sss8789 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Is brass a lot better stainless steel or does it make a difference in taste or ease of cleaning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechAnt Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 None of the above. Brass is heavier than stainless steel and does not rust. This is the advantage of brass and why many around here desire it so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SafeSearchOff Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 brass is much heavier, making it much more durable.also due ot weight, its a little harder to tip with just a yank of the hose.oh and bras is just so much better than stainless steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr!m Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Brass is usually much more expensive. Everyone brass one I found and loved I wwanted then I saw the price and frowned. I am a poor working college student, I can only afford to waste money on good ma'assal! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shisha fan Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 brass doesn`t seem to "absorb" smells like stainless steel does, and it is alot more durable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Stainless Steel is superior to brass. Stainless steel hookahs would be more expensive than brass hookahs, its a harder metal, harder to work and solder. The hookahs you guys see are NOT stainless steel. They are coated or galvanized steel, predominantly. Stainless steel is homogeneous, if you file it, its the same metal under. Whether its a brass core (with silver color on the outside) or a coated steel pipe, the silverish coating on the outside is the same. The new Kimo Egyptian pipes have gone the way of the Turkish pipes...uncoated steel; start rusting immediately. Styled nicely...since they don't have to invest in niceties like rust proof coating...I would avoid them.So, now the real question should be "Which is better: brass or steel?" I would have to go with brass. They didn't start turning away from brass UNTIL the price of brass started going up...to keep prices reasonable they had to switch to a cheaper metal. Of course, if it was comparable in quality, why didn't they switch BEFORE the price of brass started going up? The only answer is that steel hookahs are inferior to brass ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke69 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 wow sonthert definately showed all you guys up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perrj99 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 True dat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 That wasn't my intention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterboi Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Well I would have to say brass is better for reasons Sonthert pointed out and others. I like the feel of my brass stems better than my steel stems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oolatec Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 My KM shaft is so light compared to my brass-only Syrian... can't compare it to the other Syrian since that one has loads of yummy marble on it...I am always worried about breaking the KM stem... I know I won't, but................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derelict Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Aren't MZ "true" stainless steel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (Derelict @ Jan 26 2008, 02:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Aren't MZ "true" stainless steel?Not the ones I've seen and I've seen quite a few. Look at the finish on a silver-colored hookah. Look at a piece of flatware thats made of stainless steel....stainless steel is more greyish, hookah's silver is more white. Flatware stainless steel (303FM, if I'm not mistaken) is one of the cheapest stainless steels...so your hookah would look like your fork, more or less if it were made from stainless.I used to think it was dishonesty that made the claim "its made of stainless steel" but it may be a shortcoming in translation between arabic and english, galvanized and stainless are fairly similar ideas, it wouldn't be too strange for them to be symbolized in the same way. Edited January 26, 2008 by Sonthert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derelict Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 (edited) Are there any solid brass or at least cored Egyptians out there? I see plenty of brass Syrians but never a brass Egyptian... I know there is the Amer and all, but it seems that one was dicontinued and very rare. Edited January 26, 2008 by Derelict Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASUSEAN1 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 QUOTE (Sonthert @ Jan 25 2008, 10:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Stainless Steel is superior to brass. Stainless steel hookahs would be more expensive than brass hookahs, its a harder metal, harder to work and solder. The hookahs you guys see are NOT stainless steel. They are coated or galvanized steel, predominantly. Stainless steel is homogeneous, if you file it, its the same metal under. Whether its a brass core (with silver color on the outside) or a coated steel pipe, the silverish coating on the outside is the same. The new Kimo Egyptian pipes have gone the way of the Turkish pipes...uncoated steel; start rusting immediately. Styled nicely...since they don't have to invest in niceties like rust proof coating...I would avoid them.So, now the real question should be "Which is better: brass or steel?" I would have to go with brass. They didn't start turning away from brass UNTIL the price of brass started going up...to keep prices reasonable they had to switch to a cheaper metal. Of course, if it was comparable in quality, why didn't they switch BEFORE the price of brass started going up? The only answer is that steel hookahs are inferior to brass ones.the KM pipe I have is stainless, or galvanized? all i kno is that I have not washed the downstem once and the thing is crystal clear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsmo Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (gr!m @ Jan 25 2008, 03:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Brass is usually much more expensive. Everyone brass one I found and loved I wwanted then I saw the price and frowned. I am a poor working college student, I can only afford to waste money on good ma'assal! loli bought a really nice brass hookah for 50 bucks, though it was discounted. it was the last one and is usually overlooked on the website from where i bought it from. Edited January 26, 2008 by ctsmo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobocans Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 