New Km Help Needed

[rigor]

Hey everyone,

So I recently got a new KM Kora Ice. I'm having a little trouble getting it to smoke as well as my Mya Vortex.

I've checked the KM for any air leaks. It's vacuum tight all the way to the hole in my phunnel bowls I use regularly, so all grommets along with the entire hookah is good. I am using the same phunnels bowls, same Razan hose, same coals (currently CH cocos).

I'm not getting wispy weak smoke by any means, but I'm not getting quite as thick and fluffy big clouds that I've got down pat with the Mya regularly. I've tried a little bit different water levels on the KM, all around 1" of the stem submerged (including the bubble on the end) with no real change.

Even though it didn't make a lot of sense, I thought perhaps since the KM was so much taller, that perhaps it simply needed more heat. However, as you would guess, more heat just makes the shisha harsh.

So, I'm a bit stumped. I've smoked out of my new KM about 10 times now, and while they are still enjoyable sessions, I'm not getting as good of clouds, as well as the sessions seem to be shorter before it seems like the bowl is done. To top it off, it doesn't appear all the shisha is being used when I un-foil the bowl after smoking with the KM. Yes, I am using the same packing techniques, regardless of the hookah.

Please help me get this KM roaring with huge clouds like it should be.

Thanks

[annual]

Shisha I've noticed plays a big role in the amount of smoke. What kind are you using?

Try alot of ice in the base, fill it a little under the 2nd ring line on the KM vase.
Pack a good bowl, lots and lots of holes. One in the middle. 2 coals no windcover and puff away.

The shisha should be moist and juciy at the bottom and black on the top when your finished with your session after u take the foil off.

[drabin]

Shisha I've noticed plays a big role in the amount of smoke. What kind are you using?

Try alot of ice in the base, fill it a little under the 2nd ring line on the KM vase.
Pack a good bowl, lots and lots of holes. One in the middle. 2 coals no windcover and puff away.

The shisha should be moist and juciy at the bottom and black on the top when your finished with your session after u take the foil off.

your last sentence perplexes me... why would that be good. Rig I've found sometimes you just have to flip the shisha...

[rigor]

Shisha I've noticed plays a big role in the amount of smoke. What kind are you using?

Try alot of ice in the base, fill it a little under the 2nd ring line on the KM vase.
Pack a good bowl, lots and lots of holes. One in the middle. 2 coals no windcover and puff away.

The shisha should be moist and juciy at the bottom and black on the top when your finished with your session after u take the foil off.

I smoke mostly AF, Fusion, SB, and Laya. I always use ice in the base - a fair amount actually. Like I said, I take my time, and pack my bowls well, same way whether it's destined to hit the Mya or this new KM - and no issues arise when put on the Mya. I'm using my usual hole pattern that always works very well for me with my Mya. I've tried adding a small pinhole or two to the middle to see if it needs more airflow down the longer KM stem. Not a lot of difference honestly.

When smoking my Mya, my sessions generally are about an hour or so with two people puffing away regularly. When I un-foil, pretty much all shisha both top and bottom is used up, so I too am a little thrown off by your statement that the shisha on the bottom should still be moist and juicy. In my experience so far, if your shisha isn't really being used up to the bottom of the bowl, your session didn't go as long as it could have, and/or you didn't get as much flavor as you could have. Not saying I am right, nor you are wrong - again, just my opinion in my experience so far.

Keep the ideas coming - I'd really appreciate it!

[Codename067]

The shisha should be moist and juciy at the bottom and black on the top when your finished with your session after u take the foil off.

The tobacco should be all of the same color..and that is black..thats when you know that you smoked the entire bowl..properly.

I will say this is a heat management problem seeing how you got every other aspect covered.

[ToncSTAR]

dont take my word for it, but i would say heat management.

[annual]

Regarding my earlier post, I usually only smoke 45 min out of a bowl and switch flavors so the top is black and bottom is still juicy. I just can see a difference in smoke and taste after 45 min that I also stop.

[rigor]

I will say this is a heat management problem seeing how you got every other aspect covered.

Yeah I've felt it was heat management ever since I double checked for any air leaks all the way to the phunnel hole. Are hookahs with longer down stems generally tougher to manage the heat on than a shorter hookah ? The part with the KM where I'm stumped, is that it seems like it needs just a little more heat to get the same clouds and density I'm accustomed to now with my Mya, but whenever I try to add a bit more heat to the bowl when it's on the KM, it gets a bit harsh. It's like there is no middle ground to dial in that sweet spot.

[drabin]

I will say this is a heat management problem seeing how you got every other aspect covered.

Yeah I've felt it was heat management ever since I double checked for any air leaks all the way to the phunnel hole. Are hookahs with longer down stems generally tougher to manage the heat on than a shorter hookah ? The part with the KM where I'm stumped, is that it seems like it needs just a little more heat to get the same clouds and density I'm accustomed to now with my Mya, but whenever I try to add a bit more heat to the bowl when it's on the KM, it gets a bit harsh. It's like there is no middle ground to dial in that sweet spot.

whats your current set up on the bowl? trying spreading the heat. breaking the coals. maybe a windcover from tin foil if you have to.

