Managing Coals

[brokezilla]

Hi, long time hookah smoker, first time owner. I've had my Mya Staff for about 2 weeks now. I'm using the coals that came with it from hookah-shisha (golden coals? they're pretty small). Usually what I'll do is just put the coal in the middle and get it smoking nice and good. But usually 15 mins or so into it, it will start getting harsh. I check to see if it's burnt but I don't think it is, doesn't smell burnt but the top layer is black. Is the shisha supposed to get black and "burnt looking" I guess? At this point I'lll usually take off the coal for a bit or move it around.. it usually helps(like 75% of the time) but sometimes it will keep smoking harsh. I'm thinking it's poor heat managment. Any ideas/tips?

[racemyghost]

how do you pack your bowl and your hole setup on the foil?

also, dont place one coal in the center. Instead, use 2 pieces and put them on the ends of the bowl across eachother.

[SafeSearchOff]

alot of people here rotate the coals regularly.
I will tend to ash the coals every 7-10 minutes, and then rotate the coals an inch or two clockwise when using a phunnel, or just randomly when using a normal bowl.

Johnny D doesnt believe in rotating coals. and i have no clue how he does it.

[HookahCulture]

It can be poor heat management - try changing up your hole pattern (more holes, some bigger holes) and don't puff so often. Sometimes the mahsell needs outside air mixed in and not all coming from the coal contact. You can still get a good smoke! Try using the metal screen rather than foil too.
I use both alternately depending on the situation!

[HookahCulture]

Oh yeah---
I use the finger coals, and have had much success just laying 2 fingers across the top and leaving them there!
They do well with a small gap between. If using small chunks, start them on the outer rim and them migrate them inward after maybe 20 mins.
I should make a photo set for a successful hookah smoke, it seems so many people are having troubles getting the perfect smoke!

[brokezilla]

I don't think my shisha packing or holes in the foil are the problem. I grab a chunk of shisha and break off small pieces and drop them in to the rim. I tried using the poker that came with the tongs but I have better success using a needle and poking a lot of little holes all over. I just had a smoke while posting this actually and moved the coal around a bit- had better success. Next time I will try splitting the coal in 2 and trying it that way(damn these things are hard). Thanks for the fast replys.

[camelflage]

yeah, a coal in the middle will get it started fast but if you leave it there you will toast the shisha.

[FURsAKeN]

You can break goldens alot easier by taking anything hard with a ridged edge, score it down the middle about 1/8 - 3/32. It will break in half easier and sometimes alot cleaner.

[HookahCulture]

1. Don't use the rod on the tongs! The holes are too big. I use a toothpick.

2. The tobacco is not called shisha! It's called mahsell. There are other spellings, but it's a phonetic spelling of the arabic word.

[racemyghost]

tobacco can be reffered to shisha. Thats actually the proper term for it, but i guess it varies depending on the country you are in...

[hookah hippie]

1. Don't use the rod on the tongs! The holes are too big. I use a toothpick.

2. The tobacco is not called shisha! It's called mahsell. There are other spellings, but it's a phonetic spelling of the arabic word.

I believe your second statement is incorrect.

Depending on where in the world you are will depend on what the tobacco is known as.

Sometimes it is known as shisha

[chinamon]

all my persian and arabic friends call the hookah a "shisha".

[ZenSilk]

Tomato / Toma(h)to.

[camelflage]

Tomato / Toma(h)to.

really, i mean who cares.

the egyptian word for glass is shisha, so when they say shisha they are referring to the pipe, in turkey they say nargileh, here we say hookah and call the tobacco shisha. we know what people mean.

[HookahCulture]

I CARE, and so do the people we're adopting this pastime from.

The hookah itself may have a different name depending on the region, but ask an arabic-speaking person what the sweet flavored tobacco for the hookah is called and you'll see.

This is a total misnomer that got perpetuated from one n00b to the next very quickly!

Trust me, arabic-speaking people who smoke hookah think it's moronic.

[camelflage]

I CARE, and so do the people we're adopting this pastime from.

The hookah itself may have a different name depending on the region, but ask an arabic-speaking person what the sweet flavored tobacco for the hookah is called and you'll see.

This is a total misnomer that got perpetuated from one n00b to the next very quickly!

Trust me, arabic-speaking people who smoke hookah think it's moronic.

well i am glad they have the time and verocity to waste caring about what other people call the tobacco. personally i find it easier to type 'shisha' then it is to type 'moassel' or 'mahsell' or 'tobacco' or 'plant leaves with honey or molasses and some glycerine flavorings that when baked vaporize into a wonderfully delicious and smooth smoke that takes me to another place like willy wonka's chocolate factory and i am the fat kid that likes tv and eats a posion brownie or something or other i cant even remember now'. honestly if anyone is really upset about the fact that americans refer to the tobacco as shisha then they need a hobby...

like, for instance, smoking shisha

[Johnny_D]

I CARE, and so do the people we're adopting this pastime from.

The hookah itself may have a different name depending on the region, but ask an arabic-speaking person what the sweet flavored tobacco for the hookah is called and you'll see.

This is a total misnomer that got perpetuated from one n00b to the next very quickly!
Trust me, arabic-speaking people who smoke hookah think it's moronic.

Oh no. Not this again.

It's known as many different things. Hookah, Huqqa, Nargila, Nargile....

The problem is that this forum is based in the 'modern west [I guess]' And wether you like it or not it's known as hookah and shisha.

JD

[SafeSearchOff]

my brothers girlfriend is 100% israeli. grew up in tel-aviv. she reffers to the tobacco as shisha.

if your going to bitch about us not calling it moassel or mashel... well i might get banned for completing that sentence. its wrong.
its like every time some1 refers to their car as a car and you say NO! ITS AN AUTOMOBILE! or refer to their backpack as a napsack or a rucksack (for you folks over the pond). its like yelling at some1 for calling a flashligh a "torch".

if you promise to actually call all forms of liquid soap as detergent, and cars and automobiles, i might promise to call it moassel.

[anathema]

I used to play DOTA, some modified map on warcraft 3, with this girl in the United Arab Emirates, I referred to smoking hookah, she had no idea what it was. Then I referred to it as shisha, then she was like ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[SafeSearchOff]

merh... DOTA? pfft. mauls were so much better. Dixels TD - now theres a game.


its all really regional vocabulary. i'm not going to rip on oggie and JD for saying "lift" instead of elevator, "telly" instead of TV, and all sorts of other mangled up distrubing horrific (jk) words in their vocabulary.


shisha stays.

[Johnny_D]

merh... DOTA? pfft. mauls were so much better. Dixels TD - now theres a game.


its all really regional vocabulary. i'm not going to rip on oggie and JD for saying "lift" instead of elevator, "telly" instead of TV, and all sorts of other mangled up distrubing horrific (jk) words in their vocabulary.


shisha stays.

Yes. Bloody americans and your bloody 'trash' instead of rubbish and 'chips' instead of crisps!

Seriosuly though - Oggie505 is one of your brother americans... Give me another 6months and he'll be using the above vocablary and drinking earl grey

JD

[SafeSearchOff]

ahh yes, forgot about oggie's status. my sincerest apologies to my american brother.


long live king george ii