As for steel,Stainless Steel can polish to any degree of shine, even cheaper stainless, 303 etc, can be polished to a mirror finish. Of course it will tarnish, but light care will return the shine. You can't really tell by just looks if its steel, stainless or plated/galvinized steel. I usually do the smell test: If the metal has a metal smell, its probably regular steel. Stainless or plated steel should have little to no smell.Galvinization is a coating process with zinc, that creates a thin layer of zinc molecules that protects the steel from corrosion. Kind of link anoidization with aluminum. Plating, which I believe Myas employ, is similar, but with a different process and will create, if done right, a more rust resistent product. Plating is done with chrome or nickle usually, very rust resistent elements. Look for chinese hookahs to be plated, most likely (its a dirty process and China has few controls over it). Egyptian hookahs employ stainless or plated sheets on the outside, but the interior pipe is rarely stainless or plated (in my experience).Galvinized steel will be duller: You cant polish it like plated or stainless to get a nice shine. In summation: A dull steel could be stainless, galvinized or plain steel. A shiny steel will be plated or stainless. Stainless, of the steels, I believe is the best: Its stainless through and through, where as galvinized or plated is a coating that can either corrod or could be misapplied leaving exposed steel (which can happen especially if the piece is machined after the coating, which seems to be typical), which will rust.A pure nickle-alloy, stainless, or even titanium hookah would be a truely long lasting pipe. Few, if any of these, exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrysalem Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I don't know the shaft of my last pipe from the crooks at smooking hookah, but it was most likely brass or something definitely NOT stainless steel as they advertised.I have a Mya Gyro and it's stainless. Brass is better? Then why does it tarnish?! Gold doesn't tarnish, stainless steel doesn't tarnish. Why don't they use brass instead of stainless in kitchens everywhere? Because brass tarnishes! Why do you think they call it stainless? Because it stains less. Did you ever see a brass knife? No, but you've seen lots of stainless steel knives. Jesus Mary and Joseph! I would only get stainless steel shaft hookahs from now on, unless I could buy a hookah with brass and have a 60 day money back guarantee including shipping. To me anyway black and white issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralleac Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (jerrysalem @ Jan 26 2008, 04:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I don't know the shaft of my last pipe from the crooks at smooking hookah, but it was most likely brass or something definitely NOT stainless steel as they advertised.I have a Mya Gyro and it's stainless. Brass is better? Then why does it tarnish?! Gold doesn't tarnish, stainless steel doesn't tarnish. Why don't they use brass instead of stainless in kitchens everywhere? Because brass tarnishes! Why do you think they call it stainless? Because it stains less. Did you ever see a brass knife? No, but you've seen lots of stainless steel knives.Brass tarnishes (can be cleaned and prevented,) but it can't rust. Some stainless steel is still vulnerable to rust, as all the stainless steel out there isn't of the same quality. Heat also causes it to discolor over time. Stainless steel "stains less" than normal steel, but I don't think the name is related to other metals.When it comes to hookahs, I don't think it matters if they're made out of brass or stainless steel as long as they are taken care of properly.Sidenote: They actually sell brass silverware. They also sell brass sinks, brass faucets, and brass stoves/ovens. I'd imagine that it isn't as common because yeah, it tarnishes, and the metal itself costs more in many cases. How many people are going to want to pay like $30 or more for a set of brass silverware when they can spend $6 on stainless steel? Edited January 26, 2008 by Ralleac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy1966 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I love my brass Syrian. Just use Canon's how to on making your own down stem cleaner. It works great. I made a smaller one since I can break my stem into 3 pieces and clean up is no problem. The ones who claim brass holds smells, they are just to lazy to clean them. Any Hookah will hold a smell if you do not maintain it. I am very diligent in cleaning mine everyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New2Hookah Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 what Snoopy said. No need for a Brass rig to ever get to the point of it being tarnished. It sure as hell doesnt happen over night.As for Brass vs. Steel...what Sonth said. The steel that Hookahs are made with these days is not Stainless, so therefore, the material is inferior to brass. If you want something thats gonna outlast you in this lifetime, get a brass rig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy1966 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 QUOTE (New2Hookah @ Jan 26 2008, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>what Snoopy said. No need for a Brass rig to ever get to the point of it being tarnished. It sure as hell doesnt happen over night.As for Brass vs. Steel...what Sonth said. The steel that Hookahs are made with these days is not Stainless, so therefore, the material is inferior to brass. If you want something thats gonna outlast you in this lifetime, get a brass rig Yup, 100% agreed, I will be looking for brass Hookahs now. As Sonheart and New2Hookah has said, we do not see the true stainless steel Hookahs anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctsmo Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 QUOTE (Snoopy1966 @ Jan 26 2008, 09:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I love my brass Syrian. Just use Canon's how to on making your own down stem cleaner. It works great. I made a smaller one since I can break my stem into 3 pieces and clean up is no problem. The ones who claim brass holds smells, they are just to lazy to clean them. Any Hookah will hold a smell if you do not maintain it. I am very diligent in cleaning mine everyday.hey where is that how to that canon made?thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenSilk Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Brass hookahs also do not conduct heat to the extent of plated steel hookahs. i have noticed this with my Brass Syrian and my Mya. The mya stem gets very hot when using a windcover, the Syrian does not get at all hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now