Whats the deal with soot?
Soot deposition on the ceramic filter is an important issue that all VaporGenie pipe users must be aware of. Soot will be deposited on the ceramic filter whenever the flame is contacted to the ceramic. This causes some bad things to happen: 1) the incompletely burned flame components create disagreeable flavors, unhealthy particles and dirty vapor, and 2) the soot will eventually clog the ceramic filter, rendering it unusable. This is why we always tell people to never ever contact the flame to the ceramic. The flame does not crack, burn or in any way damage the ceramic. The underlying ceramic is fine. But the soot causes problems. Soot buildup does not happen with normal, proper use of the VaporGenie, wherein the flame is not contacted to the ceramic. Soot appears as a pitch-black area on the dark grey ceramic. Soot will not damage the ceramic, but it will eventually clog the ceramic filter after repeated improper uses. When clogged with soot, the ceramic filter will be impossible to
