbrush, and went to work cleaning all the copper threads on the fire button, the tube, and the top 510 connection. I used the brasso and it removed a lot of black stuff, then used the toothbrush to get into the threads whilst it still had brasso on it.

I cleaned up all of the silver plated copper contacts on the fire button and 510 end, removing the 510 to clean it properly and got them shining like new.

I rebuilt the same build of a 5 wrap, 2MM ID 22G Kanthal build coming in at 0.24 Ohms, and added some fresh cotton obviously. I can really taste the Mothers milk V3 a lot better now.

I also cleaned the RDA bottom 510 connection as it was a bit grimy, and got it back to bare shiny copper.

The mod is now firing like when I first got it, so I am very pleased as I love this mech.

Now I just need to clean up the other 11 mechs that have sat there for about 4 years unused, I think next I will clean up the AV Able. It is black with an Avid Lyfe sleeve, and the copper threads inside have turned green so I imagine this will be a bigger job than cleaning the grime off of a mech that is only a month old. Hopefully I can get this firing like new again.

I just really wanted to say what a bit of TLC can do to a mod, it honestly feels like when I got it out of the box and made me realise how many other perfectly good mods I can add to my rotation once I have given them a good clean.

 

[Richard Winter]

I asked when I first received the Kindred V2 about how to maintain a mech to keep it firing like new, and got some great tips. I have 12 mechs, and really need to give the others a clean and some TLC to get them firing like new.

I noticed sometimes I had to really press the fire button in a certain area to get it to fire, but now press it anywhere and it works.

I noticed the Kindred V2 wasn't firing as well as when I got it new, so I got some brasso wadding and a stiff toothbrush, and went to work cleaning all the copper threads on the fire button, the tube, and the top 510 connection. I used the brasso and it removed a lot of black stuff, then used the toothbrush to get into the threads whilst it still had brasso on it.

I cleaned up all of the silver plated copper contacts on the fire button and 510 end, removing the 510 to clean it properly and got them shining like new.

I rebuilt the same build of a 5 wrap, 2MM ID 22G Kanthal build coming in at 0.24 Ohms, and added some fresh cotton obviously. I can really taste the Mothers milk V3 a lot better now.

I also cleaned the RDA bottom 510 connection as it was a bit grimy, and got it back to bare shiny copper.

The mod is now firing like when I first got it, so I am very pleased as I love this mech.

Now I just need to clean up the other 11 mechs that have sat there for about 4 years unused, I think next I will clean up the AV Able. It is black with an Avid Lyfe sleeve, and the copper threads inside have turned green so I imagine this will be a bigger job than cleaning the grime off of a mech that is only a month old. Hopefully I can get this firing like new again.

I just really wanted to say what a bit of TLC can do to a mod, it honestly feels like when I got it out of the box and made me realise how many other perfectly good mods I can add to my rotation once I have given them a good clean.

That's the beauty of mech's, they can be easily stripped down and cleaned making them last a lifetime. Have done this on several of my mechs over time to keep the working at their optimum.

 

[conanthewarrior]

That's the beauty of mech's, they can be easily stripped down and cleaned making them last a lifetime. Have done this on several of my mechs over time to keep the working at their optimum.

Yeah, and even though I have plenty of box mods with good boards in them, I keep going back to the Kindred V2 that cost me a fiver! Some of my clones were 5 times the price of that, but this little mech has got so much use!

I change the battery before I go out for a few hours, lock the locking ring so it can't fire in my pocket, add a big juice bottle and away you go!

It is the longest period of time I have used a mech as my main mod, and with the 0.24 Single coil build (thick wire so it needs it) I am getting a lovely warm vape, and am used to judging by performance of the mod when it is time to pull the battery, I usually catch it at 3.6V but sometimes it does slip down to 3.5V if I have been out.

I really have enough mechs in the collection to last me a lifetime, so today I am going to spend some of my time maintaining them, polishing the outsides to look new where they are brass or copper and patinad, and obviously get right in the threads with the toothbrush while you can see the brasso is still on them.

I really am happy with how it is performing again, it only took about 10-15 minutes to give it a proper clean on the copper threading, fire button, 510 etc, and where it is finished in stainless steel it just needs a quick rub over with a bit of kitchen roll to bring it back to its prime.

I was surprised how much black oxidisation the brasso got off of the threads though, it went completely black and even the kitchen roll I was using to drag my nail around the threads there was a lot of black stuff removed that was likely making the mech hit less hard.

