How long are swimmers holding the smoke in?

Swim usually holds it for about 20 seconds and usually doesnt go past 2 hits, though he has done 3 on occasion.

Also, the rule of thumb has been not to hit it directly with flame, but in reading reports, alot of sudden breakthroughs have occurred when ppl hit the pile directly with flame (at least as far as swim has read).

Wondering just how much is lost with direct flame (from a lighter, swim imagines a torch to be a bit too hot)- wonder if there isnt a bigger payoff by getting the stuff vaporized quicker seeing as how the tolerance builds uber fast.

Thoughts? Ideas? Experiences?

SWIMs first time breaking through(also first time)...haha he put the lighter close to it and the whole pile went up in flames...in his surprise he hit it as hard as he could to try to put the flame out..that didnt work...so he stuck is fingers over it to smother the fire...by that time reality was already ripping apart..and yes holding it in for at least 20 seconds is very good way to use way less spice

Each monster hit is held as long as humanly possible for me (20-40 seconds).

As for the direct flame question:

When using the leaf bed method the flame hits the top bed of leaf and prevents the actual flame from hitting the spice.

The times I have not put that top bed of leaf on the spice and only has leaf underneath, I have had subbreakthough experiences, even with a substantial amount of spice in the pipe. When I was using a vaporizer and a torch lighter I was having a lot of trouble getting any real effects. I later learned, through trial and error, that I was applying way too much heat to the bulb. Babying the bulb with minimal heat would always provide a very serious breakthough!

Idk how efficient smoking with the bed of leaf on the spice is but i know chasing the dragon, although ghetto and old, is very quick vaporizing in seconds and all in one hit. When I did it this way I held it for 10-20 seconds and was breaking through in about fricken 5 seconds. Previously I've smoked the same ammount slower and and not as strong effects.

Did a ful ash pipe bowl of white fluffy powder with direct flame to it till 3/4s of the pull each time and fullyon teh 3rd hit cuz it was cashed. 1st=10second hold, 2nd hit=7 second hold, 3rd hit I couldnt hold it as reality left and I had no lungs anymore.lol. Forgot all about that whole breathing concept.lol.

Oh and yeah breakthrough as far as I know. 1st and only voyage, but the sitter told me I met teh architects and had a full blown breakthrough experience.. .4 grams from what Im told. Met the elves.and had a few terror moments at teh end from yacking.

.4 or .04?

he said a full bowl so i think he ment .4 (400 Mgs)

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regarding holding it in, had anyone noticed no smoke what so ever come out when you know you took a massive hit?

why does this happen? is the DMT re-crystalizing in you're lungs if the vapor doesnt stay hot enough?

Yeah I dont know. I didnt weigh it. he just dumoed a bunch out from a ti foil fold up and filled teh bowl to teh brim and I cashed it for teh most part as teh last hit was pretty nasty tasting. Im sure there was some resiny crap left at the end but I kileld 90% of what was there as I take pretty full hits. Like 80% smoke, 20% oxygen and I was blowing out some pretty big clouds after holding it for 10 and 7 seconds and the third hit was a little half cloud but it turned like digital so I could be wrong.lol. The last hit I coughed a bit and coudnt hold it and I could feel it wasnt as full as teh first two. So all you veteran psychonauts can probably guess how much was in there. you woudl know better than I.

if you're using 3-400 mg per use, then I would assume there is quite a bit of waste... I mean, many people achieve breakthrough on 50mg, let alone 6-8 times that amount

Quite true.

300-400mgs is a massive overdose. Blackouts would be the only thing I would experience with these dosages.