Onion Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 I've got a mitsuba hookah that I got around the beginning of the month (seems there's a few people that arent down with mitsubas, but those of us in the great white north have slim pickings). I'm not sure about the mechanics of other hookahs but with this particular one the part of the pipe/stem thing that narrows out and is submergred in the water unscrews from the rest of the stem. This only concerns the main part of the stem (not that little bit that unscews).I'm not sure if my jargon is up-to-date, but I'll just keep referring to that part as the stem.Anyhow, inside the stem it seems that the airway is composed of two pieces of copper piping. There's a wider piece at the top, and a smaller one about a few inches from the bottom. While cleaning out my hookah, I noticed there was something in the smaller section. I soaked the whole thing in warm water while cleaning it, jabbed at it with various devices, and tried to get it out with a bristle brush. It sort of looks like a blob of some sort so I think it may be a drip of solder from joining the two dimensions of pipe together (assuming that they do solder the two pipes together). Then it got me thinking "didnt solder have lead in it up until the 80s?"So I guess the purpose of all of this is to ask:A) What do you think it is? Anyone know how mitsuba makes their stuff? Do they use lead solder? (I'm not sure what the regulations are in China)I sent an email to mitsuba and I received an email back from some representative (rather quickly) telling me that they didnt understand what I was saying (although the english in the reply was not exactly tip-top, so it could have been that). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioannisds Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 Yeah, it could be a blob of solder, but I wouldn't worry about it at all. Lots of hookahs use lead solder to join parts. The solder will never get hot enough from the smoke to make you retarded. Just don't eat your hookah and you'll be fine . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 Really? Thats a load off my mindAnybody able to support that though? Maybe someone with a BSc in chemistry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 Leads not good. If my hookah has lead in it, I guess I just don't want to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukasa Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 [quote name='ioannisds'] Lots of hookahs use lead solder to join parts.[/quote] This is news to me, man. I am honestly, freaked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostofdavid Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 I believe that the Mya stems are machined and not soldered in any way. No solder = no lead. FOR THE WIN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioannisds Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 DUDES, why is this such a shock? Look at the nut soldered on to the bottom of almost any Egyptian stem (the part that sits in the water). That is not chewing gum holding it on. Or where that part of the stem goes into the main part of the stem. Etc, etc, etc. Solder, solder, everywhere solder! It's not like we are eating paint chips off the wall of a 75 year old house. Or, at least I'm not . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 [quote name='ghostofdavid']I believe that the Mya stems are machined and not soldered in any way. No solder = no lead. FOR THE WIN![/quote]You can certainly say that for the outside of the stem, but the thing is I'm not so sure about the inside being that it appears to be two dimensions of a completely different type of metal. [quote name='ioannisds']DUDES, why is this such a shock? Look at the nut soldered on to the bottom of almost any Egyptian stem (the part that sits in the water). That is not chewing gum holding it on. Or where that part of the stem goes into the main part of the stem. Etc, etc, etc. Solder, solder, everywhere solder! It's not like we are eating paint chips off the wall of a 75 year old house. Or, at least I'm not .[/quote] Well I think the big thing here is finding out if they actually use lead solder. Sure, even the pipes in our house that bring us delicious delicious water are soldered, but they do it with lead-free solder.Sent a simpler email to mitsuba... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioannisds Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 Um, I have never heard of lead-free solder used in water pipes, unless you are living in a house with maybe experimental plumbing. I would bet 99% of the solder used in homes in the US is of the tin-lead variety. I have heard of tin-silver solder before, but I can't imagine it is used very much at all, as it sounds like it would be tough to work with (higher melting point). You guys are worrying about tiny, inconsequential amounts of lead solder in your hookahs. Seriously! YOU WILL NOT GET LEAD POISONING FROM SMOKING HOOKAH. Other illnesses, sure (cancer, heart disease, etc, etc, all the other smoking drawbacks), but why the flip are we all so worried about a tiny bit of lead used in manufacturing your machines? Where is Lakemonster when I need him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 Well like I mentioned in the OP, there was a crack down on lead solder in plumbing in the 80s. According to Health Canada, no houses can be built or plumbing be repaired with lead-containing solder. Dont know what the regulation is for below the border though.According to the solder wiki, the European Union is even banning electronics from using lead solder[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solder"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solder[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 One of my degrees is a B.S. in Chemical Engineering...does that count????In China, who knows about lead solder...I would guess solder is the least of our worries...smoing is probably much worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion Posted September 2, 2006 Author Share Posted September 2, 2006 Got an email back today from mitsuba[quote]no we dont use lead but we have our techneque to make it together. Our products have gain the certificate of ISO2001. Linda[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostofdavid Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Fabulously vague! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion Posted September 2, 2006 Author Share Posted September 2, 2006 Lol I know, eh? I like the whole part with the "no lead" and the ISO2001, but anything with 'but' in it is always a little weird.Ah well, c'est la vie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioannisds Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 [quote name='Onion']Got an email back today from mitsuba [quote]no we dont use lead but we have our techneque to make it together. Our products have gain the certificate of ISO2001. Linda[/quote][/quote] ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!Glad to hear we are all safe and sound. Well, sound at least. We are SMOKING after all . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Well your vase hose is fine but we use prage stop for best smoke. If you problems hookah then contact japan for company last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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