foibled again

[quote name='nars2k' date='20 March 2010 - 06:51 PM' timestamp='1269136268' post='458486'] Bashing? How would you possibly label that as bashing the importer. I know the importer who "brings" these in. Bashing a product and bashing the person who brings them in are two totally different things. Im going to leave it at that and not drag this further. [/quote] To clarify, that portion of my reply was in response to: [quote name='Stuie' date='19 March 2010 - 08:37 PM' timestamp='1269056238' post='458332'] I confirmed it wasn't from the known importer that tries to screw over vendors. [/quote]

[img]http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/6412/nelsonfixed.png[/img]

Arcane is right, you are underpacking. Higher nicotine levels does not cause the problems you are describing. It should still smoke fine but with a more noticeable "buzz" if you are susceptible to it. Pack the tobacco as tight as you can and as full as you can. Pack until all you are doing is squeezing juice out. Don't be stingy with the tobacco.

Does the tray rest have KM's name stamped in Arabic? It's unclear/hard to tell from your picture. Mini Egyptians have always been poorer quality than larger ones from what I've seen. Also, that importer you are bashing has better quality KMs then others on the market (at least among those brought in on the west coast). You should probably know what you're talking about before speaking out against them, even if you keep them anonymous.

[quote name='Arcane' date='13 March 2010 - 02:05 AM' timestamp='1268474737' post='456893'] i'm pretty sure mine is different....my hose port has the bubble on the end, like most of my other KMs. does that mean i have the new model? i bought mine from HJ. Walt, you know if there's a difference between the two, build-wise? either way, i still suggest the Amer....it's a good pipe. [/quote] Yeah, you got one of the newer ones. They're built using the same methods but the OG is slightly different in design. The brass ring, sunken internal ports, and engraved hose port would be the biggest differences, which are what make that stem and the OG butterfly & hafa unique IMO. If you don't care for that, it doesn't really matter. [quote name='INCUBUSRATM' date='13 March 2010 - 02:31 AM' timestamp='1268476315' post='456895']Really there's no official names for any of them... [/quote] This is not true.

[quote name='elby' date='11 March 2010 - 04:42 PM' timestamp='1268354549' post='456635'] Hello! I have a clear hookah base that's very, very plain and I'd just love to decorate it but I'm not quite sure how. I thought of using glass paint, but I'm worried it will come off if I wash it too often. If anyone has any DIY ideas, let me know!! [/quote] If you don't mind oven baking to cure, look for Pebeo Vitrea 160 paints at your local art supply store. I'd recommend Michaels or Joann since they both carry the paint and marker variants and often have 40-50% off coupons. If you do not want to or can't bake your glass, then try Delta PermEnamels. The PermEnamels will end up being more expensive because you will need to use the surface conditioner and the varnish/glaze. The PermEnamels also aren't as durable as the Vitrea when properly hardened although they will hold up better than regular paints with a clear coat over them.

[quote name='Arcane' date='12 March 2010 - 03:40 PM' timestamp='1268437200' post='456822'] amer (#5) edit: actually, i took a second look at the "Amer"...and it looks very different than the one i have. i dunno if it's a fake or an older model or what....can anyone chime in? [/quote] I've actually ran across three different types of Amers and also Hafas/Butterflies (the Hafa is a different stem than the Butterfly but they are similar enough that they are mixed up by vendors). HC has the original style with the brass ring shank and OG engraved hose port, like the one in the ebay link.

[quote name='Stuie' date='09 March 2010 - 11:46 AM' timestamp='1268163982' post='456135'] Echoing what everyone has said. Their main site is now down. I have heard rumors that they have changed their name to Yuma or something like that, but I haven't found anything concrete. Avoid the smaller ones go 28" or more. [/quote] The site seems to be working for me. I've heard the same rumors about them merging and the name changing to Yama a while ago but I'm not sure how trustworthy they are since MZ is still around and supplying hookahs under their name.

[quote name='Arcane' date='08 March 2010 - 11:55 PM' timestamp='1268121355' post='456050'] i'm not sure what the hell walt is talking about, but the whole mash'al + pear thing sounds smexy...i'd go with that one... edit: nevermind, i think i saw something similar on HC named Caravan...it's meh. now, if i can get that mash'al section in between two pears...wooooo!! [/quote] They do make the double heart Caramana with the mash'al section in between. KM also makes a single heart Caramana with the mash'al section above and below the heart piece, although I can't think of a vendor that has carried that model off the top of my head. Also, just to clarify, the mash'al center section I'm referring to is also the same section they use to make the Exotica. It's just singled, doubled, or tripled in the Exotica depending on which one you get.

[quote name='INCUBUSRATM' date='08 March 2010 - 05:13 PM' timestamp='1268097192' post='455997'] We are talking about both hookahs being green pears, correct? Just one's the double pear? As far as I know, the Caramana is the pear... So really it comes down to... Do you want a green single pear, or a green double pear? I paid $55 for my single black pear and love it. Trust me, you'll be wishing you had gotten the smaller hookah once you clean that huge thing... [/quote] There are two versions of the single heart Caramana. One is the regular small one like the single pear you have and the other has the center steel section of the Mash'al bellow the Caramana. Personally I prefer the larger one.

[quote name='JOE' date='23 February 2010 - 09:40 PM' timestamp='1266990001' post='453342'] [quote name='foibled again' date='22 February 2010 - 11:37 AM' timestamp='1266860250' post='452878'] [quote name='JOE' date='21 February 2010 - 08:31 PM' timestamp='1266813097' post='452806'] they are chinese crap. may as well order 200 from alibaba. [url="http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/274512987/hookah_hose.html"]http://www.alibaba.c...ookah_hose.html[/url] [/quote] You'd have to be at least a retailer and min. quantity would be more than 200... [/quote] anyone can have an alibaba account, and minimum order is 10. [/quote] Yes but not everyone can order from distributors and manufacturers on that site; many of them will not deal directly with consumers. Alibaba is specifically a "B2B (business to business) trade platform". The minimum order is 10 cartons, not 10 pieces. You would also have to buy enough cartons to fill a container unless you can negotiate shipment by other means.

[quote name='Social Smoke' date='23 February 2010 - 12:51 PM' timestamp='1266958310' post='453167']We import DRY flue cured Virgina leaf and manufacture it into a final product.[/quote] If you are importing cured tobacco it is incorrect to say the product is 100% manufactured in the United States. You are not starting with raw material so you are not starting from scratch. You are picking up after the tobacco has already been processed for consumption. Are you manufacturing a tobacco product? Yes. Are you performing all the manufacturing required to make that tobacco? No. You are starting with a base product which was not made in the US. This would be similar to the German car manufacturer Ruf. They purchase unmarked chassis and body components from Porsche and then assemble from there. They do enough to be considered an automobile manufacturer but they certainly are not building from scratch. Another analogy would be someone buying prebaked sponge cake and then shaping, assembling, and decorating it. Is he making a cake? Sure. Is he starting from scratch? Nope.

[quote name='JOE' date='21 February 2010 - 08:31 PM' timestamp='1266813097' post='452806'] they are chinese crap. may as well order 200 from alibaba. [url="http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/274512987/hookah_hose.html"]http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/274512987/hookah_hose.html[/url] [/quote] You'd have to be at least a retailer and min. quantity would be more than 200...