Kinda New

[SupremeOstrich]

So I have two hookahs at my house. One is a "Titan" or some such, the other i'm not sure of. Pics coming later to maybe make it easier.

Anyhow, I've been getting tired of the lousy service at 360, so I figured my friends could just chill at my place, which seems to be the thing to do.

However, every time I light up either one, it seems to taste a bit of the mint+apple, but a lot of the charcoal. I'm putting the tobacco at the bottom of the clay bowl, covering it with 2 layers of foil, poke multiple small holes in it, light the charcoal on top (it is self-lighting if that makes a difference)

The base is submerged in a bit of ice water, I keep the thing clean, so i'm not sure if it's the way i'm packing it or what.

Thoughts from the pros?

[thecoalition]

put up pics of your setup. it helps out alot. also since youre using quick lites, are you waiting till they are red hot?
when was the last time you cleaned the entire thing? when did you clean the hose if its washable?

start out by answering those questions and we can go from there.

[Seanij]

Theres your problem right..

light the charcoal on top

There.

Don't place the coal on top till its fully lit, or prepare for your worst smoke ever.

[austinthecity]

Here's what I do for quicklites:

Grab a quicklite with your tongs. Light it outside. Bring it back inside, set it down on the tray, and pick it back up again putting the tongs where they weren't previously on the coal. (Ex: if they were north/south, put them east/west)

Blow on the coal for about 15 seconds. Hold the lighter under the bottom of the coal for about 10 seconds. Blow on the coal until it's red hot all over.

Set the coal on the bowl (near the edge to start with) and take slow, long, soft inhales to warm up the shisha/coals. After about 8 of these, start medium hits, and then big hits.

This is all for 40mm coals (large). For 33m, use 2 near the edges.

[PhishPhood]

When I do my QLs I break 2 in half. I set them down like its one piece and pull them appart so there is a bit of space between the halves. Then I do the same with the other 2 halves ontop but turned 90 degrees.

I use a butane lighter to light the gap in the middle for about 10 seconds which gets it all redhot in the middle. It lights them pretty fast and burns all that crap of the outside every time.

[SupremeOstrich]

Well thanks for that.

So, on quicklights there's stuff on the outside of the coal which is probably causing the taste?

Also, I usually pack the tobacco in very tightly, whereas I read that it should be sprinkled in or some such. Which is best?

[Seanij]

Sprinkled unless smoking Tangiers.

[shoresidejake]

Well thanks for that.

So, on quicklights there's stuff on the outside of the coal which is probably causing the taste?

Also, I usually pack the tobacco in very tightly, whereas I read that it should be sprinkled in or some such. Which is best?

exactly.

let the "black stuff" burn completly off the coal before taking a hit. also, don't pack the bowl too tight. just sprinkle the shisha in until it's full, then gently "pat" it down so that it sits in below the rim of the bowl. cover with tin foil, poke your holes (with a toothpick), then blow into the bottom of the bowl so that you create a nice path for your smoke to travel through... trust me, this part makes a difference! once your coals are heated up, add them to the top of the bowl, and you should be set. let me know how it works.

if you want me to make a video for ya, let me know Edited February 5, 2008 by shoresidejake

[austinthecity]

pack it loosely

the stuff on the outside of QL's is basically gunpowder. that's why they always remind me of cap guns when i light them..

[Ralleac]

Well thanks for that.

So, on quicklights there's stuff on the outside of the coal which is probably causing the taste?

Also, I usually pack the tobacco in very tightly, whereas I read that it should be sprinkled in or some such. Which is best?

Are you using Jap-style QLs, or the puck-shaped QLs? My Jap QLs are always covered in a grey coat of something (not gunpowder as far as I can tell.)

[SupremeOstrich]

Yeah if you've got some spare time i'd apprciate a video of someone setting up a hookah correctly. Preferably with QuickLights

[SupremeOstrich]

Well thanks for that.

So, on quicklights there's stuff on the outside of the coal which is probably causing the taste?

Also, I usually pack the tobacco in very tightly, whereas I read that it should be sprinkled in or some such. Which is best?

Are you using Jap-style QLs, or the puck-shaped QLs? My Jap QLs are always covered in a grey coat of something (not gunpowder as far as I can tell.)

Puck-shaped

[MechAnt]

Sounds like your two problems are the packing of the bowl and the lighting of the coal. Like mentioned before, sprinkle the shisha in then GENTLY pat on it so it is under the rim of the bowl. Foil, you only really need one sheet, poke bunch of holes, small to medium sized. With the quick light coals, light them separately and wait for them to stop sparking all over. Then blow on it until the whole thing is glowing red. Once it is glowing all red, then put it on the bowl. If it is the 33mm coals, you'll probably need two, one completely down, the other propped up/leaning on the other. Keep them on the edges. Look in the stickied FAQ for pictures on how the coals should be "stacked".

[shoresidejake]

ill shoot a video just for you in a bit

[mitchell8621]

You could pretty much do everything wrong and still get a better smoke than cafe 360 in Louisville, if thats the 360 your talking about.

[SupremeOstrich]

You could pretty much do everything wrong and still get a better smoke than cafe 360 in Louisville, if thats the 360 your talking about.

Aye, that's the place. Honestly though, that was the first place I smoked hookah, and since it has been my best experience barring one or two visits. However, I say that only because my sole experience beyond that would be my own, which as the post explains i've failed miserably to do correctly xD

I haven't been there in a month or so, the service there has gone to hell lately, and the only time you'll even be waited on is after 2a.m. or so.

[Shisha.Bubbly]

Well thanks for that.

So, on quicklights there's stuff on the outside of the coal which is probably causing the taste?

Also, I usually pack the tobacco in very tightly, whereas I read that it should be sprinkled in or some such. Which is best?

Are you using Jap-style QLs, or the puck-shaped QLs? My Jap QLs are always covered in a grey coat of something (not gunpowder as far as I can tell.)

its not gunpowder, but has saltpetre which helps ignite gunpowder.Army bullet gunpowder smells nice and the real quick-quick coals with their brand of salt petre must have lots of coke too. Not coke as in cola or coke as in snif, but coke as the by-product of burnt coal and steel smelting. I've seen so many mainland Chinese companies making coals. Probably they just sweep up the floors and add that to the mixture, just as they do after the butcher process of chickens and turkeys when making salami, balogna. Never seen tiny bits of feathers or beaks? Fats, etc.
Someone around 200 years ago in some army said that salt petre turns the male desire for sex way down. The way of loading rifles and muskets then was to bite the bullet, tear off a bit of salt petre with your third arm, the mouth and spit it into the horn, into the flash pan and hope that the next shot would not be a flash in the pan of only salt petre burning. The lips and tongue got black. Statistically salt petre does not lower desire or physical wants.My buddies and I hoped it would though.