How to Open a Vape Cart? (Reusable & Disposable)

If you’re a vaper, unless you use refillable cartridges, usually the best thing to do when your cart runs out is just to buy a new one.

However, there are also times when some people want to open their old cart and might not know how to do it – so to help, in this post, we have all the info you need about how to open a vape cartridge.

What are the various parts of a vape pen?

Before we start talking about how to open a vape cart, we need to say a few words about how vapes are constructed so that we know how the cart fits into the overall picture. Here are the various parts of a modern vape.

• Atomizer

The atomizer is the part of a vaping device that houses the wick and the coil and that converts the juice into vapor.

The wick, usually made of cotton, draws the juice from the cartridge, and the coil then heats it, transforming it into vapor for you to inhale.

• Battery

The battery is where the power comes from, and they can be either single-use or rechargeable.

• Cartridge

The cartridge is the part of the vape device that contains the vape juice. The juice is drawn from the cart into the atomizer, where it is heated and converted into vapor.

Cartridges can be either prefilled and intended to be used once and then discarded or refillable and intended for multiple uses.

Disposable vapes come with built-in cartridges that are designed for one single use. Since they are built into the vape, they aren’t designed to be removed or separated from the rest of the device.

• Mouthpiece

The mouthpiece is attached to the cartridge and, as the name suggests, is the part that you put into your mouth when you want to take a puff.

Opening a vape cart essentially means removing the mouthpiece, something we’ll look at how to do in just a moment.

What are the different types of vape cartridge?

For the purposes of this post, there are essentially two types of vape cartridge – those that are meant to be opened and those that aren’t.

Some vape cartridges are meant to be reused while others are intended for one single use.

This means the first thing you need to do before trying to open your vape cartridge is to work out which type you have.

This is because opening a cartridge that is designed to be opened is a whole lot easier – whereas opening one that is not supposed to be unsealed is a little more complicated and will require the use of some tools.

Usually, most users will know which type they have. However, if you aren’t sure, look at the mouthpiece to see if it looks like it will come off easily.

If it does, you probably have a refillable cartridge, in which case it will be easy to open.

On the other hand, if you don’t see what looks like a removable mouthpiece, you probably have a single-use cart.

Also, if you buy a disposable vape, this will also have a single-use cartridge that isn’t designed to be opened or reused.

Vape Cart vs Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes offer great advantages over cartridge systems. Disposables eliminate the headache of cart upkeep and battery hassles.

Simply toss when the disposable empties – no need to ever refill fluid or recharge. Today’s disposables boast an impressive 9000+ puff lifespan.

Disposable vapes also prevent mess and frustration from leaked carts or clogged coils. Their sealed engineering contains the e-liquid securely.

Building on the convenience of disposable vaping, SPIRITBAR Vape has introduced innovative new options like the SPIRITBAR Jack’s Flask and SPIRITBAR Katana disposable vapes. Thanks to large e-liquid reservoirs, these products deliver an exceptional 9000-10000 puff capacity for extended vaping time. Helpful features include e-liquid and power display screens so vapers can monitor usage.

Despite the premium quality and performance, SPIRITBAR disposable vape remain affordable. Jack’s Flask and Katana ship free when purchasing just one device. Vapers can enjoy bold pirate-inspired or refined samurai flavors for an accessible price.

Why would you want to open a vape cartridge?

Now we understand the difference between reusable and single-use carts, we’re almost ready to get onto talking about how to open them – but before we do that, let’s think about why you’d want to open one in the first place to see if it’s something you should really try.

If you have a reusable vape cartridge, the reason for wanting to open it is obvious – that’s what they’re designed for, and opening it will allow you to refill it and use it again.

However, if you are using a single-use cart, you might still want to open it and refill it to use it again to save yourself a little money.

Also, if you are vaping cannabis products, you may want to open the cart to gain access to the last drops of weed oil that’s left inside.

Some people may also want to remove the oil to use in other ways. For example, some people might like to experiment with using THC oil in edibles or dripping a few drops into a joint for an extra potent hit.

We’ve even heard of people trying to drink the THC oil to see what the effect is like – although this is not something we would advise trying!

Why shouldn’t you open a vape cartridge?

If you are just a regular vaper (as opposed to somebody who vapes THC or other cannabis products), it’s probably not worth messing about with opening a cartridge in the first place.

Unless you have a cartridge that’s designed to be refilled, it’s a lot easier just to discard your old cartridge and buy a new one.

Even more convenient is just to vape with disposables. That way, you use the vape until it runs out and then buy another.

A great example of a convenient, modern disposable vape is the Spiritbar Katana 10000. Each device provides 10,000 puffs, and they also feature a sleek design that replicates a Japanese Katana sword, making them comfortable and attractive as well as practical to use.

Opening vape cartridges

So now we’ve covered the basics of how vapes are constructed and talked about why you would – or wouldn’t – want to open a vape cartridge, it’s time to look at how it’s actually done.

So let’s start with the easy part and talk about opening a cart that’s meant to be opened.

How to open a reusable vape cartridge

Opening a reusable cart is very easy.

The first and most important step is to remove your cart from your vape.

This is because if you try to open a cart that’s still connected to a power source, it can potentially burn you or even catch fire or explode – and even if it doesn’t injure you, it may cause irreparable damage to the cart and vaping device.

Next, hold the cart in one hand and simply twist the mouthpiece in a clockwise direction with the other hand to remove it.

This should be all you need to do to open the cart – and if this doesn’t do the trick, it probably means the cartridge isn’t a reusable one since reusable carts are designed to open easily.

If you think your cart isn’t a refillable one, then you’ll need to make a bit more effort to get it open, so let’s look at how to do that now.

How to open a disposable vape cartridge

If you want to open a non-reusable cart, you need to start by removing it from the vape to make sure it isn’t connected to a power source – for the same reasons mentioned above.

Next, you’ll need to take some vice grip pliers and some needle nose pliers.

Use the vice grip pliers to hold the opposite end of the cartridge to the mouthpiece (make sure you grip it around the metal part and not on the glass) and then use the needle nose pliers to grip the mouthpiece and try to pull it off.

To do this, you’ll probably have to wiggle it a bit, and you may have to persevere a little since it isn’t designed to come off.

However, if you stick at it, you should eventually be able to wiggle the mouthpiece free and pull it off.

Note that if you are trying to open a cartridge that’s still full, you’ll need to be extra careful not to spill the juice or the oil inside once the top comes off. You should also be careful not to force it too much since this will damage the cart and make it unusable.

Eventually, you should be able to get it open. You can then remove what’s inside if that was your objective – or you can refill it and replace the mouthpiece and use it again if that was your plan.

Pro tips

Opening a CCELL cart is the same as other prefilled carts

CCELL carts are a modern innovation and are designed to reduce the risk of leaks or overheating.

However, the basic design is similar to a traditional cart, and they can be opened in much the same way as described above.

Use a syringe to remove oil from a cart

If you want to remove the oil from a cart you’ve just opened, the best way is to use a syringe. Since cannabis oil can be thick and viscous, it can help to warm it gently before attempting to remove it.

Refill weed oil slowly

Using a syringe to refill a weed cart will also make the operation easier. Go slowly when doing it to avoid creating bubbles.

Usually easy to do, even with single-use carts

As we’ve seen, if you have a refillable cart, opening it could hardly be easier – because that’s what they’re designed for.

However, even if you’re dealing with a cartridge that isn’t supposed to be opened, it usually shouldn’t be too difficult, allowing you to refill it or remove the contents as required.