Raziel510 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hey guys. I ordered some exotica coals from hookahcompany.com about 3 weeks ago or so. As I went through the coals I noticed that the 1st and 2nd stack of coal sticks had a bunch of funny white stuff on them. The further down in the box I went, the more white stuff the coals had. The top layer of sticks were just fine. On a side note does anybody have any tips on heat management with these things. I swear sometimes they burn really hot and other times they dont burn hot at all and its really making it hard to get a good consistent smoke. Could the white stuff have something to do with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racemyghost Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 im not sure about the white spots since ive never owned exoticas but try cutting them into 3 pieces, maybe even 4. I did try them at my cousins house and they do burn too hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canon Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 thats the chemical agent that bonds the exoticas to make them harder. its fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel510 Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 Ah okay just wanted to make sure that my batch was okay. Well I have been cutting the sticks into quarter pieces, maybe I just need to redo my hole pattern. Its hard having to re-learn how to set up my hookah with these coals. For those of you that use exoticas, what kind of hole pattern do you use in your foil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racemyghost Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 well what kind of bowl are you using?I would say make sure you double foil and use smaller holes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racemyghost Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 always double foil with a standard bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldog_916 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I wouldnt use them either. Too difficult to manage the heat effectively, either you're going to get too much or not enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaia.plateau Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 One of the last two boxes of Exoticas I got from H-S has the same problem with heat inconsistency... they emit a smell too, and twice they've made me sick to my stomach. Best you can do is hope for a good box, I think.Oggie had the white spot issue from MNHookah as well, and he found them to be mildew/mold, not a chemical agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel510 Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 Wait so that's mildew?!?!Wow. Damn I really liked these coals too, I just thought I had to get the heat management down. Was it just that MN and HookahCompany got bad shipments of these coals or do I have a similar chance of getting mildew regardless of who I buy from? Maybe I should try H-S... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_D Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I don't know Raziel And since Exotic Imports refuse to deal with the problem or comment outside of 'All our coals are fine'[1] no one is likely to know.However I know Oggie personally and can say with a high degree of confidence that if Oggie says that's mildew - then it's bloody Mildew.Try and post up some Pics of your coals for comparison Raziel?JD[1] - He bangs his fists against the posts and still insists he see's no ghosts[2][2] - Steve King - IT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel510 Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) Unfortunately I can't take any pics because my digital camera got stolen about 2 months ago and I have yet to get a new one. EDIT: I looked in the other thread and found this pic. My worst coals are only a little bit worse than these...http://img159.imageshack.us/my.php?image=i...qv8.jpg&s=1 Edited February 25, 2008 by Raziel510 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JillyIsJustKidding Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 QUOTE (Raziel510 @ Feb 25 2008, 02:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Unfortunately I can't take any pics because my digital camera got stolen about 2 months ago and I have yet to get a new one. EDIT: I looked in the other thread and found this pic. My worst coals are only a little bit worse than these...http://img159.imageshack.us/my.php?image=i...qv8.jpg&s=1I had coals like this too. Just brush it off and you'll be fine. Hmm...never had any trouble with coals from H-C. I just make sure their red hot before I put them on the bowl or let them sit for a few minutes until there is a layer of ash. Then, I know their ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 There had better not be a "chemical Agent" in these coals. They are supposed to be compressed charcoal with a cellulose binder like all the other finger coals. I think there is even mopre BS floating around here about the white stuff. Mildew is a Mold fungus and NOT good for you to breathe or injest. http://www.hytechsales.com/mildew.htmlIf the coals are mildewed then they were wet. That also exp[lains in t=inconsistant heat problem, the smell, and a few other problems. There shouldn't been any "chemical binder" in a finger coal, thats why we USE them instead of QL's.Anyone else notice Exotica imports went from we only had 1 layer of bad ones, which we removed, to now they have a warehouse full of bad ones and none of them ever reached market. Ya right. If they have changed their tune to saying they have a huge number of cases in a warehouse that are waiting to be paid for by insurance, then I'll bet money the number of bad coals they released to the public is higher than they are admitting as well. The longer the coals that got wet are out there, the more things like mold and mildew will start popping up because they have had longer to grow.I won't be trusting ANY exotica coals for quite a while... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanij Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I hope my exoticas from snoopy arent mildewed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1v3th3ad Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 well, you think about it, it makes sense that they are imo...they come over on a ship that takes a while to transport and are in crates that are bashed around by the sea. Even when its a nice day, there is still all that moisture in the air that is bound to get through. I bet all the bad batches, however many, were the crates that were on the deck, rather than down below. Even caulk couldn't prevent that moisture to get through...condensation. Thats why I don't like to get things that have to come over on a ship...if it ain't flyin, I ain't buyin, lol thats my motto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy1966 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I had 9 boxes of them. Now they are getting silver on them and a few sticks have had white spots in the middle of the coal, it is a long string of the white stuff. I have them stored where no moisture can get to them and the temp stays constant. They are very inconsistent, and burn hot and fast. They have a really dark ash to them. They work OK and I do not taste anything funky, but I will not use the ones with the white junk inside the coal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1v3th3ad Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I wonder if it was some sort of chemical they used to bind the coal together for shelf life etc...Maybe the manufacturer did not take the chemical's half-life into consideration? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy1966 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 QUOTE (Seanij @ Feb 25 2008, 09:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I hope my exoticas from snoopy arent mildewed Yup I picked out the crappiest ones just for you. Actually I was very picky in the ones I sent you.I do notice a taste difference though when I use coconaras. They are much better. I ordered more, they are worth it if they are consistent. I like the flavor I get from them. I put a second set of exoticas on now. The first one was coconaras. Also for the record these are not from HC. They are from many vendors and they all seem to be going bad...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoolinspoon Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I wonder if I put my exoticas under some light if the mold will grow faster??????? : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canon Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 its not mold.. find me a species of mold that likes to grow on coal.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1v3th3ad Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 So let me get this straight...there is a fungus among us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loanshark Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 QUOTE (Canon @ Feb 25 2008, 06:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>its not mold.. find me a species of mold that likes to grow on coal..Mold can grow on anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 QUOTE (Canon @ Feb 25 2008, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>its not mold.. find me a species of mold that likes to grow on coal..It's not JUST charcoal..there is a cellulose minder used to hold them together...THAT will grow mold. It's just plant matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Also, I have seen mold grow on vinyl records, plastics, walls, sneakers, you name it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 QUOTE (r1v3th3ad @ Feb 25 2008, 01:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>So let me get this straight...there is a fungus among us?What do you call a mushroom who keeps buying everyone drinks?A Fungi to be with... Seriously, there are problems with these coals still..I think this shows that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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