silver japanese coals from fumari

[nuschultz]

has anyone used these?  i have never seen a silver quicklight coal, and I am almost afraid to fire them up.  I am wishing i had just purchased some 3 kings from another site now.

[DyingAthiest]

Do you mean the square silver coals?  Yeah i used them when i first started smoking, but they are definetely no where near the quality of 3 kings.  Not only are these coals difficult to light, but they have a noticible taste, and dont give you as thick of smoke.  I would highly recommend only using 3 kings.

[nuschultz]

I guess I can toss these then.  If someone is willing to pay shipping plus ike $6 (I paid $16) I'll send them to you.

[Smashraj84]

Did you even try them?  How can you knock something without trying it?  Tangiers used to work at Fumari and said anything Fumari is quality.  If you really don't want them, I'll take them off your hands for that price.

[djnick]

ill have to disagree, i find that three kings are very overated coals. I am a noor finger coal/natural coal user. One day i ran out and decided to use a 3 kings backup that i had. I have to say it affected the taste from what im use to with natural coals and the fact that they light to quickly got me worried. Dont really like to smoke from coals that have gun powder. So i can firmly say i dont recommend 3 kings. If fumaris are indeed REAL japanese coals, then they should take a while to light, and last a while. they dont spark when you light then and they have indentations so u can easily break them off.
So if indeed those are the characteristics of those coals and u still dont want them ill take them off your hands. but i would try a few pieces first, anything is better than quick light coals

[nuschultz]

So what would be the best technique to light these coals?  If they aren't quicklight a match isnt going to do it, and i dont have access to a stove in the dorms...

[Smashraj84]

I'm still confused why you would buy them if you didn't know if they were any good or not.You don't have access to a stove in a dorm?  Most have a community kitchen. If not, you'll have to buy a torch, but man that'll waste alot of fuel.

[nuschultz]

I asked about them before I placed the order and someone said they were good and to try them (might have been Tangiers)

[Twang]

Have you tried them yet? I am anti-quick lights. Have a Stove, oven, bernzomatic torch, etc.

[ataneja]

yeah, i'd recommend trying them before tossing them.  there is no correct answer as to what is the best coal out there.  some people swear by the silvers, some people by three kings, and some by natural coals.  its just your personal preference

[Seandoo]

You can light them with a lighter - I did it yesterday since I needed
to avoid going downstairs for anything. I have a mini torch
lighter...the kind that you have to click and has a lot of pressure (as
opposed to a zippo or bic lighter). Just hold the flame to an edge
until it glows a little, blow on it gently for a bit, and wait for all
of it to light. It takes a while without a stove but it can be done =)

-Sean

[Sonthert]

The dearth of Japanese charcoal on the market has me ready to commit suicide. ffffffeeeewwwwwwsplot!Canary Imports brought a new veriety of charcoal that are, I suspect, from the same manufacturer as Karabetian's Japanese charcoal. They are awful and they are overpriced...its like sucking on a BBQ grill...I think they may add organic chemicals to the charcoal to get them to light and they spark rather badly. They are separated into 3 larger bricks rather than the more traditional Japanese 4 bricks per bar plan. I may be trying 3 Kings soon! Yes, Fumari's coal was good, but expensive, although I haven't tried them for at least six years...don't come crying to me if they suck. I'm sure it is still good. That's not a guarantee, though.

[djnick]

3 kings gets 2 big thumbs down from me. ill never smoke somethign that lights in 2 seconds. no way it can be good from u. and coming from a natural coal smoker, it definatly alters the taste of the shisha

[nuschultz]

I sitll need to find a reasonable way to heat these up.

[Sonthert]

Silver Japanese coals can be lit using a mtach or a lighter (I prefer a Zippo, since it doesn't go out), you need to keep the coal near the top of the flame (the hottest part) and finally some yellow burning areas will show up and light the whole thing, slowly. Light one in this manner and then light three or four more by putting them on top of each other (well, actually three or four on top of the first one...each having a corner overlapping the lighting coal). Don't place the lighting area down on a tray...it will extinguish it...also, use tongs when lighting a coal, you silly duck.

[skiracerj1]

I've never tried "quick lighting" the coals, but i have to say they are nice, as long as you get em started right they wont affect flavor and bun and what seems to be the perfect temp, at least for fumari tobacco, enough to get flavorful thick smoke but never too hot to create harshness, so yeah i'd say give em a chance.

[crepenchicha]

I haven't used Fumari's, but I have some similar Japanese coals from Social Smoke.  I find them damn near impossible to light with a regular lighter: I recommend getting a mini-torch from the local Home Depot or stopping up at the Dollar Store and buying some of those flames you use for keeping catered foods warm.  It's like a little bunsen burner, lasts for a long time, is super cheap and burns hot hot hot.The coals themselves don't burn hot or last very long, so you'll go through quite a few of them.  That silver coating has a NASTY flavor and smell, but if you make sure to burn it ALL off before setting it atop your bowl, they're far less chemically than 3 Kings.  In fact, I've never noticed them to have any flavor at all.  While lighting, though, they create an awful smell that lingers in the air for some time, though that might be just the brand I have.  Ups and downs, I guess.I agree with everybody else: give 'em a shot before you sell.  Good luck!