natural coals

[Ghaleon]

Hi All,
Where is the best place to order natural coals?  I'm looking some of the cylindrical ones that are easy to break apart.  Thanks.

[yashman19]

I really like Manara, and the Nours Mush just posted, but I thought I would also post another brand of natural fingers.[url="http://www.hookahsite.com/servlet/StoreFront"]http://www.hookahsite.com/servlet/StoreFront[/url]Diamantes are the brand I can get locally, and I absolutely love them, even moreso than Nours which were my previous fav. They smell a little bit on the light up, but are virtually odorless while smoking.This brand really gets two large thumbs up from me.Just remember with any Nat Finger brand you choose, you can avoid that nasty taste getting in your bowl as long as you remember to get the coal fully lit before you start puffing. This is just a smart rule of thumb that applies to most coals.

[Ghaleon]

thanks!  that's exactly what I was looking for.

[tjt486]

I just gota 'social pack' from social smoke.com, 3 2.2lb bags for $20.Now, what are some good ways to light these?  I didnt expect them to be much harder to light than japenese but, they are.  Just throw some ideas at me see what sticks (what works best in my situation.)

[mushrat]

The local cafe here puts them on a hotplate burner. I've used a small creme brule torch, but now have graduated to a full size blow torch for home use...
 

[Ghaleon]

I also use a hotplate.  works like a charm.

[tjt486]

Mushrat, does that full size torch do a noticeably better job?  Ive been using a small butane torch on QL/japanese coals but I think maybe a full size propane or mapp gas torch may just be in order.

[mushrat]

not a better job so much as gets them up and running a bit faster. I normally hit them with the torch long enough to get them going, then let them sit while i do the rest of the set up. For $12 bucks at home depot for a tank and torch head, i'd say it was worth it.

[tjt486]

OK Ive gotta ask.  Ive tried a few ways of getting these things going, sofar the best Ive found is setting up a tuna can with a hookah (foil replacement) screen slightly elevated over the bottom, breaking the coals into pieces approximately as large as a japenese coal, set up a few on the screen and hit them for a little while.  I figured getting one or two coals going would be good enough to light some more off of their heat in the can (I used this method with japanese coals) but they seem completely unaffected by the burning coals.The coals I have are like chunks of a tree, not processed at all, if that makes a difference.