Seandoo Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 So has anybody else run into the problem of having a rusted ball after soaking the hookah for a few days for a good cleaning? I can't get mine out - which means I cannot clear the base easily if it's burning harsh, and an adapter to turn a one-hose hookah into a dual hose hookah would be impossible with no secondary air valve. I have a new ball for it since this one's all rusty, but any suggestions as to how I might be able to get it out? Thanks ahead of time... -Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypress Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 Tap it with a hammer and a nail at an angle. I dont see why they dont make those balls out of stainless steel. It would make more sence to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 This wont help the taste, and you'll want to clean it again real good, but a shot of wd40 or silicon spray might help loosen the ball. Then tap it with a hammer and nail. I generally remove the ball when cleaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alen Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 after ive done a good cleaning on my hookamophone (i take it totally apart) then when ill put it together again i always take a drop of olive oil or some other veg oil and make the ball a little greasy not much just a thin thin layer then it wont get stuck for me til next big cleanup -btw i tought the name of the thread was about some strange v.d i havent heard of ( pss hey doc- i think ive got a rusted ball) sorry man thats just the way i am Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Deere Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 nice........sean has a rusty ball and alen has a greasy ball...... cypress, I dont know where you get your balls from, but mine are stainless steel. Ive never had one rust on me yet. My main problem is losing them when I clean out the exchange valve. Sometimes If you ask, a few places will throw a couple in with your order. The trick is determining whether or not they are stainless. If there are dull looking or have black spots or rust (duh) they are regular steel, if they are shiny, then they are stainless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seandoo Posted June 27, 2005 Author Share Posted June 27, 2005 Thank you, gentlemen. My hookah as well as my hookah buddies will appreciate this advice very much. I agree - who in the world would make any piece of a waterpipe rustable and not of stainless steel? I'll try the nail and hammer technique as well as wd40 when I get back from the gym tonight to smoke some of my new stuff with my buddies, will see how it goes. haha vd's and rusty/greasy ballz. good stuff. way to keep the forum fresh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seandoo Posted June 27, 2005 Author Share Posted June 27, 2005 The guy I bought my hookah from (friend's section leader in college band) suggested we try sucking it out from the hookah...my friend was successful but his didn't really have much if any rust, it was just stuck. Man I'm not sucking on any rusty ballz! Thanks for the better advice =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sariél Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 I lost one of my balls while cleaning it a while back. I found a replacement at a local Mom/Pop Hardware store. Just ask for a .25" stainless steel ball bearing (although 1 size up or down also fit). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sariél Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 I lost one of my balls while cleaning it a while back. I found a replacement at a local Mom/Pop Hardware store. Just ask for a .25" stainless steel ball bearing (although 1 size up or down should also fit). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Deere Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 how goes the rusty ball sean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seandoo Posted June 28, 2005 Author Share Posted June 28, 2005 Well, I tried tapping a screw at an angle with a hammer (no nails were to be found but I'll look harder probably tomorrow) but with no luck still. Maybe I'll see if I have a can of wd-40 laying around still? We shall see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Hmm..not to make things even more complex, but if you have a very small flat head screwdriver, like for glasses or computers, you might have more luck with that rather than a nail. Just a thought for a back up if the nail fails... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Ah...lastly, if you have a turbo lighter or some sort of torch to hit the thing with right before you try the nail, might make the metal expand a bit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypress Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 [quote name='John Deere']cypress, I dont know where you get your balls from, but mine are stainless steel.[/quote] I have 2 Egyptian and 1 Syrian and not one of them came with a stainless one. I havent seen yours but you either have one that is more modernized or the seller changed it out before he sent it to you. The two Egyptian ones I have came directly from Egypt from a friend and the Syrian came from Hookah-Shisha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yashman19 Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 My ball bearing that came in the Stargate is Stainless steel i believe. When I look at it, its complettly shiny, and I see no signs of discoloration or rusting, so I assume its stainless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Deere Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Actually, mine didnt have one when i got it, i got new ones. You wanted to know why they didnt make them out of SS, and I was just letting you know that there are SS ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypress Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Yea i knew they have some out of staineless. But i was saying that because I believe they should come standard on all hookahs. I guess I said it in a way that was confusing. It was just like the mya hose post. I read it too fast and didnt look at where the coma was placed and took it the wrong way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Deere Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Its all good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seandoo Posted June 29, 2005 Author Share Posted June 29, 2005 Hey thanks for the tips - I believe I have a small screwdriver, and I'm sure I can heat up the ball - didn't think of that. So for the multiple hose hookahs, is it necessary to plug up every hose that isn't being sucked on at once? My friend bought an adapter to put a hose on his air valve so his one hose became a two hose, but he took his ball out and we had to plug up the hose not in use at the moment of each hit, which kinda defeated the purpose. I figured keeping the ball in would alleviate this, but it seemed that the ball went up the hose! Not sure if he needs bigger balls or what =) haha but maybe the ball should be taken out? Or maybe the hookahs made for multiple hoses have some kind of contraption that I'm unaware of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sariél Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 a few models have an auto seal system, but most of them you have to cover the hose with your thumb when someone else is hitting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seandoo Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 hmm I see...so leaving the ball in wouldn't be a great idea then for someone using an adapter huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Deere Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 The adapter I had (which was too big for my hookah) was made so you could still have the ball in, so you didnt even have to take the adapter off when the 2nd hose wasnt in use. there were three small holes in the bottom of it as opposed to just a big one so the ball couldnt go through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 So, you free your ball yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seandoo Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 Whoa that's pretty chill with the 3 holes, and all. Alright you know what? I think I'm gunna stop thinking about freeing my ball and just do it. brb... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seandoo Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 Hey mush, thanks for the great idea of hitting it with a torch. I tried scraping the rust out and greasing it up with wd-40, but all that did was make everything very slippery, as the ball was really, really stuck in there. After I had exhausted everything I could think of I called up the same friend I was telling you about...he came over with a propane torch, which was the best idea since sliced bread since I had forgotten your suggestion until that moment. Anyway we torched it for about 30 seconds to a minute...I decided to take a peek to see how it was doing, and the hookah was smoking. I suppose a smoking hookah is usually good, but not in this case. We figured it was just the wd40 burning off, which I think a lot of it was. Anyway we just took a small screwdriver to the hot hookah and the ball came right out. Brilliant idea! Thanks a bunch!!! -Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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