Guide - Hookahs for Beginners.

I just joined the forums, and I noticed there isn't a good guide for people who want to use hookahs to smoke their buds. There is, however, a lot of people giving out false information about their experiences. I hope this guide will help those of you who want to add a little flavor to your smoke.

Rumors

There's a lot of rumors that go along with smoking your buds out of hookahs. Let me start with a lot of the most common ones.

1) It's a waste of bud.

This is completely wrong. While they may take larger amounts of your precious nugget than a bowl or joint, it's definitely possible to use less bud than either of those, especially a blunt. I would personally mix one gram of bud with a hookahhookah brand "shot" of shisha as a guideline.

Also, another thing I will say is that most people who say this will throw only bud in a hookah bowl and light it directly with a butane lighter. This is wrong, and is a waste of bud. Always use shisha. Always.

2) Shisha is only tobacco and molasses, I don't want to get addicted to nicotine.

This is false, there are plenty of herbal shisas out there, many of them are made from tea leaf, and contain zero nicotine or tobacco.

3) It's a very harsh hit.

Wrong again. Hookah smoke is the smoothest smoke you can get in a non-vaporized form (in my opinion). If you're experiencing extremely harsh smoke, there are two very common reasons for this. First being, somebody is not capping the end of their hose (happens ALL the time.) Second being, the smoke is stale. I'll cover this later.

So you want to smoke a hookah?

The Materials:


1 Hookah (obviously) - Includes Hoses/Stoppers for unused hoses, a Downpipe, a Bowl, and a Vase (part you put water in).

Shisha - This comes in many forms and measurements. Just grab a jar of a good flavor and try to balance the amount you put in the bowl with the amount of bud. You never want too much.

3 "Dome Shaped" Coals (Hookah Coals, DO NOT USE GRILL CHARCOAL) per bowl; or, 6 to 8 "Cylinder Shaped" coals per bowl.

1 pair of tongs - You use this to mix the shisha, and light/handle the coals.

A Hookah Screen or Bowl - This is what you rest the coal(s) on. You never rest them directly on the Shisha Mixture.

Bud - You mix this in.

Grinder - You grind the bud.

1 Wind Screen (Optional) - It protects cross winds from heating the coals (cross winds from things like Air Conditioning and fans or open windows).

Lighter - Should be obvious.

1 to ?? Stoner friends - It's a social thing, trust me on that.



The steps you'll need to take:


1) Wash your hookah after every use. Get some good pipe cleaners and clean it with alcohol and salt just like you would with a glass piece. It's important to do this after every use because Shisha leaves residue just as pot does. It is flavor residue though. So if you pack a bowl of Key Lime Pie flavored Shisha, and then load up a bowl with Cola Shisha in it, it will affect the taste of the Shisha/Bud mixture. If you plan to smoke multiple hookahs, I recommend using the same Shisha flavor in order to protect the flavor.

2) Grind your bud. You will need to mix the shisha evenly. The tobacco/tea leaf mixed in with the Shisha is usually machine shredded, so it would make sense to grind it up to get that even burn. Put the Shisha in first. Never put the bud in first. The shisha has a stickier texture and will not fall through the holes in the bottom of the bowl. This makes it easier to mix too. Make sure you get an even spread of bud all along the bowl. Do not overfill the bowl either. Less can be more in this case. You don't want the mixture pushing the screen off of the edge of the bowl. You need that screen to lay flat. When you are done mixing the bowl, put the screen on top of the Shisha mixture.

3) Make sure you have enough coals. Most Shisha mixes will last longer than a coal will. You'll need multiple coals for each Shisha mix you pack up. You WILL be as high as the Voyager Space Probe, you probably shouldn't be driving. It's always bad to run out of coals in the middle of a packed hookah. DO NOT USE CHARCOAL MEANT FOR A GRILL. It burns at a different temperature and will affect your overall smoking experience for the negative. Plus, Hookah Coals are cheap at your local tobacco store/head shop. Pick the coal up with the tongs and light it. Most are "self lighting" and you will see a "line of flame" (Watch carefully, you'll know what I'm talking about) engulf the coal. Only when it has gone around the entire coal, is it ready to put on top of the screen.

