Pinch – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

A “pinch” is the tiny amount of e-liquid you squeeze between thumb and forefinger when topping-up a pod system or small mouth-to-lank (MTL) tank. It’s a practical, eye-ball measurement—roughly 3–5 drops, or 0.1–0.15 mL—used instead of syringes or bottles. Rather than flooding the coil, you literally “pinch” the tip of your gorilla bottle, unicorn bottle, or even the corner of a refill pouch, let surface tension form a bead, then drip it straight into the Port“>fill port. The goal is to avoid over-filling, minimise waste, and keep the coil from choking on excess Glycerin)”>VG (Vegetable Glycerin). Veteran Australian vapers call it “giving it a pinch” the same way Brits say “a spot of milk.”

Technical Details

A pinch relies on cohesive force: when the bottle’s nozzle is compressed, the internal diameter narrows to ~1 mm, creating a droplet of 0.02–0.03 mL. Three to five of these droplets deliver 0.06–0.15 mL, enough to re-wet a 0.8–1.2 Ω coil after 40–60 puffs. Because most pod systems hold only 2 mL under TPD/Australian limits, a pinch keeps the wicking ports 70–80 % saturated without reaching the vacuum relief vent. Variations include the “double pinch” (two quick squeezes for high-PG nic salts) and the “slide-pinch,” where you drag the bottle tip along the sidewall to coat cotton evenly. Temperature matters: at 25 °C a 50/50 PG/VG mix has viscosity ~2.0 cP, ideal for clean droplet formation; high-VG juices above 70 % may need a pre-warm between palms to flow cleanly.

Usage & Tips

• Always pinch with the pod detached—tilt 45 °C so air can escape and prevent vacuum lock.
• Count droplets aloud: “one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand”; stop at five to avoid spit-back on first puff.
• If the coil tastes dry after a pinch, wait 90 s: cotton fibres re-expand at 60 % saturation; Vaping“>chain vaping too soon can singe the coil.
• High-nic nicotine salts are potent—one extra pinch can raise strength by 0.3 mg in a 2 mL pod; mark your bottle with a Sharpie dot to track daily intake.
• Safety: wash hands after pinching high-strength liquids; 50 mg/mL on skin equals roughly 1 mg absorbed—harmless, but can cause mild dizziness.

History & Context

The term migrated from 2015 DIY forums where Aussie vapers swapped 10 mL “doubler” bottles. Filling tiny 1.5 mL cigalike carts required precision, so users coined “just a pinch” to avoid syringes classified as drug paraphernalia under state law. With the 2021 nicotine prescription model, discreet pinching became the norm in 7–11 carparks, cementing the word in local vape vernacular.