Anyone Else Think That Tangiers And Eric Is Becoming A Victim Of His Own Success?

[ChicagoRSX]

I've been restocking my Tang supply(yay to finally finding melon blend!) and it seems like I've been getting more stems/sticks in it. I know Eric is trying hard to keep up with the various lines and supply, but is this starting to over work/tax his supply? Thoughts?

[kaoz187]

Maybe it could just be his tobacco supplier changed recipe? Or does he cut the tobacco himself

[tjmitch]

Maybe it could just be his tobacco supplier changed recipe? Or does he cut the tobacco himself

I am fairly certain he gets it pre shredded. Which leads me to believe his tobacco supplier is having issues or maybe just a bad batch that they are selling through. Wither way, the small cut of tangiers means that stems are not a big deal really as long as they are chopped as small as the leaves. Besides, the nicotine is in the stems so if you've built a tolerance, maybe you'll actually get a buzz again.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk Edited August 3, 2014 by tjmitch

[mattarios2]

 

Maybe it could just be his tobacco supplier changed recipe? Or does he cut the tobacco himself

I am fairly certain he gets it pre shredded. Which leads me to believe his tobacco supplier is having issues or maybe just a bad batch that they are selling through. Wither way, the small cut of tangiers means that stems are not a big deal really as long as they are chopped as small as the leaves. Besides, the nicotine is in the stems so if you've built a tolerance, maybe you'll actually get a buzz again.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

 

While I tend to agree with you on this from my own experience, I had a conversation with Eric and he said that is not true.

[Pavo21]

i have found a couple more stems then normal but i mean every brand has them its just part of hookah life if u dont like it take it out its not like ur losing a anything from the 3-4 stems being in a 250

[mustang67n]

I haven't found any more stems than usual in my stuff lately. But If I did, it wouldn't really bother me, I smoke all the shtuffffs

[Chreees]

I've always smoked stems, so whenever I find them in Tangiers, I cram them bitches in there. Now with Nakhla, we know how those stems can be, I have to cut those just to get them to fit in my Phunnel bowls, lol.

[Bawhee]

if there is a stem first try to bend it into a shape that fits, if it won't fit like that then chop that motherfucker up. Then smoke it.

[mattarios2]

To be honest I prefer stems, it helps keep good air flow for dense packed tobaccos like tangiers and nakhla, and supposedly they soak up a ton of juices.

[Travis]

Who was that character that smoked nothing but stems, wayyyy back in the day. Can't remember his name but I do remember that he was a bit off.

[mattarios2]

I forgot his username but he was a big nakhla fan and used to do it with nakhla stems. I believe in his sig he was bald.

[thehelios]

I forgot his username but he was a big nakhla fan and used to do it with nakhla stems. I believe in his sig he was bald.

 

So not Nights of Baghdad?  Him, or some random dude named INCUBUSRATM  :P

[Chreees]

 

I forgot his username but he was a big nakhla fan and used to do it with nakhla stems. I believe in his sig he was bald.

 

So not Nights of Baghdad?  Him, or some random dude named INCUBUSRATM  :P

 

 

 

LOL, definitely wasn't me. And I totally forgot about NoB 'til you mentioned him. Plenty of lulz were had from his antics, for sure.

[Travis]

Nah it wasn't NOB. He had a ton of YouTube videos of him just being a strange strange person haha. He was from somewhere in Europe.

[Chreees]

Nah it wasn't NOB. He had a ton of YouTube videos of him just being a strange strange person haha. He was from somewhere in Europe.

 

Man, I know exactly who you're talking about, but can't think of his name. Did reviews for another forum.

[â€On]

Not to detract from your walk down memory lane, but I have to say, I don't get the hype.

I love Tangiers, and I won't argue that Eric knows his shit and has a great product, but I really dislike how people talk about him as if he invented shisha. The guy is 90% reputation, because most people have never even met him or had a conversation with him, and he rarely is on the forums these days. When he does post, it's usually some great info, but come on. He's just a guy. 

That being said, I actually have the opposite experience; my newest batches of Tangiers (with the fancy pants new labels) have actually had improved cuts and overall just seem to be a better recipe. Also Eric cured my crippling case of syphillis JUST BY LOOKING AT IT. He's totally God. 

[tjmitch]

Not to detract from your walk down memory lane, but I have to say, I don't get the hype.

I love Tangiers, and I won't argue that Eric knows his shit and has a great product, but I really dislike how people talk about him as if he invented shisha. The guy is 90% reputation, because most people have never even met him or had a conversation with him, and he rarely is on the forums these days. When he does post, it's usually some great info, but come on. He's just a guy. 

That being said, I actually have the opposite experience; my newest batches of Tangiers (with the fancy pants new labels) have actually had improved cuts and overall just seem to be a better recipe. Also Eric cured my crippling case of syphillis JUST BY LOOKING AT IT. He's totally God. 