You are now ready to smoke your hookah.

When smoking, remember to ALWAYS keep your thumb on top, covering the hole on your mouth piece if you're not hitting it. If you don't, it causes an improper smoke to air ratio, and becomes EXTREMELY harsh for the person hitting the other hose. Don't be a buddy fucker.

Don't hit it like you're trying to clear a bong. The rate that you naturally take a breath (through your nose, I know it doesn't translate well through your mouth, but it's the best comparison I can make) is what you should be inhaling at. Slow and steady wins the race here. You're not trying to clear a bong. You're basically going to be trying to produce a nice milk the entire time you're hitting the hookah. If you hit it too hard, it will increase airflow over the coal. When you introduce more airflow to a fire (the coal is burning), the increased oxygen causes it to burn hotter. Hence, you get harsher smoke. If you hit it slow, you will take the biggest hits of any smoke you've ever seen in your life. Even beginners won't feel much of the smoke in their lungs.

If the smoke becomes stale or less thick/flavorful:

Immediately remove the coal from the screen using the tongs, and take the bowl off of the top of the hookah. Take the screen off of the shisha, and stir the mixture with the tongs to even out the burnt, and unburnt parts of the mixture. While doing this, somebody (if smoking in a group) should be blowing INTO the hose to clear out the smoke. Alternatively, I've found a faster way to do this is to take the downstem off of the vase, and blow directly into it, but not hard enough to cause water to splash around. When mixed evenly, place the parts of the hookah back together.

Make sure you tap the coal regularly. It produces ash, and can be smothered by it. Most hookahs will have an Ash Pan right below the bowl. You can ash it in here, or in an ashtray, your choice. You'll also want to grab the Hookah Screen and shake off any bits of ash on there as well.

Tips:

How long will a pack last?
There's a lot of variables here. The key rule being between 45 minutes to an hour and a half (if smoked properly). The longest I've had a hookah pack last me was 12 hours. It wasn't continuously being burned, and it was only me and my boy smoking it, but we didn't change out the pack for a good 12 hours.

What Shisha should I buy?
That's up to you. There's Tobacoo and Herbal varieties, the latter being tobacco and nicotine free. There's many, many types of flavors, and many more can be mixed. The sky is the limit as far as mixtures go. Some of my favorite mixes include Strawberry Kiwi Mango, Vanilla Raspberry, Chocolate Cola, Cherry Cola, Raspberry Lemonade, and Fruit Cocktail (Watermelon, Grape, Strawberry, Kiwi, Blueberry, and Mango flavors.) There's literally an unlimited range of flavors. It's almost like cooking!

I will caution this though. Stay away from any non-fruit/food type flavors. Key flavor being "Rose". I bought this being the last Shisha flavor at my local tobacco shop, and I wish I had not. It was like smoking floor cleaner. It tasted awful and I ended up vomiting (I kept smoking it as long as I could, I'm not wasting bud) after about an hour.

How many hoses should I get?
My rule is no more than two. I know you may have a lot of people to smoke up, but you can always pass the hose around. Four hose hookahs are nice, but that's also 100% more airflow going over the coal, making it hotter, and the smoke harsher. Two seems to be the magic number for me.

What kind of coals should I get? Why not just light it with a lighter?
If you're lighting it with an open flame, you're going to burn the shisha much, much faster. A coal will not sit on top of the mixture, most of the time the screen the coal sits on won't even be touching the mix. You'll have more of a vaporization effect per-se, but it's not as controlled as a vaporizer (temperature wise). It's all about the airflow that goes over it. It's a slower, longer burn.

You can get any type of hookah coal you want really. I prefer the "domed" variety. (Flat, more of a coin shape, but domed on the top) to cylindrical shaped ones. This is because the domed shape will cover most of the hookah and create a vortex effect with the airflow around the bottom of the coal. You can break up cylindrical coals to get a more even covering on the screen, but more coverage = more heat = harsher hit.

Also, get the self lighting version. It just makes things a lot easier.

