Total Newbie To Hookah...

[drizzt495]

Hey all, I recently bought a great 36" brass hookah off ebay for a great price and I really want to get to using it!
my hookah: http://img361.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00649xt4.jpg

I've got a few questions and concerns first, though:

First, I bought a 50 gram box of lychee flavored herbal shisha; is it safe to use the tobacco free products? (or, safer than tobacco, i should say?)

Second, I dont understand the bowl on my hookah, here's a link to some pictures...Can you please explain to me how I should set it up with charcoal and the foil?
Pic 1: http://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00654gb9.jpg
Pic 2: http://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00652qp8.jpg

Third, what sort of charcoal should I buy, and does it make a difference based on the brand or type that I purchase?

For reference, I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Thanks alot!

Drizzt495

[AKammenzind]

Well, I would guess that with that head configuration you pack tobacco into the bowl (the big bowl), then put the brass bits on top of the tobaccco, and load coal onto them. Really not sure though, as that's not the most popular head configuration for modern styled hookah tobacco.

As to whether or not non-tobacco shisha is 'safer' than tobacco... we really don't know. Safe to say smoking anything is bad for you, and can potentially cause cancer and death, among tons of other side-effects.

[Giant Ninja Robot]

you have a traditional tombiek bowl dude different style than a traditional egyptian bowl which is commonly used for modern shisha smoking

far as i know tombiek bowls cant be used with anything but tombiek style tobacco

also have a traditional pipe to go with it - nice looking man! no experience there though

herbal is herbal not baccy but you're still smoking so i dont feel it's healthier - you're not going to get the same quality smoke with herbal.

if you buy quick light coals buy 3 Kings - If you want a good natural coal I would reccomend Exotica finger coals or Coconara coconut coals are also a favorite on the forum.

Good luck! If you need anything expounded on just ask

[drizzt495]

Thanks for the fast reply mate, just a few comments:

Any idea why there are two metal bits for the bowl? I'm tryin to do some research online to find out what KIND of hookah this is but i can't find it anywhere...

Also, is all hookah shisha/herbal very sticky and "wet", if you will?

[ashes87]

Ive never smoked the herbal shisha, but all the shisha I have smoked is "wet" as you call it.

The wetness comes from the glycerine thats mixed in with it to keep it from drying out and looking like the tobacco you find in cigarettes or cigars.

[Hippo_Master]

I'd get a new hookah dude.

That's gonna be a task to get smoking everytime you want it.

As stated, you're bowl is a tombeik bowl. Youc an buyu this in whole leaved or mixed moassell style, but I would not recommend smoking this form of tobacco to a newcomer (actually to most people on this forum).

If you do choose to use this hookah, which you will not be able to efficiently unfortunately, you would need a bowl with more holes (allowing airflow) that will fit your stem.

[drizzt495]

Thanks Hippo, but is there no way to just buy a separate or different bowl for the hookah i have?
I'm really diggin the brass...

[SuburbanSmoker]

Have you tried another female bowl on your hookah?

and the herbal stuff is soooo nasty.

[Giant Ninja Robot]

yeah you can get a female egyptian bowl all is not lost i dont know who carries them though

[Kathrynx]

Neat traditional hookah, but I don't think that it will serve you a long time if you do smoke anything except tombiak (dry traditional tobacco).

What do your hoses look like? I see that it has 3 places to put 3 hoses, unless those are something else, they don't look like a purge valve to me.

How do you plan on cleaning your hookah? Can you take close up pictures of the downstem (the part that sits in the water in the bottom)?

[AKammenzind]

yeah you can get a female egyptian bowl all is not lost i dont know who carries them though

You pulling a long night man? Hehe. You can get a female egyptian bowl at any online vendor I know of... it's the male sort that are a little harder to come by, but his hookah appears to work with females, so no problem eh?

[drizzt495]

I'll start shopping for a female egyptian bowl tomorrow, but as for your questions about cleaning Kathrynx, I'll post some better pics tomorrow.

There are actually 4 holes for hoses and the hoses themselves are a bit odd...you have to see them i think.

The downstem is wooden, I think most brass hookahs are like this...also, there are no purge valves to speak of.

[Giant Ninja Robot]

yeah you can get a female egyptian bowl all is not lost i dont know who carries them though

You pulling a long night man? Hehe. You can get a female egyptian bowl at any online vendor I know of... it's the male sort that are a little harder to come by, but his hookah appears to work with females, so no problem eh?

yeah lol, and i was buzzed out of my mind from some Nakhla when I posted. Good call

[indian_villager]

How much did you spend on it?

[drizzt495]

40 bucks

[steeeeeeve]

It is a beautiful looking hookah seriously nice.

As stated its a tombeik hookah though and while a new bowl will work with standard shisha there is also the 3 hose ports, unless these are self sealing you will need to block up the hoses not in use.

i would actually suggest buying a cheaper modern hookah something along the lines of the mya mini or even up to the QT bambino chic or diva because you will probably enjoy your smoke alot more. ( i could be really wrong and that could smoke like a tank )

even if you go this route that was not wasted money it will make one hellova centre piece as it is stunning, and if you do get it smoking post some pictures!

Steve

[drizzt495]

I'm going to go shopping for a mya mini in town tonight, but I'm just curious...

are smaller hookahs good for groups? I want to be able to use it with 2 to 4 people...

[An1m]

I'm going to go shopping for a mya mini in town tonight, but I'm just curious...

are smaller hookahs good for groups? I want to be able to use it with 2 to 4 people...

Yeah you can get a 2 hose mya mini acryllic for like 40 bucks or so. I've used it with groups of 5-6 before when I didn't feel like breaking out a larger hookah, or just wanted a portable one.




http://www.hookah-shisha.com/store/pc/conf...;idproduct=2330



There's a guy selling them pretty cheap on Ebay too I think, but I dunno if he's still selling them.

[drizzt495]

What should i be looking to spend on a mya?

also, do you think any old charcoal is good to use?

[inino]

myas can go anywhere from 40 bucks for a little guy to over 200 for really really nice one, but on average it will probably run around 100-130. alot of people like the qt here and its pretty reasonably priced. as far as your coal question goes, invest in some coconaras or exoticas, they dont add any chemical flavors.