Nawras Problem

[mavsfan31]

My Nawras Silver Swirl gets clogged randomly. Whenever I go to smoke, the stem gets clogged. I clean my hookah after every use, running water through it and cleaning it with a brush.

I get it started, and it becomes clear that the hookah is not smoking like it should be. I take the coals and bowl off, and I can't see all of the way through the stem. I blow into the stem, and I can see down the stem again. This process repeats itself a few times early on in the session, and then it stops clogging by the end of the first round of coals. Usually I have to do it three or four times. While it is clogged, there is a low smoke output. The hookah doesn't seem to have that much of a different pull though.

It's not due to overpacking the bowl, either. The water isn't colored, and there are no pieces of tobacco that make it to the water, so it can't be that either. When I take off the bowl to blow into the stem, there's no juice running down the inside of the bowl.

It's not due to the hoseport being clogged, as there is a low amount of smoke in the vase. I have cleaned the hoseport multiple times thinking this could be the problem, but it's not the case.

I've looked through the stem in a bright area, and I can't pick up on any abnormalities inside the stem.

Any ideas on what this could be? I'm really at a loss here.

[KasbahBazaar]

Try busting out a flashlight when you see the blockage before you blow through the stem and get a good look at it. Maybe instead of blowing into the stem when the blockage occurs, try using a brush to push it out? Very strange problem indeed.

[IainUM]

maybe if there is some kind of plating or something on the inside of the stem that is flaking off and causing this problem? i don't know the likelihood of this idea, but just a shot in the dark, really. this is pretty strange sounding

[ryno]

Is this using different hoses as well? Sounds like something might me loose inside of the hose and randomly clogging it up

[Chreees]

Have you tried using different hoses? When the hookah is not assembled, look down the shank- is it nice and smooth all throughout? With the hookah assembled, have you tried capping the bowl port with your hand and inhaling on the hose port (not the hose) to check for any leaks?

I had a KM Pear that had a TINY pinhole above the hose port. It was my second KM and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why it was getting so little smoke. I actually smoked with a friend with it like this and it was quite embarassing. The vase never seemed to fill up with smoke like I knew it should've. Did the leak check and found the hole. Used some JB weld on it and it worked perfectly from then on out.

Another situation, much more recent, was with my KM OG Trimetal. I was having times where it wasn't getting good smoke, at all. But sometimes it would. I finally figured out that the purge bearing was getting stuck in the top of the cap. I didn't easily catch this because I rarely purge. Removed the airsoft BB that was in there and put the metal one back in (figured gravity would solve the problem). Also, I thoroughly cleaned the purge cap. Hasn't happened since.

This is all I can think of for now... Hope it helps man. I'm gonna think about it some more and see if I can come up with anything else. That is definitely a hookah worth figuring out the issue with.

[vendetta_revived]

Demon.

[Bawhee]

Coal gnomes?

[mushrat]

when you say clogged, do you mean its hard to hit, or do you mean there is little smoke?

[Epoch]

Maybe the bowl is all jammed up. Hunks of tobacco stuck on the holes. Or if you have a phunnel, maybe your foil screen is too loose and sucks down onto the air hole.

[mavsfan31]

Well, I've used two different leather hoses today with great results.

I don't get it, but I'm going to go ahead and place the blame on the washable I normally use.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Chreees]

Good to hear you figured it out, man.

[mavsfan31]

Thanks.

It really doesn't make sense to me, but it's caused me so much frustration that I'm just happy that it's solved at this point.

[mushrat]

if you were using a MYA washable hose, sometimes there is wood or glue partially blocking the holes in the handles. I used to regularly use a steel rod to break away the obstruction and open the hose up more fully.

[Pavo21]

your vavle stem could not be holding tight enough or there could be a leak in the stem somewhere air has to be coming in somewhere or not holding somewhere when u exhale exhale through the hookah instead see if you see smoke anywhere else