Rusting Mya? Can'T Tell

[NimbleCow]

Noticed this a few weeks ago.

It's a Mya Diva, about 16 months old.

Is it rust? Wasn't expecting to see Rust on a Mya but now I'm afraid to use it.

[img]http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/3340/myarust1.jpg[/img]

[Stuie]

could be. Plating may not have been completely plated on the inside.

Do you wash it out and scrub with brushes each time after you use it?

[NimbleCow]

Don't regularly use brushes on this part.

I saw a topic from awhile back that talked about surface rust on top of the plating that could be CLR'd away (believe this was Scali's idea).

[Codename067]

It's just the plating. Mya stems can not rust because they use Zinc to make their Hookah [Zinc does not rust].

[Sonthert]

Yes, but zinc sacrificially corrodes and wears off.

Could be rust. The other thing is, since those pieces are cast, it might be just the uneven surface of a cast metal. Have you looked in there before? If not, you might have just noticed it for the first time.

If it is rust, I would imagine its not going to hurt anything to keep smoking it.

[indian_villager]

The thing is cast surfaces are rough. Spots on that actually look like bubbling. Take some brillo to it....OR a really coarse steel wool.

[NimbleCow]

Thanks. I'll try and scrub it off and report back. Was more concerned about health hazards.

[Sonthert]

Yeah, but scrubbing it will remove the zinc.

I was under the impression that Myas were cast brass with some metallic coating on it. I'm taking your guy's word that its Zinc. I would ignore it if your hookah is smoking fine.

Gee, I never have problems like this with good Egyptian or Syrian hookahs.

[r1v3th3ad]

[quote name='Sonthert' date='31 January 2010 - 04:19 PM' timestamp='1264972759' post='448760']
Yeah, but scrubbing it will remove the zinc.

I was under the impression that Myas were cast brass with some metallic coating on it. I'm taking your guy's word that its Zinc. I would ignore it if your hookah is smoking fine.

[b]Gee, I never have problems like this with good Egyptian or Syrian hookahs[/b].
[/quote]

+1

[NimbleCow]

Yeah. I like idea of the Myas b/c they're pretty easy to clean. Would probably go AF if I were to upgrade to a non-Mya--but am concerned about cleaning it in a normal sink. Maybe the 24" AF solid would still be easy to clean. Also like the idea of going Mya Mozza but potentially it would get the same rusty problem after the first year.

I did try and clean a bit of the stuff off the Mya Diva and it comes off as reddish brown residue(?) when I get in there with a paper towel. Would probably take a chemical (CLR?) or some real scrubbing to get it completely off.