Since I've joined the Nexus, I've bumped into a lot of topics that described using a steel wool mesh as unsafe and a big no-no. I've posted this in another thread, but since that was about something else, no one replied, and it's best to have this in a separate discussion. Let's research & discuss this and see how much is truth and how much is myth.



In an attempt to shed some light over this matter once and for all (for me, at least), I am going to challenge that affirmation. Now, from my personal experience, steel wool is actually steel fibers, assembled in a way in which it resembles wool. Some of those are mesh-looking or curly-looking. This is what I'm referring to in the next lines. Sponge lined with wool-looking (plastic) fibers don't qualify. Those are indeed nasty and will burn if you light them up.

Now, with that definition in mind, let's ask ourselves the following question: what's the temperature at which steel burns? That is to say BURN, not melt. Well, from what I've read over the internet, combined with my intuition (steel being one of the hardest metals on earth), it results that steel burns - that is to say, it ignites & supports burning without the aid of a flame - at over 1000 degrees celsius (I've seen answers ranging from 1260C to 1450C; either way, it's definitely over 1000). My line of thinking, and my personal experience with steel wool tells me you're not going to get over 200 C when you insert that steel wool inside a smoking device.

Now, with the toxic fumes it's another business. What you probably meant was "don't smoke from steel wool JUST bought from the supermarket". Common sense tells me that the oily stuff that is on the commercial steel wool can be get rid of. Get that steel wool in an open flame - over a kitchen stove flame is just fine, keep it there until it gets red and then some more (it won't catch fire if it's the kind of steel wool I described in the opening line), and let everything burn off of it. That means keep it in the fire until absolutely no smoke (and no funny smells) emerge. Do this repeatedly, alternating sides of the steel wool mesh, to make sure all the nasty stuff is gone.

For me the above "sterilization" procedure is more than enough and I truly believe that steel wool prepared that way is as good as copper mesh. Not that you shouldn't do the same for your copper mesh as well. Just saying.

No one should take the above explanation as the absolute truth, and definitely don't take it personally. It's only based on my personal knowledge and experience. I just want to clear up this issue, because for some of us copper meshes aren't so readily available. Plus, it's always nice to have a backup solution.

Attached is a picture of what I consider to be safe steel wool - rendered safe after using the procedure described above, see the comment about the protective oils/coating.

I've used steel wool that ignited before, it was super fine and intended for sanding.
The steel wool that is used as pot scrubbers is thicker and doesn't ignite or release any visible vapor or smoke when a 1300 degree celcius butane flame heats. I use it regularly and have no concerns about its safety.

It is not in my opinion wool on the picture you posted it is mesh. If it is wool as you claim then I have been using different type of wool then you. I have never come across this kind of wool.

I was talking about wool that is very easy to burn not mesh. Also it is important to mention in what device you use it. For example in the machine you will most definitely burn wool if you touch it with flame from torch lighter. I have done this many times. I experimented with wool and its very easy to burn it. It will not melt but you will end up with some sort of ash some of which would end up in your lungs if smoked. (that happened to me, not nice)

On the other hand I have never tried this in my GVG so can not comment on that. I guess not all members here have GVG at home so generally I would not recommend to anybody to use steel wool. It is much better to use steel mesh or copper is even better.

I have been using copper mesh from chore boy for a year and I have never needed to replace it for another one. When I was using the machine with steel wool I had to replace it very often because it was burned after few uses. But this applies to the machine.

I am 100% sure if I used copper mesh in machine it would last for ever. Maybe some members can confirm this ?

So on first two pictures is what I call wool and the rest is copper and steel mesh. As you can see on picture 5 it is a copper mesh that looks like the wool on your picture. That is why I said IMO it is mesh on your picture not wool.

Definitely no doubt that the fine steel wool is bad, ignites very very easily.

IME, which includes having used both medium weight steel wool and Choreboy copper in the GVG, is that both work very well.The steel has a slight metallic taste not found with the copper but I prefer copper these days.The light weight steel wool is not ideal, IMO, as this stuff can combust.Another point to consider is what is being vaporised; both work great for DMT which tends to go from liquid to vapor quickly, but other substances which hang around as a liquid for longer tend, IME, to work better with compressed medium weight steel wool as this is much less likely to result in dripping than the copper mesh- in this situation, the compressed copper mesh needs a more forceful inhalation than the medium weight steel wool.

Chore boy all the way Get it on ebay if you can't get it locally. Steel mesh like in your pic gave me a metallic taste

Just the fact that you have that metallic taste proves that some particles of steel gets to your lungs. Thats why I prefer copper before steel.

Also I think spice will melt through steel wool more easily than through mesh because of the shape. Wool is round but mesh is flat so more surface for spice to hold on.

I have never had problem with inhalation through mesh. Maybe you just put too much of it in your GVG. You do not need mesh more than 3mm high.

I largely agree with you smokerx; copper is the bees-knees for DMT and 2-4mm thickness is sufficient; for some of the less positive vaporized substances, Ive found that the steel wool approach tends to work better.

I prefer copper also but the fact that you have a metallic taste only proves that some particles of steele got to the tastebuds.

The temperature at which metals chemically react with other substances has nothing to do with the melting point of the metal.

For example, solid metallic potassium will react violently with water at room temperature, producing intense heat in the process.

Fine fibers of iron, when exposed to flame in the presence of oxygen, will chemically react to produce iron oxide. The reaction is exothermic, so once it starts, enough heat will be generated to sustain the reaction.

Iron is more chemically reactive with oxygen than copper. Fine steel wool has much more surface area than coarse steel wool, so it is exposed to much more oxygen and much more likely to react.

The flameless heat produced in a GVG is probably insufficient to initiate an exothermic reaction between iron and oxygen, but since other less reactive metals and alloys are readily available (copper, brass, stainless steel), I have no intention of ever using iron in my GVG.

I used the small steel "Volcano" oil pads, they work great. I did buy a copper scrubber that looked just like a choreboy at Safeway but it was their noname brand and when I tested it's heat handling capabillities the stuff pretty much melted then turned to a white/ grey coulor with a consitancy of ash. The steel remains in the gvg and the copper is now being used as a pot scrubber.

C_S

Wow, thanks guys for the clarifications and the pictures. I would definitely not smoke out of that fibery kinda steel wool and yeah, I can see how it can catch fire. Never thought THAT is steel wool though, never seen anything like that (Europe). So yeah, that looks pretty much unsafe to smoke from. Now we have a pictorial for what is safe to smoke from and what is not. Cool.

The mesh (correction in order, thank you smokerx, what I posted is advertised as steel wool here, so you understand my confusion) that I've posted works excellent in both the machine and the VG, those I tested. I also used a dubious oval lightbulb at some point with this mesh, but the results are not worth taking into consideration. I can't see why it won't work with a GVG just as well. Nowadays I only travel with my VG, but even with the machine, the vapor never had any specific taste.

Thank you gibran2 for the detailed explanation of the process, it's greatly appreciated. Learning every day!

I also use the volcano stainless steel pads, they are anyways supposed to be used for vaporization so it should be perfectly safe. They are quite cheap and can be ordered off the net. Ive heard some people have some issues but it always worked for me perfectly.