A few questions...

[torontonick]

Hello everyone,

a few questions for everyone. A little background...I've been smoking shisha for just over a year now and I truly enjoy it, but lately I've been noticing some differences which really brings down my experience...

Of note, i use ice in my hookah, and i use foil and 3 kings charcoal.

1. My smoke clouds are nothing but lackluster... I don't know why, but the smoke is really thin...I checked for air leaks but there are none, and I keep my hookah very clean...even in my new one the smoke isnt that great.

My question...how important is it to break up the shisha (i usually buy nakhla or al-awaha and it comes in those boxes.... so do you have to really break it up... i used to spend atleast 20 min packing a bowl..and i would seperate every peice as much as possible, but lately i just sorta grind it using my fingers and put it in the bowl...

2. my headrushes are all but gone...i get a smiliar buzz but it lasts only for a few min. How can I get them back? i loved the buzz. This happened once before, near the end of last summer.. and then I took a break from the hookah for almost 2 months...and started again in nov... and my headrushes came back and now they are starting to go again ... id rather not take a break from smoking to get them back.

3. what should the water level in the base be like? like how much should metal part of the stem be submerged in water?

4. this i guess relates to the first question... ive noticed that i dont get a distinct taste anymore. before i would get such wonderful aromas and flavour...but now its nothing... sometimes i even get a gross kinda taste...

5. any tips on making a bowl last? i used to have sessions that would last atleast an hour easy, and each coal lasting 30-40 min... now after 20 min the bowl gets really harsh and is unenjoyable...


I'd really llike to get my hookah experience back to where it used to be...so any advice anyone can offer would be great!

Thanks and if i have more questions ill be sure to ask.

Nick

[Erica]

Okay first off, The where do you live? and has the weather changed at all lately? The people on this site are big on acclimating, I had never heard of it untill I joined. Basically it is getting your tobacco used to the climate you are going to be smoking it in. So, try letting your tobacco sit out with the lid open for atleast four hours, and give it a go.

When I make a bowl, depending on what brand I'm smoking, I usually just sprinkle the tobacco in, if there are big chunks then there are big chunks, no biggy, still smokes good. I couldn't imagine spending tweenty minutes packing a bowl.. haha

AS for you not buzzing anymore, if your tobacco is not smoking well then your not going to get a very good buzz. Also, if you smoke consistently you are going to get used to the amount of nicotine that is in your tobacco. There are some other brands, like Tangiers, that will knock you on your ass, but if your already having problems with getting smoke, I would wait on buying this tobacco untill you figure out what is wrong with your smoke sessions.

Well, I would asmuse that if you smoke is thin, obviously you are not going to get maximum flavor, and this could have something to do with not acclimating or perhaps your stash is old, and all the flavor has evaporated.

Well, making a bowl last has a lot to do with heat managment. I would imagine, correct me if I'm wrong, that since you are not getting any good clouds to begin with, you are probably adding more heat so that your tobacco will smoke better? The more heat the tobacco comes in contact with the hotter it will get, so you are probably scorching your bowl.... Try breaking your one QL coal into four small peices, to evenley spead the heat around the bowl, place the coals on the edge of the bowl rather then directly over the top.

I hope this stuff somewhat helped!

Ps. How old is the hose you are currently using?

[EliteHookah.com]

As far as your flavor, try cleaning your hookah with a vinegar/water or lemon juice/water mixture. You also might want to consider replacing your hose. Oftentimes I find that an old hose is the primary cause of a loss of flavor.

As Erica said, acclimating your shisha is always a good idea. The rest of your problems are probably heat based.

Thin smoke and lack of buzz are usually the result of not enough heat. Try starting your hookah with two coals (start them on the outside rim of the bowl instead of in the center, this will help with heat and help to keep the bowl smoking longer). Make sure they are good and hot before you start. When the smoke/buzz is thin and light, shift the coals towards the center of the bowl. When the taste gets harsh move them off a bit.

Unfortunately a really good hookah session does take a bit of work and attention throughout the smoke. After people start smoking their own hookah more and the initial excitement wears off they have a tendency to fall into the "set it and forget it" mentality.

This is where I would start, let us know how it comes out.

[Sonthert]

1. Try adding a little more tobacco and a little more charcoal to the bowl...that might help.

2. Try switching to a full nicotine-brand...more tobacco might help, too.

3. That won't affect it. A half inch is usually safe.

4. A good hookah cleaning is in order.

5. Humidity effects as Erica and Elite Hookah mentioned might make a difference, also not enough tobacco in the bowl.

I've noticed people tend to pack less tobacco in the bowl, almost unconsciously as they become more used to a tobacco and become more comfortable with it, which often impares the performance.