[kvtaco17]

[/quote]
whats your current set up on the bowl? trying spreading the heat. breaking the coals. maybe a windcover from tin foil if you have to.
[/quote]

+1 windcovers are your friend

[joytron]

I am really stumped.

As far as packing the bowl, amount of coals and what not, they should be the same as your vortex. If you are getting great clouds on the vortex do everything the same as on the KM. If it doesnt smoke as well maybe the hookah just isnt as good.

[rigor]

I don't have a tall enough windcover for this KM. I don't like tin foil wind covers, as it usually seems to taint the flavor a bit. I do have a large Taj windcover that I use pretty regularly on my Mya. I guess I'll look into making a riser for it so I can try utilizing that.

I seriously doubt this KM can't smoke as well if not better than my Mya.

[uzzy_00]

KMs take a while gettin used to when i switched from my mya qt to the KM mashall i had the exact same problem as you.. your prob is heat management, i use 3 coco naras and a windcover thats what gets it going for me, i use a med phunnel bowl. trying 3 coals and windover u should be good to go!

[antouwan]

when i got my exotica i had this same problem, i could not get the coulds everyone was talking about.

BUT then (pretty recently actually) i got a hold of a KM precision/majestic and i have to tell you, no arguileh has ever smoked better. try taking the water level WAY lower; on my precision, the water barely covers the stem (it just goes over that signature bump that the km's have), and that's the sweetspot.

try going back to a standard egyptian head, the heat seems to be easier to manage on those than on a phunnel. ALSO i've used the CH coals and heat management with them is tricky, try cocos or al awa'el, they're both pretty legit (and you can choose how big you want the al awa'els to be).

if you're better acquianted with the phunnel, and heat management on that is easier for you than the egyptian then stick to what you know - personally, egyptians provide easier heat management than phunnels but honestly, EVERY HEAD IS DIFFERENT.

just keep switching stuff around until you find what works, it might take some time, but it will be damn worth it.

[FactorE]

For my kora with no ice bucket and mn glass phunnel bowl, i use 3 cocos or one brick of exotica broke in half with a wind cover and that gets it going for 45 mins.

[mattarios2]

For me my KM needed a shit ton of water. Way more than I've ever filled before. I tried .5 and 1 inch and the pull and clouds sucked. Then I tried filling it 1.5 and it was incredible. Easy ass pull and massive clouds. I say fill the vase to the point where water is close but not able to get into your hose port. For me and my tri-metal that was the sweet spot. I found when the water was low there wasn't that tight pressure that would shoot the smoke into the hose port like it does with more water. More water less space for air/smoke to sit = more pressure. Thats how I see it, don't know if thats true, but it works! try it out

[rigor]

I'll definitely be trying out the suggestion of a finding an easy way to get my windcover sitting higher, and playing with the water level tonight. I had always read that between 0.5" to 1" of water above the stem was generally good, so it didn't occur to me to try more than that. I'll report back later tonight. Would love to still hear further comments or ideas if you have them.

[slingham]

My Kora was the same. I just played with the water level an the amount of holes on my bowl. I have the downstem submerged about 3" and I use a ton of tiny pushpin holes on my phunnel an then five in the middle.

[drabin]

My Kora was the same. I just played with the water level an the amount of holes on my bowl. I have the downstem submerged about 3" and I use a ton of tiny pushpin holes on my phunnel an then five in the middle.

3 inches? really?
I never really experiemented with my 2 pear but i guess once im no longer sick I will have to adjust my water level see what happens.

[mattarios2]

def give it a shot, i was dissapointed for a while with my tri-metal then I said, you know what f the .5-1 inch bull ish, lets try some more ... and oh man, whole new hookah, rips so nice now.

[slingham]

def give it a shot, i was dissapointed for a while with my tri-metal then I said, you know what f the .5-1 inch bull ish, lets try some more ... and oh man, whole new hookah, rips so nice now.

Couldn't have said it better.

[newjacksm]

def give it a shot, i was dissapointed for a while with my tri-metal then I said, you know what f the .5-1 inch bull ish, lets try some more ... and oh man, whole new hookah, rips so nice now.

Couldn't have said it better.

REally have to try it. I have it at about 1 right now. its above a little bit above the lions head (thats how I know im ok) but some times the clouds arent generally good on mine either and some times it is. (depends what im smoking.) I am going to pack some AF Cardamon and fill it up a little bit higher. to the first ring on my base. which may be like 2.5 inches =-o.. I always got more smoke out of my little junior but that thing overall sucked ass. My KM Owns that hookah.

[inino]

you have an ice chamber. fill it with water, no ice, and freeze it solid. put ice in the base too. if you do this you can put more heat and get thicker clouds.

[newjacksm]

more water has helped alot I was always afraid to fill it with too much water. I have 2 1/4 exoticas on the cardamon smoking real good now I get a hint of burning but heat managment fixes that

[mattarios2]

There you go my friend. Problem solved