How To Tell A Fake Km From A Real One?

[Helix746]

Hey guys, question is the same as the title. How can you tell a fake km from a real one?

[hookah hippie]

the markings on the stem help and the way the shank curves out from the shaft

it should be marked under the ash tray saying khalil mamon I realize thats spelled wrong but that is normally how it reads go figure

Check out some pics my computer isn't too picture upload friendly because of lack of battery right now so take a look at some pics

[Sonthert]

I've seen some samples of some fake Chinese KMs, which are convincing...except their downstems unscrew. As far as I know, there are no real KMs with downstems that unscrew.

On the tray plate, there should be some markings that indicate its a KM. It would have four tubular flowers, on 4 opposite corners of the Tray Plate, with an Arabic character squished between each flower.

Hopefully that helps.

[Codename067]

It's hard to tell with a untrained eye.

Those guys know what they are doing. THey know they can fool a pretty decent percentage of people and get away with it.

Prime example: Some guy calling himself "True Hookah King" on YouTube had been using what he thought was an authentic KM for 3 months. Turns out it was fake. He made a video of it then took it down after someone called him out on being a King and smoking a fake lol. There goes his 'King' Title.

Anyway, they usually do a good job with the hose and the ash plate, even the marking on the plate and below it where it sits. Hose port and purging valve are probably you 2 best ways to find out if you are looking at a real one or not.

Either way, post some pics if you can. That would be the best way if you are unsure of a KM.

I've seen some seriously legit looking ones that I knew were fake..so watch out. The market for fake hookahs is huge!

[antouwan]

i've seen some that my uncle brought back (not knowing they were fakes) for my cousins from Dubai. they were VERY easy to tell the difference between the lotus patterns were off, and horribly stamped. it was also kind of open chamber. imagine the tubes for the stem and purge going through just a single 'layer' of metal and then just a ring of sheet metal being spot welded around those ports and a grommet attached. it looked very funky and very fake to say the least.

[NIGHTS OF BAGHDAD]

best way to dodge fake km's or any kind of pipes is to buy from reputable vendors..i wouldnt buy any pipes from a local brick and mortar store

[Jacob Shock]

alot of good advice here.

the only thing i think you can do is handle a couple KM's. examine each and every one you can.

-the imprints of the KM
-the weld marks
-the chamber
-the hose and purge
-the down stem
-dose it feel like a km?

[Helix746]

k thanks, ill post some pics tomorrow. I just wanted to ask because it had khalil mamon on the tray so i was a little concerned it might be a fake but maybe it has something to do with the translation. Its actually my roommates hookah, he got it from hookah-shisha. its the KM imhoteb, a black double pear with a chiller, it looks and feels legit. My only problem with it is that the chiller isnt watertight so when the ice melts the water leaks down into the area between the stem and the outside metal, which i guess means its not solid. It smokes great so i guess i dont really care i was just wondering. Also do they put Khalil Mamoon on the base? if so where is it stamped?

[inino]

The fake ones are kinda easy to spot out with a trained eye. The poor quality ones on the other hand are hard unless you can see and touch it.

[Jacob Shock]

k thanks, ill post some pics tomorrow. I just wanted to ask because it had khalil mamon on the tray so i was a little concerned it might be a fake but maybe it has something to do with the translation. Its actually my roommates hookah, he got it from hookah-shisha. its the KM imhoteb, a black double pear with a chiller, it looks and feels legit. My only problem with it is that the chiller isnt watertight so when the ice melts the water leaks down into the area between the stem and the outside metal, which i guess means its not solid. It smokes great so i guess i dont really care i was just wondering. Also do they put Khalil Mamoon on the base? if so where is it stamped?

i dont thibk they mark thier bases.

if it came from hookah-shisha it is legit.

[hartwell778]

The ice chambers on real Kms are not water-tight. I have heard alot about people having to seal them up with caulk or sealant. And if its from hookah-shisha.com its legit.

[Helix746]

yeah, when my roommate first got it i looked it over well and it looked and felt like a real KM but once i saw the name printed "wrong" i was curious, but i now know its definitely a real one, maybe we will get some caulk for the chiller, good idea

[Zinite]

The ice chambers on real Kms are not water-tight. I have heard alot about people having to seal them up with caulk or sealant. And if its from hookah-shisha.com its legit.

mmm... I don't know what you're talking about. Mine is completely water tight.

