Harsh Smoke

[DrPraetorius]

Hi-

I got my new hookah about a month ago and have been smoking it with
rare problems. However, lately the smoke has been too harsh to handle.
I have been cleaning the stem with my brush, and packing the bowl the
same way I always do.

The only thing different is that I am now using 3 kings coals. Is there
a special method using them? I just light it and place it on the edge,
as I did with my other coals, but the smoke gets extremely harsh
quickly. If anybody has some advice, it would be greatly appreciated.

DrPraetorius

[Steviethepope]

How do you light it?  I have to put mine on the stove to get it red flippin hopIf you are just lighting it with a lighter I find that it doesn't heat right and my smoke will get harsh immediately (as strange as that sounds - I cant even use the old charcoal to light the new one - I have to do a new one on the stove otherwise it just tastes like ass). Also with 3 kings besure to use lot of small holes.

[ahwahoo2006]

I'd agree with Stevie.  With any quick-light coal, make sure that
it gets red all the way through before putting it on your bowl,
otherwise it will taste terrible.  I know its hard to wait when
that delicious ma'asell is only minutes away, put it makes it so much
better.

[yashman19]

Im pretty sure that lighting it on a stove has anything to do with it tasting harsh or not...

The whole point of a quicklight is to be able to light it with a
lighter if you don't have access to a stove or torch. What you are
correct about though is that you should smoke a quicklight until it is
for the most part fully lit. I've gotten a quicklight sparking before
with a lighter, set it on my bowl and imidiately started puffing and
almost choked to death...When lighting a quicklight, lots of smoke and
sparks come off of it from the chemicals used to make it a quicklight.
Once the coals stops sparking/smoking, its fine to start puffing.Puffing will actually get it going faster.