His knowledge (and degrees thereof) on chemistry topics are why I regard his opinion so highly. Nearly every time I go to the lounge our conversations lead down a road that ends with hour long discussion on the chemical mechanisms regarding something hookah related and almost always involves us researching different properties to make sure we know what's really going on. Also, from a packing/smoking perspective, there is literally no one on earth with more experience packing and smoking tangiers than Eric. So on that front, I tend to trust his advice on the issue and usually have good results when I stop being stubborn and actually listen to him. He didn't just magically gain the reputation out of nowhere after all.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[mustang67n]

Not do derail the original idea of the conversation (the stems), But I agree with both; you, Ty, and you, tjmitch.

Eric is definitely JUST a guy. He's far from a god and as we all do has and will make mistakes, that's natural. Yes, he is definitely a very intelligent man. He reads a lot and forms strong (overbearing) opinions on topics, that, combined with his 'aggressive' personality make him seem even more intelligent in some areas to those who aren't well read in the same areas. The truth is, if you spent as much time reading and forming opinions on topics as much as he does, any one of us could come off as that intelligent.

I don't mean to detract from the paragon that is Eric, he is definitely more intelligent than myself, and he is probably the most intelligent person in the US hookah industry. But the way people fawn over him as though he were a deity to blindly put all of your faith into: that I will never understand.

Considering he is a man of science, even he must consider the faith he has earned from others as idiotic. Even the most well regarded hypothesis can be disproved by a single experiment. Likewise so can Eric's (or anyone else's) methods/approach.

I've seen bowls of Tangiers packed as if they were Starbuzz smoke better than a bowl I've had at the lounge in San Diego. Bowls packed in Egyptians smoke better than bowls out of Eric's own phunnels.

 

Eric takes a scientific approach to his bowl designs and suggesting packing methods tailored to his tobacco specifically, however similar and even better results are possible through other means and methods simply because the conditions are met properly.



I'm rambling now, but all I'm saying is I respect the man and what he has done for the hookah industry, but he is not; nor will be the end of all tobacco and bowl improvements (and I do mean actual improvements, not just "new technologies")

[â€On]

Well put Nate! I've always been a strong proponent of "experiment". Bowl not smoking great? Try doing things differently until it does smoke great. I think too many people think "that's the way to do it and there is no other way" which leads too many people new to hookah to think that there is only one way. TRUE, there are a few things we all seem to do that DO seem to be the best we have found so far, but that does not mean that we're at the end of the road, it just means people have pretty much settled down and don't try things differently as much as they used to. It also doesn't help that every time something new comes out that is different we all say "this thing looks pointless" without even trying it. I thought the Lotus was a waste of money until I tried one, and while it may not be the greatest thing ever, it's still a much bigger improvement than any of the new bowls i've tried.

[tjmitch]

To the point of blindly following Eric, I would like to mention that I do nothing blindly and that I am similar to Eric in that if I have a question, I research it to death and since I have questions about hookah all the time, I've usually spent some time researching the topics we discuss and like to think I'm well versed. The reason I "follow" Eric's advice is because it's rooted in logical hypotheses that he's had years to test out and prove or disprove compared to my seemingly miniscule 3 years experience with tangiers. Also I would put money down that now bowl of tang noir packed like starbuzz ever smoked better than a bowl at the lounge. Just saying. Also the lotus offers no benefit to the smoking experience and only offers added risk of destruction if property and is therefore a teribble investment. And I'm saying this from personal experience, not from a hive mind perspective.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk Edited August 7, 2014 by tjmitch

[mattarios2]

I believe Eric for the same reasons, as well as the fact that when you have detailed discussion with him then research the things he says, they are always spot on (this is specifically related to things hookah). At least for the things you CAN research. We used to talk back and forth daily for quite a while and I didn't just say oh Eric said this, it' true. I'd look into things, and sure enough, he was right. Eric has tested coals, if he says any coloring in the ash other than black or dark dark gray means additives are added ... you won't believe that or at least take it into consideration? Seems quite reasonable.

 

Saying that because a lotus decreases the rate at which coals burn ... you aren't going to agree that in order to slow down the burning of a coal it is receiving less oxygen ergo creating more CO? That is quite believable. Just by using a wind cover my co levels went up BIG TIME, choking the coals out of oxygen even more with a Lotus wouldn't increase those #'s?

 

A guy who makes his own shisha ... you wouldn't believe that the stems have less nicotine than the leaves? Look it up, various sites state the stems do have nicotine in them but not as much as the leaves.

 

This isn't directed to one specific person, just stating that with the things I have inquired about involving him, his information has not led me down the wrong path.

 

He stated that REAL Japanese coal will give off lower CO levels than Coconut coals ... and ... they did.

 

He used to say that the Tangiers phunnels were made for Tangiers, not other tobaccos, you can smoke other tobaccos in them but they weren't designed for those tobaccos. And I DO find Nakhla takes far less heat and smokes waaay better in a Turkish bowl than in a phunnel.

 

So while he may not be God, he knows his stuff, and as long as you do a bit of research, in my experience, he has been right.

