Less Heat = Harshness?

[03SilverTL]

Not sure if this happens to anyone else but most times after my coals begin to burn down the smoke will get harsh and thin. Why does this happen? Been smoking for a few years and haven't figured out why less heat would make the smoke harsh. If anyone's got some insight post it up. Thanks

Also, as soon as i add more heat the smoke tends to become more dense and the harshness goes away..... Edited August 23, 2007 by 03SilverTL

[hookah hippie]

possiblity o fthe ash ending up in the tobacco and you are tasdting that

[03SilverTL]

possiblity o fthe ash ending up in the tobacco and you are tasdting that

Thought the same thing, so i started using a screen on occasion so i could dump the ash before it got to the tobacco, and it still consistently became more harsh as the heat decreased, then smoothed out as i added another coal. Maybe its just me and the bad hookah luck i sometimes have.

[Johnny_D]

Hi O3Silver

From your opening post I am getting the idea you were putting your coals direct onto the tobacco?

I would try using foil - And give us an idea of what brand of coals you are using.

Generally when the coals start ashing to a large degree your losing heat - the only tobacco i know that gets harsh with less heat is tangiers. So again an idea of what brand tobacco your using would be usefull

Cheers,

JD

[03SilverTL]

thanks for the quick reply's

Must just be my bad luck and lack of ability to learn, ha

Brand of coals is three kings most times (just for connivence) and naturals when time permits. I normally use foil but used a screen so i could completely dump/ash the coals, to prevent any ash from dropping through to the shisha.

Brand of shisha that i smoke recently is "Hookah Hookah," good taste, good price, and overall apperance of the shisha drew me to them. Although i still experience the same problems with brands such as Starbuzz and Nakhla

I agree with you when it comes to tangiers getting harsh with less heat, smoked a few 250's worth of it untill I perfected the tangiers technique.

Maybe its just time to spend the cash on a new phunnel bowl and mod and go from there.

[Johnny_D]

Thanks for the info O3Silver

Never had this problems with nahkla. Never smoked StarBuzz -or- Hookah Hookah so can't help there.

Odd problem really. Normally when the heat dies down you just lose smoke density until you to a point where
there is no smoke at all!

How is your nahkla? - Fresh & moist? If not it might be worth trying to juice it up a bit. Maybe add 15g's of glycarin and about 5-10mls of natural honey to 250g's. Mix it like buggery. leave it to stand for a day in whatever you store it in.

Then give it a smoke?

JD

[john_smith]

Yeah I had this problem the other day using Havana Special Grape. I used a really shithouse coal and didn't have anough heat and was getting not enough smoke as well as hard flavour it was terrible.

[blacklabelqlewis]

ive had the same happen with nakhla and starbuzz. the only time this happens to me is from little hot pieces of the coal getting pulled through the foil and thus burning the shisha, making it harsh and taste almost like im smoking a car tire. when your coals die down dont even bother keeping them on, just use them to start a fresh one

[gixxer209]

i know im a little new at this but this happens to me all the time as you smoke and the coal burns down the top of the shisha starts to dry out and then burn which will start to give harsh smoke. i like screens because u can take the screen off and mix up the shisha but u have more heat lost. with foil u have great heat mangement and well u cant mix it up in the middle of a bowl at least i dont think so,

i need advice to i always get harch smoke i used gold quicklights and ive kinda like king moassel banana it taste like candy banana, so if some one can help me to

[Kae]

i know im a little new at this but this happens to me all the time as you smoke and the coal burns down the top of the shisha starts to dry out and then burn which will start to give harsh smoke. i like screens because u can take the screen off and mix up the shisha but u have more heat lost. with foil u have great heat mangement and well u cant mix it up in the middle of a bowl at least i dont think so,

i need advice to i always get harch smoke i used gold quicklights and ive kinda like king moassel banana it taste like candy banana, so if some one can help me to

The golden quicklights always gave me a headache, and had a strong chemical flavor/smell. Could be why the shisha tastes harsh. Just my $0.02 =]

[Sonthert]

1. It depends on the coals you are using.

2. The bottom of the bowl has to be hot for good smoking. When the charcoal on the top get smaller, after you've been smoking awhile, the bottom gets cooler, producing less smoke, but the top, that has dried out starts scorching...you wouldn't notice it while you're getting enough heat to get good smoke off the lower areas...

[03SilverTL]

1. It depends on the coals you are using.

2. The bottom of the bowl has to be hot for good smoking. When the charcoal on the top get smaller, after you've been smoking awhile, the bottom gets cooler, producing less smoke, but the top, that has dried out starts scorching...you wouldn't notice it while you're getting enough heat to get good smoke off the lower areas...

That's the answer i was looking for, thanks alot everyone.

[Sonthert]

Also, the ash layer will get thicker...not falling in the tobacco, which I can't tell makes a bit of difference (at least with Tangiers), but as the ash layer gets thicker, it acts like an insulating blanket that reduces the amount of heat produced.