Ooooh, I see this pretty bowl for hookahs that promises vortex action in the stem!
I think that's more of a marketing ploy, seeing as how that "vortex action" is going to be disrupted when the smoke hits the water. I never noticed a huge difference when I tried it, but you're more than welcome to buy it.

So Eclipse, what bowl should I buy?
I'm not going to make any links. But as an experienced hookah smoker. The bowls with the "clamp covers" have come in the most handy. There have been nights where a hookah has gotten knocked over. Yes, that coal goes flying, and it's never fun to stand up going "OH SHIT" and looking in every corner of the room for a burning coal when you're blazed. If the hookah does get knocked over, the clamp will keep the coal inside it for the most part. Comes in really handy.

Are there any other benefits?
Yes, it's a GREAT way to get rid of some bad schwag. That bad, musty taste is normally masked by the fruity aroma of most shishas. Plus, if you have a lot of it, you can literally smoke for HOURS and get high.

Also, the smell of the shisha will mask (not completely hide, but cover up most of) the smell of the bud. You'll still have a bit of a bud smell, but most people will just dismiss it because they've never had experience with hookahs, let alone the bud in the mix.

I got this $1800 ROOR with an inline setup and a compartment where a bitch'll pop out and suck my dick while I'm taking a hit, why should I use a hookah?
I love bongs just as much as the next guy. I really do. In fact, I plan on getting a nice new glass piece here soon. But hookas are a change of pace and much more social. You can take a hit with your buddy at the same time. It's a great way to chill and watch a movie without constantly having to pack up a small amount and pass it to everybody. The weed burns SLOW and LONG. Not to mention, I'm usually the envy of my buddies because their girlfriends want to smoke at my place, just because I have a hookah. That flavor really helps.

I hope you guys enjoy my guide, and I hope it helps you out even more. Stay high, never dry my friends.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I'll answer to the best of my ability.

 

Headshops will almost always have them. Especially in college towns. I've packed up a hookah before and forgot I was out of coals at 10PM. Not good juju. I wouldn't recommend hitting the Shisha/Weed mixture out of a bong either. That shit gets harsh, really harsh.

 

I don't recommend this because it's very hard to pull off. But getting a ceramic soldering iron and holding the heating core over the bowl (no screen) without touching the shisha/bud would be your best bet in that case. If you can use your stoner intuition to construct a stand for it, all the better. I'm not sure if it would burn hot enough though. It would have to be a VERY powerful heating core to get the airflow right.

 

I've never had this problem. Is your tube becoming clogged during your smoking sesh after you've cleaned it, or are you having this problem because you're not regularly cleaning it? I recommend cleaning it every time before you smoke. It will stop flavor contamination. If you're having a marathon smokeout, I would recommend cleaning the downtube every time you change the spent shisha with the new.

 

Yes, it used to sketch me out at first. With practice it becomes second nature. Don't grip it too tight. That's the mistake everybody makes, it'll break the coal and it'll fall onto the floor. Just be gentile, yet firm. If it becomes stale, take the downstem off and blow into the vase. This literally takes 10 seconds. It should not get stale if you keep hitting it though. Only if nobody has hit it in a few minutes will it get stale.

 

Thanks. A lot of people who are into high quality glass usually tout their wares like they're smoking out of a mythical beast, like a unicorn. Was poking a bit of fun at them. =)

 

Hookah coals, and Grill coals are manufactured slightly different from eachother.

Grill coals will normally have additives to control the rate/temperature of burning. They will burn slower and hotter than a traditional hookah coal. This will scorch your bud, creating harsh smoke. The additives will also affect the taste of the Shisha/Bud mix.

I do not recommend it.

However, you can buy regular charcoal, called "Lump Charcoal" which will not have those additives, and will burn at almost the same rate as hookah charcoal. It's charcoal in it's natural form. However, it is irregularly shaped, and will not burn as evenly as a hookah coal.

I do not recommend this either.

The reason I recommend hookah coals is because they're cheap, can be ordered in bulk packages online, contain no nitrate additives, are shaped perfectly for hookahs, and are usually "quick light." Which makes it VERY convenient for smoking indoors.