SOLVED (I hope)

I have extensively and repeatedly snapped it with no further issues after orienting the JetCat filter vertically with the exit or "downstream" end on top.

I believe that my previous (and only) flameout occurred when small bubbles that would normally have never been an issue accumulated into one larger one, which eventually "burped" during the jostling of a snap. The result was a deadstick into the beanfield and I didn't want to repeat that :-)

Thanks again to all who contributed their thoughts, I am very grateful.