"Identify My Hookah" And Other Questions From A Hookah Newbie

[lilwoggy]

Hello to everyone here from the land down under, where the women glow and men plunder.

Okay so Australia isn't THAT stereotypical, but Hookah culture in Adelaide is alive and growing rapidly despite our state government previously attempting to ban them under the status "NHT (Non-Hookah Tobacco) paraphernalia" a few years back.

I recently bought my own hookah from a friend of mine, who is a huge hookah enthusiast, after a few months of visiting the local Egyptian cafe for a session each weekend. My hookah is only a baby, it is about 30cm tall when fully assembled, but i am very happy with it, it works like a dream.

So far i have had it around a week and smoked it each day without any problems. I'm smoking Al Fakher Grape flavored shisha with ice water in the bottom, and using SOEX quick light coals. I usually pack a small bowl, about 1" (2.5cm) diameter by 1/2" (1cm-ish, probably a little bit less) high (it fills about a quarter of the bowl) and use one coal at a time, replacing them every 30-45 minutes when the coal is down to about 25% of its original size.

I find that the smoke is wonderfully flavorsome and very thick, with each hookah session lasting me between 1-2 hours depending on whether i mix the shisha around mid-session and on how often i take a pull, which can be anywhere from every 10 seconds to 2 minutes.

I am also very meticulous about cleaning my hookah after each use, i wash out and dry with paper towels the bowl, stem (i wash it out and then push through some paper towel with a chopstick a few times), tray, water bowl, purge valve, grommets, bearing and the opening for the hose. I also blow through the hose for a minute or so to attempt to remove anything in there. Are there any other parts i should clean that i am missing, i'm mostly worried that my hose is not getting cleaned well enough, but i am reluctant to put any water down there in case it rusts.

However, I am at a loss as to what type/brand my hookah is. I only payed $20 for it (the coals and shisha cost me more, which came to about $40), so i'm wondering whether the hookah is a cheap nasty brand or reliable. I have posted pictures below and i'm hoping someone can identify it for me, as you can see in the pictures below it is only a baby hookah, but so far it hasn't caused me a single drama.

[IMG]http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/helli_01/01052010438.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/helli_01/01052010434.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/helli_01/01052010435.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/helli_01/01052010439.jpg[/IMG]



Thanks all

Vincenzo

[Guest Cheng]

Looks like a chinese made pumpkin hookah to me, the ones you find on ebay. If it keeps you happy then smoke from it. A wise man once said: "If its not broken, dont fix it"

As for cleaning, Clean the stem of the Hooka, the pipe where your bowl sits with a brush and water. The shisha bowl I just wash out and leave it to dry on its own.
As for the hose your using, I dont think its washable? but I maybe wrong.

Anyways keep on smoking

Edit: I would try to use natural coals, Quicklights dont taste to nice and they burn out way to fast for me. You will notice the difference in taste, try smoking with natural coals and then when they are done, put a quicklight on top and you will see what I mean

[lilwoggy]

Short Update, i just bought some Al Waha Strawberry-cherry last night, been smoking it for the last two hours now, i am in love

[Chreees]

Yep, it's Chinese offbrand hookah.

[lilwoggy]

This might sound stupid, but is that bad?

[Chreees]

[quote name='lilwoggy' date='02 May 2010 - 05:39 AM' timestamp='1272796761' post='466355']
This might sound stupid, but is that bad?
[/quote]

Pretty much, yes. Most Chinese hookahs don't last long. Except the Mya brand ones. Get one of those and it'll last you years.