 

[MTB Vaper]

Regular thread cleaning really helps and easier then leaving it ages and cack hardening in the threads. Dont ask me how I know

 

[conanthewarrior]

Regular thread cleaning really helps and easier then leaving it ages and cack hardening in the threads. Dont ask me how I know

Well my AV Able looks like this, the copper threads have actually turned green a thick layer, I am hoping brasso will be enough to remove it with.

Its so tight I can't actually remove the fire button part of the mod, it is completely stuck where it has got so grimy with the oxidisation. I need to manage to get the actual button off first before I can clean it lol.

And I won't ask lol, I left all my mechs on the side during my mental illness, so they haven't been cleaned in about 4 years. Plus the mod is Copper, and that turns grimy really quickly, here are the threads at the 510 end of the mod.

 

[Richard Winter]

Yeah, and even though I have plenty of box mods with good boards in them, I keep going back to the Kindred V2 that cost me a fiver! Some of my clones were 5 times the price of that, but this little mech has got so much use!

I change the battery before I go out for a few hours, lock the locking ring so it can't fire in my pocket, add a big juice bottle and away you go!

It is the longest period of time I have used a mech as my main mod, and with the 0.24 Single coil build (thick wire so it needs it) I am getting a lovely warm vape, and am used to judging by performance of the mod when it is time to pull the battery, I usually catch it at 3.6V but sometimes it does slip down to 3.5V if I have been out.

I really have enough mechs in the collection to last me a lifetime, so today I am going to spend some of my time maintaining them, polishing the outsides to look new where they are brass or copper and patinad, and obviously get right in the threads with the toothbrush while you can see the brasso is still on them.

I really am happy with how it is performing again, it only took about 10-15 minutes to give it a proper clean on the copper threading, fire button, 510 etc, and where it is finished in stainless steel it just needs a quick rub over with a bit of kitchen roll to bring it back to its prime.

I was surprised how much black oxidisation the brasso got off of the threads though, it went completely black and even the kitchen roll I was using to drag my nail around the threads there was a lot of black stuff removed that was likely making the mech hit less hard.

I do enjoy using my mechs but they have taken a bit of a back seat for a while. Still keep a couple on rotation but think I will get them all out and have a good clean and polish.

 

[conanthewarrior]

I do enjoy using my mechs but they have taken a bit of a back seat for a while. Still keep a couple on rotation but think I will get them all out and have a good clean and polish.

Yeah same here, until I got the Kindred V2 I hadn't used a mech in years, hence the state the other mechs are in at the moment.

I think that in a couple of hours it will be mech time, clean up some of the ones I want to use like the AV Able, as I could clean them all but I want to do them properly so will do them one at a time.

Bringing the Kindred V2 back to firing like when it was new has made me interested in using my other mechs, but like I said they are in a right state, I can't even get the fire button assembly off of the bottom of the mod where it is so stuck with grime on the AV Able.

 

[Richard Winter]

Yeah same here, until I got the Kindred V2 I hadn't used a mech in years, hence the state the other mechs are in at the moment.

I think that in a couple of hours it will be mech time, clean up some of the ones I want to use like the AV Able, as I could clean them all but I want to do them properly so will do them one at a time.

Bringing the Kindred V2 back to firing like when it was new has made me interested in using my other mechs, but like I said they are in a right state, I can't even get the fire button assembly off of the bottom of the mod where it is so stuck with grime on the AV Able.

You've rekindled my thoughts on doing the same with mine. Will get the brasso and Solvo Autosol out and my cleaning rags and see if I can bring them back to full working order. Last time I looked I had about 20 different mech mods so like you will take some time but will be well worth the effort.

 

[conanthewarrior]

You've rekindled my thoughts on doing the same with mine. Will get the brasso and Solvo Autosol out and my cleaning rags and see if I can bring them back to full working order. Last time I looked I had about 20 different mech mods so like you will take some time but will be well worth the effort.

Why not do it, something to do!
I only have brasso wadding no liquid polish, so am hoping I can get the brasso wadding into all the grooves of the threads etc.
I have 12, and the majority of them look awful at the moment, I need to bring them back to brass or copper and nice and shiny, and mainly firing well.

 

[Rickster]

top tip. steep cover all parts in tomato ketchup for 24hrs...thank me later