Hookah Waterpipes

Information about Hookah / Waterpipe

What is a hookah / water pipe?

A short introduction to hookah: Hookahs are originally oriental water pipes, which are still used around the world today. Due to the boom and hype surrounding the water pipe, there are many different models and designs these days. From the traditional style to the modern high-tech variant. Hookah has many different names around the world. 'Hookah‘, 'Nargile' and 'Chicha' are examples of other spellings from around the world. In the following, we will explain the basic structure of a hookah and discuss the individual components.

The principle:

The basic principle of the pipe works in the following way. Moist water pipe tobacco is heated in the tobacco bowl with the help of glowing coal. This creates flavored steam, which is guided through the hookah with the help of negative pressure. By dragging the hose, the steam makes its way through the shaft, is cooled in the water and reaches the consumer/smoker through the mouthpiece.

The Shisha:

Water pipe tobacco consists of 4 ingredients. Base tobacco, glycerin, flavoring and sweetener. By heating, the glycerin contained evaporates together with the aroma and the tasty vapor / smoke is produced. By using different types of tobacco, the nicotine content and flavor of the base tobacco can vary. In most cases, a tobacco that is as neutral in taste and mild in nicotine as possible is used.

Bowl:

The bowl is a container that is traditionally made of clay. However, in the modern field also use aluminum, glass, silicone or other materials. Each material brings different properties and offers different advantages or disadvantages. The bowl is filled with the shisha and then covered with aluminum foil. Through holes in the aluminum foil, the heat of the applied coal is drawn through the tobacco and thus the steam / smoke is generated. However, there are also various attachments that can be used instead of the aluminum foil. Examples are chimney attachments or heat management devices such as the Kaloud Lotus.

Bowl adapter:

The bowl adapter is a connecting piece from the actual hookah to the bowl. With the help of a seal, the head is placed on the head adapter. In most cases, the carbon plate is also mounted on the pipe with the help of the head adapter.

Coal plate:

The coal plate attached directly under the bowl adapter has several functions. It serves as a catchment for ash and secures the area around the hookah from falling coals. If necessary, glowing coals can also be placed on the plate.

Shaft:

The shaft forms the middle and usually longest part of a hookah. It serves as a smoke pipe and directs the smoke downwards. From a functional point of view, the smoke column has a cooling function. It is also the main design element of a hookah.

Base:

The base is the heart of a hookah. It connects the shaft, stem and connections with each other. It also connects the vase with the rest of the hookah. This can be done with the help of seals or screw or click caps.

Connections:

There are usually 2 types of connections on the base. The hose connections, as the name suggests, connect the hose to the base. With the help of a small seal or a ground joint, a detachable connection is created here. Some pipes also have a blow-off valve at the base, which can be used to blow out 'old' smoke from the pipe. If there are several connections on the base, these take over the function of the valve.

Stem:

The stem goes on a dive. By dipping 1-2 cm into the water of the bowl, this tube directs the warm smoke through it and allows it to cool down. Contrary to popular belief, the water does not perform a filtering function. An optional component of the stem can be a diffusor. Visually, this is an all-around perforated extension of the stem. This divides the smoke into many small currents, which significantly reduces the volume of the bubbling. Especially when watching movies or television, or in the evening on the terrace, the diffuser is a popular extension.

Hose:

Through the hose the smoke is finally inhaled. It consists of a connection piece, the hose itself and a mouthpiece. From traditional hoses made of goatskin to the modern silicone hose, there are also different variants here. The mouthpieces are also available in various designs and materials such as wood, glass or metal.

Vase:

The vase is the large container under the shaft. It provides the necessary stability and holds the water needed for smoking. In most cases, the vase is made of glass, but in a few exceptional cases it can also be made of clay, ceramic or wood. So much for the basic structure of the hookah itself. Of course, we can go into much more detail about each individual component, but that would probably go beyond the scope of this text. We hope that this introduction has given you a little insight into the world of hookah. We hope you will continue to enjoy our site.