another natural coal question

[DarthHookah]

i went out and bought a box of natural coals, fo rlike 5 bucks. i get it home, and they are huge chunks of coal! i tried breaking them up, but they are hard! am i doing something stupid? the brand i have is abu abdo, i think. how do i break them into small pieces without a hammer and chisel?

[steve07]

Well the way I do it is simular to the hammer and chisel method I take butter knife and a wood meat tenderizer and WACK smaller pieces.
use caution and alway wear saftey glasses

[Joseph]

I have a really sharp pocket knife, I mean really sharp, I could shave with it.  It always does the trick, cuts the pieces right where I want without crunching it into bits.

[Cornellius]

I use a cleaver for this =)

[pavlakos_politakos]

haha! i use something like a cleaver.a little bigger though,its a knife we use to chop off the lambs head at easter.extremely heavy and razor sharp.it  looks like something  from a horror movie(its oddly shaped)

[Sonthert]

I use a hammer and screwdriver, actually.

[DarthHookah]

yes, but wont that fragment the coal into tiny little pieces?

[steve07]

You don'y hit the coal with just the hammer the thin end helps alot.

[Sonthert]

Actually, I wield the hammer like a stamp, using the end perpendicular and closest to the business end that is used for actually hammering nails.

[Lukasa]

while we're answering natural coals questions... how the heck do you
light them on your stove without sprinkling messy coal dust all over
the stove?  I like my stove clean.

[steve07]

Well when your done lighting the coals take a wet rag and wipe your stove down.

[Lukasa]

[quote name='steve07']Well when your done lighting the coals take a wet rag and wipe your stove down.[/quote]

No.

[Buford]

Seriously, Lukasa, that's probably the easiest option.  Charcoal dust isn't hard to get up with a damp rag or paper towel.  Coals will get dust and soot on practically anything they touch.

[Lukasa]

So... do i just take the coal... lay it directly on the stove. 
And turn the burner on high?  then remove and put on the bowl when
lit?

[buxtonator]

how would you light it on a gas stove?

[Maad]

[url="http://kingsford.com/products/product_charwood.htmWould"]http://kingsford.com/products/product_char...arwood.htmWould[/url] these work? They're common at grocery stores, etc.

[pavlakos_politakos]

anything  that produces heat will work,but the matter is do you  want you use it?im not sure if those are all that good for hookah(healthwise).i suggest ordering natural coal made for hookah online if you dont have access to it locally.

[steve07]

I use my tongs and hold the coal over the flame.

[Sonthert]

Alternatively, wait until the next day and vacuum them up.