 

I do agree messing around with setups and what not is a good thing. I pack my turkish bowls a bit differently now than what I did in the tutorial I posted a while back, and it is quite a bit different, don't think I have seen anyone do it the way I do it, but it works amazingly well and the smoke is amazing.

[â€On]

I do agree messing around with setups and what not is a good thing. I pack my turkish bowls a bit differently now than what I did in the tutorial I posted a while back, and it is quite a bit different, don't think I have seen anyone do it the way I do it, but it works amazingly well and the smoke is amazing.

 

You should post a tutorial with pictures for how you do it, I'm always interested in trying out other peoples methods.

[mattarios2]

Ty, it is EXTREMELY simple this is what I do (and heck it may not even be different but I have never seen someone pack a bowl like this)

 

1.) When you pack the bowl rather than pressing down on the tobacco push it to one side, I prefer the right side. So drop a bunch of shisha in on one side, use a mini fork to push it to the right side, drop more in next to it, push it against it to the right, keep doing this until you have one little space at the left side of the bowl, drop a tiny bit in to fill it. The idea here is that when pressing down it really clogs up traditional bowls, I realized pushing to one side, right or left or even upwards away from you or towards you leaves the tiniest space between the bowl holes and the shisha.

 

2.) Poke holes through the foil down through the bowl holes. (this is no secret)

 

3.) Then use the skewer things that come with tongs and push from under the bowl holes to clear any tobacco that was pushed into those holes. Test air flow, should feel like nothing is there but the bowl should be packed pretty darn tight, pop coals on and BAM monstah smoke brah. (this is no secret either)

 

So really it is just a different technique in how you pack the tobacco together, whenever I watch videos it is either pressing down, or sprinkling, but when you sprinkle with nakhla you don't achieve its true greatness at all and pushing down causes clogging. So pushing to one side allows for a really tight pack but no clogging of the holes, very simple, never really saw anyone do it this way, and it works WONDERS! I get really really large clouds like a phunnel, but use way less coals with a traditional bowl. The heat management is super easy, never have to move the coals at all really.

 

In my medium turkish bowl ~30-35g I start with 4 japanese coals, (you can get away with 3 centered from the start but won't be able to smoke for a while before adding another coal) then move them centered after 15 minutes or so, then I just add 1 coal every 20-30 minutes, SIMPLE!

 

In a nutshell you use side to side packing rather than top down packing.

[ChicagoRSX]

Please no one miss-understand me. I'm not talking bad about Tangiers, just noticing differences from when I started smoking it about 3 years ago.

[â€On]

 

 

Ty, it is EXTREMELY simple this is what I do (and heck it may not even be different but I have never seen someone pack a bowl like this)

 

1.) When you pack the bowl rather than pressing down on the tobacco push it to one side, I prefer the right side. So drop a bunch of shisha in on one side, use a mini fork to push it to the right side, drop more in next to it, push it against it to the right, keep doing this until you have one little space at the left side of the bowl, drop a tiny bit in to fill it. The idea here is that when pressing down it really clogs up traditional bowls, I realized pushing to one side, right or left or even upwards away from you or towards you leaves the tiniest space between the bowl holes and the shisha.

 

2.) Poke holes through the foil down through the bowl holes. (this is no secret)

 

3.) Then use the skewer things that come with tongs and push from under the bowl holes to clear any tobacco that was pushed into those holes. Test air flow, should feel like nothing is there but the bowl should be packed pretty darn tight, pop coals on and BAM monstah smoke brah. (this is no secret either)

 

So really it is just a different technique in how you pack the tobacco together, whenever I watch videos it is either pressing down, or sprinkling, but when you sprinkle with nakhla you don't achieve its true greatness at all and pushing down causes clogging. So pushing to one side allows for a really tight pack but no clogging of the holes, very simple, never really saw anyone do it this way, and it works WONDERS! I get really really large clouds like a phunnel, but use way less coals with a traditional bowl. The heat management is super easy, never have to move the coals at all really.

 

In my medium turkish bowl ~30-35g I start with 4 japanese coals, (you can get away with 3 centered from the start but won't be able to smoke for a while before adding another coal) then move them centered after 15 minutes or so, then I just add 1 coal every 20-30 minutes, SIMPLE!

 

In a nutshell you use side to side packing rather than top down packing.

 

Makes sense, I'll give it a try and see how it works for me! It does remind me of a method that I remember Katie talking about a couple years ago where she basically layered Tangiers down in a phunnel, pushing it more outward than down. I know, different bowl and tobacco, so it's not exactly the same, but that's what it reminds me of.

 

Please no one miss-understand me. I'm not talking bad about Tangiers, just noticing differences from when I started smoking it about 3 years ago.

 

No worries dude, I don't think anyone misunderstood you, and I don't see anyone talking bad about Tangiers either. Me saying Eric isn't god is NOT the same as me saying he's an idiot and is always wrong and deserves no praise (I'm not saying that, at all, to be clear).