[Zinite]

yeah, when my roommate first got it i looked it over well and it looked and felt like a real KM but once i saw the name printed "wrong" i was curious, but i now know its definitely a real one, maybe we will get some caulk for the chiller, good idea

Name printed wrong? How so? It can say Khalil Mamoon, Khalil Mamon, a few others, and still be legit.

[Helix746]

its printed khalil mamon which i didnt know it could be spelled like that so maybe its something in the translation to English or something else but after looking at some more of the designs like the 4 flower lookin things on the tray and the designs on the chiller i am convinced it is real.

[spectrum055]

I've been thinking my KM Hookah might be a fake... the one I bought from the shop... reasons so are it doesn't have the tray markings ...but it might be because the owner of the shop has really nice trays and I saw one that had markings like a KM hanging behind the counter .... I've been thinking that perhaps the owner might change some of the parts ... or just stocks fake KM's I'm not mad cause it smokes like a beast...and it hasn't had problems so I don't really mind ... but when I do buy my third it will either be one of those Tri-metals or some fancy dancy KM from HJ

[annual]

I've been thinking my KM Hookah might be a fake... the one I bought from the shop... reasons so are it doesn't have the tray markings ...but it might be because the owner of the shop has really nice trays and I saw one that had markings like a KM hanging behind the counter .... I've been thinking that perhaps the owner might change some of the parts ... or just stocks fake KM's I'm not mad cause it smokes like a beast...and it hasn't had problems so I don't really mind ... but when I do buy my third it will either be one of those Tri-metals or some fancy dancy KM from HJ

buy a tamseh not a KM.

[Vladimir]

I've been thinking my KM Hookah might be a fake... the one I bought from the shop... reasons so are it doesn't have the tray markings ...but it might be because the owner of the shop has really nice trays and I saw one that had markings like a KM hanging behind the counter .... I've been thinking that perhaps the owner might change some of the parts ... or just stocks fake KM's I'm not mad cause it smokes like a beast...and it hasn't had problems so I don't really mind ... but when I do buy my third it will either be one of those Tri-metals or some fancy dancy KM from HJ

That's all that matters, it is a hookah, who cares what name comes on the price tag? What matters is that it smokes well (and if you care, which personally I do not, it looks nice).

[foibled again]

I've been thinking my KM Hookah might be a fake... the one I bought from the shop... reasons so are it doesn't have the tray markings ...but it might be because the owner of the shop has really nice trays and I saw one that had markings like a KM hanging behind the counter .... I've been thinking that perhaps the owner might change some of the parts ... or just stocks fake KM's I'm not mad cause it smokes like a beast...and it hasn't had problems so I don't really mind ... but when I do buy my third it will either be one of those Tri-metals or some fancy dancy KM from HJ

The tray can easily be switched out for a generic one. The stems, vases, trays, hoses, etc come separate and are pieced together by vendors or sold to them that way by wholesalers. If you really want to find out, take a picture of the stem and people here can help you identify which model KM it is if it's authentic. Pictures of the heart and top of the tray rest would be very helpful.

Going off memory, trays have Khalil Mamon while vases are typically Khalil Mamoon. Either spelling isn't really right or wrong any more than the other.

[foibled again]

I've been thinking my KM Hookah might be a fake... the one I bought from the shop... reasons so are it doesn't have the tray markings ...but it might be because the owner of the shop has really nice trays and I saw one that had markings like a KM hanging behind the counter .... I've been thinking that perhaps the owner might change some of the parts ... or just stocks fake KM's I'm not mad cause it smokes like a beast...and it hasn't had problems so I don't really mind ... but when I do buy my third it will either be one of those Tri-metals or some fancy dancy KM from HJ

buy a tamseh not a KM.

You mean Temsaah?




...or is it Temsah? Thamesh? Tamseh? Temsaah!

[Sonthert]

Yeah, I think the fake I saw had a tubed bell...but I don't remember. A non-tubed bell is a dead giveaway. Tubed bells are harder and more expensive to make...thats why cheap rip-offs wouldn't use tubed bells. The weight is going to be a factor, but not conclusive. The tray plate would be a good indicator, I would imagine. Also, the finish. Jagged metal (especially on the bottom of the down tube) might indicate its a fake. That being said, I haven't seen a lot of fakes. I don't know how prevalent they are. I try to deal with wholesalers that don't deal with them at all.