Having Trouble With Tangiers? Here's What I Did To Solve My Problem.

[PuRecHi]

At first when I was trying to pack Tangiers - trying to smoke it - I thought it wasn't smoking well because I wasn't packing it correctly and I have the feeling that a lot of people have that same idea. I found that the method of packing may help but is not nearly as important as the amount of heat/distribution of the heat.

So, first thing is first. I'd follow the URL below to view a simple and great tutorial on how to pack a bowl of Tangiers. I don't use a fork or anything since that's not actually necessary but yeah, just give the tutorial a try:

http://www.hookahforum.com/?showtopic=17067

Now, I would pack the bowl correct everytime - then I'd drop the coals on and get harsh/weak smoke. Each time, "Damnit! I packed it wrong again. Argh." So I'd pack another bowl, throw the coals on, same thing.. "Damnit! I packed it wrong again. Assholes." Then I talked to HookahForum.com user mushrat .. And he suggested I use only one Coco-Nara coal broken up into 4 pieces. So I tried this, and it wasn't quite enough heat. I tried one coal in two pieces, that wasn't enough, added another coal.. Got harsh, etc. Now what I did on the next bowl..

I packed it the same as always.. This time I lit three Coco-Naras. I broke two of the coals into 4 halves - and put three halves in a triangle on the bowl.. Did a couple pulls and smoke was starting to build but I could tell it still needed a little more heat so I took the third coal and broke that up into smaller pieces.. I began placing these smaller pieces of coal onto the bowl one by one and taking pulls in between to see if the heat was adequate. I continued this process until I eventually had 3 half coals on the bowl and about 4 smaller pieces, which formed a perimeter all around the bowl... Eventually it smoked like a dream, my first really good smoke with Tangiers. Doing this is a little more time consuming than just dropping coals onto the bowl but this method will help you get a feel for how much heat Tangiers actually requires and you'll end up speeding up the process after doing it a few times.

Here's the thing though - a lot of the time when I see Tangiers Tutorials and whatnot they would always say, "and when you're done place _____ amount of coals on the foil." I see this potentially as a problem because for example - I need a different amount of heat for my KM than I do for my QT. My KM normally needs approximately three coals whereas my QT needs 1 and a half or two coals sometimes. I'm going to assume it's because of the different draw - or something, haha not sure.

I have just seen so many threads asking about how to pack Tangiers when I bet well-over 50% of the time their problem isn't packing it but getting the heating correct. Just remember that Tangiers doesn't require much heat, which is why I was suggesting adding little by little.

Kk, that's all. I'm sure it's been touched on before just thought it'd be a good idea to make a thread. :shrugs:

I have about one person a week call me on my customer support cell phone...90% of them have the symptoms "Weak smoke, harsh flavor", and I say to you, what I say to them, more tobacco. If you have weak smoke and harsh flavor, what is likely going on is you put too little tobacco in the bowl...so the heat in the bowl can't get up high enough and the lowest boiling point components (harsh, harsh nicotine) is the primary vapor coming off. Its real common for people to say "Its harsh, I'll put less tobacco in there" thereby making it WORSE. The way I test the amount of tobacco in the bowl is to press down the foil on the tobacco in the bowl. The depression in the foil shouldn't be more than the width of a nickel or a penny or so (2mm for international users). If its more, I add more tobacco, if its less, I remove some tobacco.

He's right, too. When you're packing your bowl and it looks like you have a lot, put more in. Moreorless, just take a look at the tutorial and pack it accordingly. Edited June 6, 2008 by PuRecHi

[liquidglass]

Thanks man, I'm sure it's been pointed out too, but I have about 300gs worth of tangiers sitting in containers that i'm weary to touch yet b/c a) i gotta feel like tasting those flavors i'm never 100% if it's acclimated c) wasn't sure if i'd get the packing right but lastly D) heat management.


By the way, how many exotica pieces for tangiers, anyone know? (med or large phunnel) either one.



