Hookah Preperation Help

[Bellatrixy]

Hey guys! I'm new here, been smoking hookah for about a year and a half and I have a few questions. I have a very nice Mya Obelisk Hookah and I have a Namoor Hose and a Phunnel/Vortex bowl(s) but no matter what I can't get a bowl to last more than 45 minutes or so. I make sure the foil is tight. I poke holes with a safety pin including one in the middle. I don't over fill the water. I only use 2 coca naras, occasionally 3 on the bigger bowl. I really don't know what I do wrong. Any advice out there would be super appreciated!!! I really want to get the best out of my hookah since I paid like $300 for it lol. Thanks in advance guys and I hope to become a part of the community!

[rhineholt]

[quote name='Bellatrixy' timestamp='1304377259' post='507956']
Hey guys! I'm new here, been smoking hookah for about a year and a half and I have a few questions. I have a very nice Mya Obelisk Hookah and I have a Namoor Hose and a Phunnel/Vortex bowl(s) but no matter what I can't get a bowl to last more than 45 minutes or so. I make sure the foil is tight. I poke holes with a safety pin including one in the middle. I don't over fill the water. I only use 2 coca naras, occasionally 3 on the bigger bowl. I really don't know what I do wrong. Any advice out there would be super appreciated!!! I really want to get the best out of my hookah since I paid like $300 for it lol. Thanks in advance guys and I hope to become a part of the community!
[/quote]

Well lets start with the basics. What type of tobacco are you using?

How much tobacco do you put in the phunnel? I've normally not had much luck with a vortex bowl, but some people swear by it. It's just what you can make work better for you.

[ahhhdam]

I think it's all about heat management and the type of shisha your using. What kind of shisha are you using?

[Bellatrixy]

I use Social Smoke, Fantasia, and Al Fahker mostly

[hookah hippie]

Try adding tobacco to the bowl as well as bigger holes I usually make toothpick size holes.

[quizzkidd09]

those shisha brands are not that bad. I'd check how much shisha you are packing vs how much the bowl actually requires. i dont personally have too much experience with vortex bowls as i use a medium social smoke bowl but if its anything like the tangiers bowl, you need to pack ALOT of shisha in there.

here is a link to eric tangiers packing a tangiers bowl: http://youtu.be/ACfPMVGV2V0
also, a link to packing a vortex bowl: http://youtu.be/XEVUAhZglLs

[TheyCallMeDave]

A few things.

- Phunnels are your friend.
- 99 times out of 100, you want your tobacco to fill the bowl to the rim. Any les and it will scorch very quickly.
- The wetter shishas you are working with like SS, AF and fanasia (especially fantastia) work best when filled to the top, and sprinkled in, not smashed in. Give the really wet tobaccos room to breath, don't compact it in. Maybe a slight compression, it should have the same thickness/consistancy as it is when you pinch it out to put it in the bowl. Tangiers, however, is a different story.
- Make sure you aren't using not enough holes. As said, good, toothpic sized holes, three times around the phunnel for three ring holes is a good amount.
- Make to keep your heat management in mind, as each tobacco is case - sesnsitive to the coal usage.

Dave

[EvansLight]

Time is all about careful heat management, bowl size, and the tobacco in question. On a large phunnel, with some Al Waha Cola, I have hit 14 hours. With SB we have pulled off upwards of 13 hours.

While all the suggestions are good, you need to just play around with it. Each bowl acts differently, and depening on where you are, the humidity can affect your session. Take everyones suggestions, and play around with it. Its an art and takes time.

I would suggest to try checking the bowl after a session. See if there is any good tobacco left in the bottom of the bowl. You might need to take the foil/screen off after a while, pull off the burnt stuff, and go some more.

[king_lunchb0x]

[quote name='EvansLight' timestamp='1304403053' post='508024']
Time is all about careful heat management, bowl size, and the tobacco in question. [b]On a large phunnel, with some Al Waha Cola, I have hit 14 hours. With SB we have pulled off upwards of 13 hours[/b].
[/quote]

This made me drop a few bricks

[EvansLight]

[quote name='king_lunchb0x' timestamp='1304403668' post='508026']
[quote name='EvansLight' timestamp='1304403053' post='508024']
Time is all about careful heat management, bowl size, and the tobacco in question. [b]On a large phunnel, with some Al Waha Cola, I have hit 14 hours. With SB we have pulled off upwards of 13 hours[/b].
[/quote]

This made me drop a few bricks
[/quote]

lmao yea i get that reaction. Honestly those were some freakish times that happened only once or twice. My average back in the day was 10-12 hours on one bowl. But I wasn't smoking like a freight train, I would take my time. Take a few hits, do something else, and then come back.

Now the Starbuzz, was on just standard large Egyptian bowls. No one to this day can figure out how they lasted so long. It was a magical night anyways, that just made it even more special

[Epoch]

Fill your tobacco to the top and keep the fresh coals coming....