Some Vindicator clones use a main spring that wound from thicker wire and is much stiffer than the original.

I bought an SS version with the constant contact switch about a year ago and the fire button was way too firm. I cut a loop from the top of the spring and reformed the cut end using heat and pliers. The throw is still firm but much easier to use now.

Thanks C4, no, my vindicator does not have a long and a short adjustment;
I checked that again and again.
The pressure to go on fire is about 900gr, checked that with a scale,
and I see no way to disamble the switch to install a softer spring.
Perhaps 17$ was too cheap for a 21700 mech mod.

Crispycritters wrote:

Yes CC, there are ways, to optimize or exchange the spring.
But for me I do not see a way to open the switch, this is the main problem.
Seems this 17$ mod was a wrong investment.
These 21700 mech mods are not heavy but with lots of power.
I have to find a better 21700 mech mod.

And btw. I started today my SMPL with P26A, this is a beast.

Hopefully I will find SMPL in 21700.

Troepfler wrote:

To disassemble the switch look under the positive contact - there is a small white plastic or peek part that unscrews allowing you to remove the positive contact and contact spring. Other than separating the two halves of the main switch assembly this is the only part you need to strip occasionally. You can remove the spring the same way you would remove a key from a keyring if you want to cut it or change it for a softer spring.

The best value 21700 mech on here with good performance is the Copper Serisvape Bathala - it has noticeably stronger performance than the Kennedy but it needs frequent cleaning because the copper oxidises fast and the switch turns nasty if neglected.

CC wrote:
You can remove the spring the same way you would remove a key from a keyring if you want to cut it or change it for a softer spring.

I tried again to open the Vindicator switch with my biggest HAZET water pump pliers,
but there was no way to open the switch.
Seems the thread is close to the 2 notches (or is "noses" the better word in English?)
Seems a soft brass screw in a soft brass body is not the best construction idea.

With the "keyring solution" I removed the original spring, no problem.
Installing a Nemesis spring was also no problem.
With the original spring I had to push the button with 900gr,
with the Nemesis spring I have now 500gr, very nice.

Compared to 18650 SMPL (e.g. SKU 9709146),
the 21700 Vindicator SKU 9695216 is OK,
but the issue is the switch.

Yes, a lot of our members say, Serisvape Bathala SKU 9717993 is a very good 21700 mech mod.
But this thing is ugly.
Perhaps someone has a good idea for a nice looking 21700 tube mech mod?

cmj55 wrote:

Yes, I did that.
But then I forgot the Nemesis in the vinegar for one week.
Today I checked the result, and the vinegar was very dirty, first white, now brown,
lots of dirt parts in the vinegar and slime on the mod.
Cleaned all parts with water and they look OK.
Only the chrome plated steel (not SS) spring did not survive,
the chrome is gone and the spring is now too soft.
Before cleaning, the Nemesis top and switch was hot for 2 seconds with 40 watts,
now the Nemesis keeps cold, good result, hits close to SMPL.
A short internet check showed, vinegar with thin plated chrome is perhaps not the best idea.
I have to check, perhaps citrom acid is the better choice.

My trick for keeping threads on brass tube mods from oxidizing is to use a little bit of nolox or copper conductive grease. It makes things so buttery smooth and you wont have conductivity issues. You also never need to polish the threads.... I wipe down the threads maybe every two or three years with a dry paper towel and just reapply new copper conductive grease. It's kept my brass nemi firing strong and it never gets a hot button even though it's threads are only cleaned once every few years.

The second SS Nemi with a bit hot switch issue,
was now 2 days in vinegar.
Less dirt in the vinegar, compared to Nemi 1 with 7 days vinegar.
The result was OK, but the 7 days vinegar Nemi hits harder.

Now the copper SMPL is in vinegar, without neodym magnets,
very clean copper and brass switch after some hours.
SMPL does not have plastic parts, that makes the treatment safer.

For my 1965 Mustang in the shed for 25 years,
I checked month ago, how to remove oxidation around the pistons.
This US WD40 and the EU Caramba are very similar,
this is Europe Petroleum (for oil lamps),
or very close it is US Kerosine or lighter US plane Kerosine.

There are US websites, which shows cheap solutions compared to WD40,
how to remove oxidations, some use a mix of oil and Aceton.

The US Wiki website "Penetrating Oil", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penetrating_oil
does not give lots of informations,
the GER website "Kriechöl",
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriech%C3%B6l#:~:text=Ein%20Kriech%C3%B6l%20oder%20Penetrier%C3%B6l%20(entsprechend,der%20Regel%20haupts%C3%A4chlich%20aus%20Petroleum.
has much more informations, e.g. see:

"Kontaktspray mit oxydlösender Wirkung
Kontaktsprays zur chemischen Reinigung elektrischer Kontakte enthalten Säuren und wirken reduzierend. Sie eignen sich so zum Auflösen von Oxidschichten auf elektrischen Kontakten und sollten nach der Anwendung von elektronischen Komponenten wieder abgewaschen werden, damit keine schädlichen chemischen Reaktionen eintreten. Zum Abwaschen eignen sich beispielsweise rückstandsfrei verdunstende
Kontaktreiniger.[1]"

Edit: cheap barbecue grill starters (without alcohol) are very close to WD40/Caramba.

Why are you using vinegar instead of actual copper or brass polish out of curiosity? Wouldn't 5min with a rag and some polish be easier than soaking parts in vinegar for a week? I'm positive you'll get a better result using a commercial product versus vinegar. Just don't use it on any silver plated bits.

Moldy wrote:
... Why are you using vinegar instead of actual copper or brass polish out of curiosity? Wouldn't 5min with a rag and some polish be easier? ...

I used 2014 to 2021 Isopropanol, a soft slow rotating brass wire brush and very very fine sandpaper to clean mech mods INSIDE.
But that needs 30 min for each mod.
To find a faster solution, I put the question in post #2.
In post #3, #5, #18 and #19 the answer was "vinegar".
I tried that, and yes, for pure copper, pure brass and pure SS, vinegar seems OK.
But vinegar destroys chrome plated springs,
and perhaps painted tubes, plastics, aluminium and silver plated contacts.
I am not talking about, how to make a mech mod outside very shiny.
Seems kerosin or kerosin mixed with car fuel could be a solution.
But in the next step, I will try Zarcks post #12 solution with the ultrasonic cleaner.