So I appreciate you going through a run down I only have one more question for you.
You had 3 cocos. You broke two of them in half, giving you 4 halves. You put 3 halves on the bowl, then you used the 3rd coal and broke it up? Rather than breaking the last unused half up? or am I missing something here.

Also what kind of hookah were you using and phunnel bowl size.

[Sonthert]

I have about one person a week call me on my customer support cell phone...90% of them have the symptoms "Weak smoke, harsh flavor", and I say to you, what I say to them, more tobacco. If you have weak smoke and harsh flavor, what is likely going on is you put too little tobacco in the bowl...so the heat in the bowl can't get up high enough and the lowest boiling point components (harsh, harsh nicotine) is the primary vapor coming off. Its real common for people to say "Its harsh, I'll put less tobacco in there" thereby making it WORSE. The way I test the amount of tobacco in the bowl is to press down the foil on the tobacco in the bowl. The depression in the foil shouldn't be more than the width of a nickel or a penny or so (2mm for international users). If its more, I add more tobacco, if its less, I remove some tobacco.

[PuRecHi]

Thanks man, I'm sure it's been pointed out too, but I have about 300gs worth of tangiers sitting in containers that i'm weary to touch yet b/c a) i gotta feel like tasting those flavors i'm never 100% if it's acclimated c) wasn't sure if i'd get the packing right but lastly D) heat management.


By the way, how many exotica pieces for tangiers, anyone know? (med or large phunnel) either one.



So I appreciate you going through a run down I only have one more question for you.
You had 3 cocos. You broke two of them in half, giving you 4 halves. You put 3 halves on the bowl, then you used the 3rd coal and broke it up? Rather than breaking the last unused half up? or am I missing something here.

Also what kind of hookah were you using and phunnel bowl size.

I saved the last half for later, heh.

And I wouldn't think .. how many exotica pieces, I'd just get 2 chunks on there, and then start adding a little more & little more until it starts smoking correctly. If you add the small pieces slowly you won't end up subjecting the tobacco to too much heat.

[nathan_Choi]

I have about one person a week call me on my customer support cell phone...90% of them have the symptoms "Weak smoke, harsh flavor", and I say to you, what I say to them, more tobacco. If you have weak smoke and harsh flavor, what is likely going on is you put too little tobacco in the bowl...so the heat in the bowl can't get up high enough and the lowest boiling point components (harsh, harsh nicotine) is the primary vapor coming off. Its real common for people to say "Its harsh, I'll put less tobacco in there" thereby making it WORSE. The way I test the amount of tobacco in the bowl is to press down the foil on the tobacco in the bowl. The depression in the foil shouldn't be more than the width of a nickel or a penny or so (2mm for international users). If its more, I add more tobacco, if its less, I remove some tobacco.

Gorram, that's a lot of tobacco. I've gotten pretty decent smoke with Tangiers, but looks like I could be doing better.

[Sonthert]

Try different shit..whats the worst thing that happens...things come out the same?

Just disregard what you think you know about packing tobacco in a bowl...operate from instinct...

[liquidglass]

that's a good way to put it Eric, I think I'll give it a try tonight

And I wouldn't think .. how many exotica pieces, I'd just get 2 chunks on there, and then start adding a little more & little more until it starts smoking correctly. If you add the small pieces slowly you won't end up subjecting the tobacco to too much heat.

Lol well I apprecaite it, just gotta try to break up exoticas into smaller pieces lol. Edited June 6, 2008 by liquidglass

[PuRecHi]

Try different shit..whats the worst thing that happens...things come out the same?

Just disregard what you think you know about packing tobacco in a bowl...operate from instinct...

The worst that can happen is you can waste more money, but then again you'll never get to smoke it unless you give it a chance.

Lol well I apprecaite it, just gotta try to break up exoticas into smaller pieces lol.

Yeah man, just give it a try and let me know if it works out for you.

Edited June 6, 2008 by PuRecHi

[liquidglass]

Yeah man, just give it a try and let me know if it works out for you.

Will do, I was just waiting until I wouldn't be rushed so I could take my time and get it right the first time.


Plus I'm with you I didn't want to fuck it up and have to spend more money lol.