Shisha Not Burning I Ha

[tweek]

Ugh couldnt think of a good title for the thread. Im very new to this and actually just got my hookah this afternoon and put about 3 bowls through it already. My main problem is that im not smoking it all I was using some Fantasia tobacco and think i packed the bowl properly.

About an hour in the charcoal is all ash. I figured after 1 1/2 hours the tobacco would be done but i went to clean it out and blam! Fresh looking shisha still towards the bottom of the bowl. How many charcoals do you typically use on 1 bowl? I was just using the quick light charcoals because i didnt feel like messing with the lemonwood coals. also how do I go about getting the lemonwood coal light up? Is using the stove burner the right way? I havent tried yet but I remember seeing that somewhere.

Anyways done rag me to much, I know im totally new to this.

Thanks
Sean

[Big Boss]

Ugh couldnt think of a good title for the thread. Im very new to this and actually just got my hookah this afternoon and put about 3 bowls through it already. My main problem is that im not smoking it all I was using some Fantasia tobacco and think i packed the bowl properly.

About an hour in the charcoal is all ash. I figured after 1 1/2 hours the tobacco would be done but i went to clean it out and blam! Fresh looking shisha still towards the bottom of the bowl. How many charcoals do you typically use on 1 bowl? I was just using the quick light charcoals because i didnt feel like messing with the lemonwood coals. also how do I go about getting the lemonwood coal light up? Is using the stove burner the right way? I havent tried yet but I remember seeing that somewhere.

Anyways done rag me to much, I know im totally new to this.

Thanks
Sean

Make sure everything is sealed tightly, that you don't have any leaks anyplace. How high was the tobacco packed in the bowl? Secondly, what kind of bowl do you have? The amount of coal I go through depends on the bowl I'm using. If I'm smoking with my Phunnel, its entirely possible that I'll go through 6 pieces of coal. If I have my Pyrex bowl, I'll only go through 4 at the most. To get the lemmonwoods lit, put them on your stove and let them sit until they are completely glowing red. Lastly, its not that abnormal for us to have unburnt shisha at the bottom of the bowl. Was the very top layer burnt or was it more of a half and half?

[Big Boss]

Try two coals at once. You said something about quick lites. What kind do you have?

[liquidglass]

well sounds like the coals are lasting like they should, and it's not that you're packing it wrong there's just a fine art to hookah smoking, even people like me that have been smoking for awhile don't get the bowls perfect 100% of the time, so don't feel bad, it's a learning experience.


What I do when i deal with something other than tangiers.....

I take out a big clump, put it in the bowl, if it's about where i want it, I'll take the clump put it on a cutting board and run a cheap kitchen knife through it up/down and left/right to get it nice and cut up. Then I break it all up with my hand (like clumps) and sprinkle it in the bowl until it's right below the top of the bowl, normally I'll have some leftover in my hand b/c i started from a big clump, which means it's nice and sprinkled. Then I turn the bowl upside down in my hand, put my hands together and shake it to get it nice and fluffy then drop it back in the bowl.

It's probably a little over kill but it works great for me.


As far as coals go make sure that you put them around the edges instead of the center so the shisha doesn't char (or at least not as much) Then keep moving them around the bowl every 10-20 min.


Also, if you're having allergy or sinus problems you may not get the full taste from the shisha, that's how it is in my case, friends will tell me it's tasting great and I get no taste, just smoke.


You'll get better, no worries, sounds like you're off to a great start.

[Codename067]

More coals?

[filmigeek]

Didn't we have a thread just like this a couple of days ago? I know I posted in it so I should be able to find it easily. ETA: here it is - http://www.hookahforum.com/?showtopic=23177

Anyway just add more coals. If there is still fresh shisha in the bowl then keeping the bowl hot will cook that shisha and give you more smoking time.

My bowl holds about 20g of shisha and I can very easily go through 4 or even 5 quicklights in a session, one or one-and-a-half at a time, and smoke for more than two hours that way.

I am a newbie too but that's been my experience. Edited July 25, 2008 by filmigeek

[tweek]

cool. thanks everyone. cant wait to try it again after work

[hookah hippie]

Pack your bowl to about an 1/8 of an inch below the brim put foil on it and try more holes if it still isn't smoking well try adding more coals perhaps 1 and a half pieces if 2 is too much

[tweek]

one more quick question... Me and my buddy were talking about how to prevent the ash falling into the bowl. Not much falls in but I was just wondering if it mattered. Also how can you tell when the coal is done? Is it just all ash?

[mattarios2]

one more quick question... Me and my buddy were talking about how to prevent the ash falling into the bowl. Not much falls in but I was just wondering if it mattered. Also how can you tell when the coal is done? Is it just all ash?

If you are having issues with ash ... make the holes a tiny bit smaller so no ash falls in. Do you notice it tasting funny from ash? if so then make the holes smaller.

When are the coals done? When they don't produce a good amount of smoke anymore. When they start to produce little smoke take em off , throw em in the ash tray, and light up new ones and ...