I Just Don't Get It

[scratchy]

I have a few buddies who live together. They are pretty big hookah heads, but don't know too much on the practical side of things. Heat management, packing techniques and even cleaning is all things they don't even think about.

Now I was there yesterday to smoke a little and I just don't get how they do it. The sprinkle some baccy into a combo bowl, drop 1 one half lighted quicklight onto the bowl and smoke away. They smoke the same bowl for over an hour without touching the coal or removing the windcover. Bowls last for atleast 30-45 minutes before becoming harsh. This even on my setup which I've been struggling to nail for months.

Why is it that people who do not care about their hookah experience can get great sessions, time after time, but we who put a lot of effort into it, get mediocre sessions.

It frustrates the living hell out of me

[Tyler]

There's some kind of corny saying for this, I just can't think of it. But seriously, when you get it down to a science and can constantly produce better sessions than them with relative ease, you'll win.

[scratchy]

I'm really hoping that it'll happen soon. I thought it might be my hookah, but even o my Chinese they get huge, delicious clouds with no effort

[Zinite]

You're probably over thinking it. If you're getting harsh sessions, that just means you're using too much coal. If you're using quick lights, cut them into thirds try place the pieces on the edge of the bowl. Skip the metal screen - use foil.

[delSol_si]

You're probably over thinking it.

+1 I was having this same troubles a few months back. I was putting loads of thought, effort, and time into each bowl just to get crap results. My roommate would sprinkle a little baccy in, half ass cover it with foil, drop one half lit 3K on it, and it would smoke way better than mine. I was getting so pissed, so one day I just told myself "forget everything I knew and start over" and it worked well...

I think stuie was having this same problem about the same time I was. One other thing is I have noticed is that using a foil windcover really works wonders as well.

I seriously put very little time into setup anymore and don't even worry about it anymore and here is a pic from my last session:

I spend more time on cleanup now than I do setting it up. Honestly, hookah is not some difficult impossible challenge. Tons of people do it everyday without knowing as much as most people here on the forums know. Another thing is experimenting. When you experiment with different methods, don't expect it to work correctly, I have tried plenty of things that just don't plain work. It's fine to experiment, but when you are smoking, keep reminded yourself, this is just an experiment, if it doesn't work, owell.

[the_cool]

Im having the same problem, the thing is I don't know how to forget everything! Im not doing anything that can be forgotton, the only thing I experiment with is hole patterns and water levels. If i do link another one and try to forget everything I've learnt, I am still gonna think "how shall I do the holes" and "how much water shall i put in"

[RingsMaster]

Im having the same problem, the thing is I don't know how to forget everything! Im not doing anything that can be forgotton, the only thing I experiment with is hole patterns and water levels. If i do link another one and try to forget everything I've learnt, I am still gonna think "how shall I do the holes" and "how much water shall i put in"

my hookah smoking has become so amazing lately when you really care enough to take the time to make great bowls or at least strive for them they pay off in the long run, last night for instance i had a 2 hour session with just 15 grams of shisha, flavor all the way through the session and this was out of my mini Egyptian

[ilikemyusername]

I have a very ronco outlook on my sessions...
I set it and forget it!

[delSol_si]

Im having the same problem, the thing is I don't know how to forget everything! Im not doing anything that can be forgotton, the only thing I experiment with is hole patterns and water levels. If i do link another one and try to forget everything I've learnt, I am still gonna think "how shall I do the holes" and "how much water shall i put in"

I used to put water in the vase, take water out, check it, put more in, check it, take out, check it and so forth until I got what I thought to be the "perfect" water level. Now I just put water in and if it is over the bottom of the down stem and still has a decent amount of air space above the water, I say fuck it and put the hookah together. With the baccy, I have noticed using Eric's method of loading it with the oyster fork to work really well. Most of the time I have noticed that packing the bowl too loose is the culprit. Also, I have noticed Eric's foil test to be a GREAT way to make sure enough baccy is in there without having too much. I also have never gotten my phunnel to work correctly without using a tealight mod. When using the tealight mod, though, i put the mod in first, load the baccy, do the foil test, then take the foil back off, and pull the tea light mod out just a little bit so that I can get good airflow, then put the foil back on.

Also, like I said, I have noticed using a foil windcover make the world of difference. I don't have to manage the heat nearly as much, the cover does it for me, plus more heat stay in the the bowl and it smokes so much better, it covers up mistakes pretty good.

Oh, and about the foil pattern...who gives a fuck? I have gotten to the point now that I just poke a TON of holes all over the bowl with my oyster fork. I really could give two shits what it looks like as long as it smokes well. Not sure when it will be, but next time I have a session I will take pics.

[Crys]

i actually had a similar experience the other night

usually I take the time to pack a good bowl, heat the natural coals, and make sure I'm keeping an eye on everything

but after the usual party bowl, people left and I wanted more....so I threw some HH Kiwi and Epic Smoke Limon into a bowl, put a screen on, and lit a Starlight QL

really good flavor and great clouds (its actually the first time I've tasted the Kiwi in a HH...usually its just a light sweet tang in the smoke)

[Dr. B]

yeah I stopped paying so much attention to my methods.

i just full the base with water to a "good enough" benchmark I've come to define when it comes to water level. If im smoking nak, i just pack it into an egyptian, throw a screen on it, and use 3 nats on the edges. If I'm smoking Tangiers, I pack it tightly to around the rim, foil, poke 2 circles of bigger holes, and use 3 nats around the edges.

No complaints, no recollections of finicky smoke, works well for me.