New Lebanese Argileh!

[Hassouni]

So, much to my amazement the other day, I was trolling around the net for Lebanese or Turkish pipes, and I found this: [url="http://www.dirtcheaphookahs.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=353"]http://www.dirtcheap...products_id=353[/url]

It looks like a shorter version of what's seen all over Beirut. I found a review of it on youtube, that said it hits really well, seals great, and it does not have a common chamber. I figured damn, at that price, let's do it! I have no idea when I'll go back to Lebanon in the near future and Turkish stuff is too expensive to buy internationally.

It just arrived a few minutes ago. It certainly looks nice, as you can see in the attachment.

Here are my reservations: Everything is super light and thin, the downstem is short (5.5", can be fixed with a diffuser or something), but more worryingly very narrow- only a 3/8" inner diameter! Also, the hose port is tiny, though as the page says, the Mya hose fits in without a grommet just fine...I just wonder if a wider hose would work.

For what it's worth, it is a traditional style chamber, not a shared one. The hose port hole seems fairly wide, at 5/16" ID. Everything has a perfect seal, including the grommet-less hose, and blowing out seems to push a lot of air out the purge valve.

I haven't smoked it yet, though I filled the vase up and took some smokeless hits...nothing earth shattering. I'm wondering whether I should try it out, or if I should return it unsmoked. I was hoping for an equal to my older Lebanese, but that one has a much heavier stem and heavier feeling components, is taller, has a normal sized hose port, and an actual Mya downstem, considerably bigger than this one. I mean this one is not great, I'm only out 40ish bucks all in....that doesn't seem to be a lot for a backup pipe...

PS for anyone that knows about these things, it's stamped with:

شركة مصطفى شواب - بيروت - لبنان
(Mustafa Shawwab (?) Co., Beirut, Lebanon.) Any of my Lebanese homies heard of that? Edited May 18, 2010 by Hassouni

[Josh Hamilton]

dank

[Caila]

Its a pretty hookah and $40 isn't bad at all. I would test it out and even if it doesn't smoke well you can gift it to someone who has never owned a hookah and will love it or you can use it as a decoration because that vase is beautiful!

[Tom1]

Looks chinese to me... I wouldn't be surprised either since you got it from a website called dirtcheap.com.

I do like that vase though.

[boludo]

Give it a try. $40 is not that much... it may surprise you

[Hassouni]

The vase is Chinese, as the site says, but I'm sure the stem is not. Firstly, because I've never heard of a Chinese one-piece female stem. Secondly, as I said, it's stamped in Arabic with the name of the company, with a Beirut address and what appears to be a phone number, though the numbers are a bit faded. Finally, that bowl (they sent two actually!) is just like the ones sold for peanuts out of huge bins in hookah shops in Lebanon

[Tom1]

[img]http://www.dirtcheaphookahs.com/images/magicthumbs/hookahs/hookah_leb_27inch_deepblue_10_150.JPG[/img]

Ah you never said that it was female, I found the above pic on the site you posted.


Still though, even if it was only $40 it might be better to return it if you don't think the quality is up to snuff. The money spent on it now might be wasted if it falls apart in a few months when you could just keep looking for a high quality Lebanese stem. That's your call though.

[Hassouni]

The thing is, Lebanese stems are exceptionally hard to find if not nonexistent online. I've seen some Syrians online that look like the Beirut style, but those are very expensive and have a male stem (I have a preference for and a vast collection of unique male bowls so I want to stick to one sort). I really don't know when I'm going back there either, I thought it would be this summer, but it may not be till Christmastime, or it may even be in a year or two. I've wanted a second hookah for a while, but my online options are either Egyptian-style, or incredibly expensive Turkish ones.

[Stuie]

man that stem screams chinese.

[Hassouni]

It's not, that's the trend for stems in Lebanon now, sleek and straight, as seen in the exceptionally blurry attached pic

[Chreees]

I say keep it and try it out... Unless, of course, you're just not happy with it.

[delSol_si]

[quote name='Stuie' date='18 May 2010 - 11:47 AM' timestamp='1274201243' post='468517']
man that stem screams chinese.
[/quote]

i think the entire thing looks chinese. I personally don't like it, but if you do, then more power to you. i dunno, i think that would be a good hookah for a beginner looking for a cheap pipe, but you aren't a beginner. i can't say for sure without holding it in my hands, but it just looks cheap and looks like it will break, no offense.

Also, get rid of that piece of shit mya hose, those things are terrible, lol

[delSol_si]

ohh, i just figured out what i think it looks like...you know those metal racks with the adjustable shelfs with the grooves cut in them...like you put the little plastic pieces on the pole and slide the shelf over the plastic piece to hold it in place? that pole is what that stem reminds me of

either way, it still is nice to find and nice of you to share with us

[Hassouni]

Hahaha I can assure you the stem is not Chinese. Apart from the things I mentioned, it's got welding marks and whatnot...I understand Chinese pipes are all cleanly machine made. If it doesn't smoke well, I'll keep it as a backup until the next time I go to the Middle East, then sell it on Craigslist or somewhere.

Upgrading the hose is the first priority. Is it just me or have Mya hoses become narrower? The one that came with my first (without the stupid Mya logo all over it) feels a lot thicker.

What wide bore hoses will fit in a narrow hose port? I very much doubt my Razan will...do some of those wooden-ended Egyptian hoses have narrow ends? It looks like they do.

[Chreees]

If that Mya hose fits, your Razan will fit. Just try it out.

A Narbish would probably not fit.

[Hassouni]

Gah, not letting me edit. This sort of hose is what I'm thinking of: http://www.hookahcompany.com/temsaah_wrapped_hoses_4696_prd1.htm
[img]http://www.hookahcompany.com/images_products/4696_big.jpg[/img]

[Chreees]

I'm thinking that would work.

[Stuie]

KM Hoses are great.

[Hassouni]

Do KM hoses have a narrow hose port end?

By the way, this thing is actually a really deep purple when held up to the light....

[attachment=4872:IMG_5784.JPG]

and here's the stamp in Arabic which to me proves it's not Chinese (yes I know a factory in China could stamp it in Arabic theoretically, but come on...)

[attachment=4873:IMG_5786.JPG]

[twoapplesplease]

I like it...I think you can mod or fix the downstem to be longer...yeah the lebonese hookahs are leaning to the modern look...I wonder how those sheecool hookahs are....the freezable bases they make look cool IMO....I like the look of the lebonese hookahs from arguily kinda pricy though[img]http://www.arguily.com/prd_images/10_big.jpg[/img]

[F16WarBird]

Personally, if I'm not going to use it a lot or it's not aesthetically pleasing enough to warrant keeping it as a decoration, I'd return it.

YMMV.

[mushrat]

heh, hadn't herd from sheecool in a while.

If you think keeping it is worth what you paid for it, keep it. If not, return it as soon as possible.

[newjacksm]

It looks like a Chinese hookah.

[no longer welcome]

[img]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_zN94FpuvWrQ/SljnHcnxv3I/AAAAAAAAFn0/AEA2vNpVflg/s640/Lebanon%27s%20trip%20152.JPG[/img]looks just the hookahs I used regularly used....in Lebanon last summer.

[Caila]

What did you decide to do?