Step 1:

• Fill water in base of hookah.
• Test the water level by inserting the hookah pipe into the base.
• Water level should be high enough so that hookah pipe is immersed one inch in the water.

• Rinse the hookah pipe where the rubber washer will connect with the base, so the washer will be slippery.
• Slide and twist the hookah pipe into the base.

• Unscrew hookah valve cover to ensure that the metal ball or BB is inside.
• If inside, screw the valve cover back on gently.

Hookah Masters tip: This prevents air from entering the hookah system while inhaling, yet allows a smoker to exhale and clear the base of the hookah when the smoke gets too harsh.

Hookah Masters tip: If your hookah is missing the metal ball or did not come with one, purchase a package of BB's as a perfect replacement. Make sure the BB's are not too big. Place metal ball inside escape valve and screw the escpae valve cover back on.

Hookah Masters Alternative: If you cannot buy BB's, remove the valve cover. Cover the valve with aluminum foil.* Ensure air tight fit. Place the valve cover in a safe place.

*Just remember a smoker will not be able to clear the smoke in the hookah base because no air will escape from the hookah valve if covered in foil, creating high pressure zone in base, sending water up the hookah pipe, wetting the tobacco, ruining your session, and creating a mess.

• Place the charcoal tray on the hookah pipe.

Step 5:

• Wet a paper towel.
• Tear two one-inch wide strip and the full lengh of the paper towel (the strips do not have to be perfect strips).

• Examine hookah hose to determine if it is airtight.

Hookah Masters Airtight hose test: Blow through the mouthpeice while covering the tailpeice hole. If you cannot blow air out, no air is escaping, and the hose is airtight.

If the hookah hose is airtight:

• Take a peice of the damp paper towel and surround the tailpeice.
• Insert the tailpeice into the hookah pipe, ensuring air tight connection.

Hookah Master tip: If you surrounded the tailpeice with too much paper towel, tear off a small peice and reinsert.

If hose is not airtight:

• If air is escaping, try to locate the whole.

Hookah Masters "Green" tip: Once the hole is located, try to repair the hookah hose so you do not have to buy another one and because it helps the environment. Use medical tape, wax, or duck tape to seal the hole. Reperform the airtight hose test.

Hookah Master Alternative: If the hole is not fixable, buy a new hose. See our Hookah Hose FAQs.

• Take a peice of the damp paper towel.

• Surround the top of the hookah pipe (where you will put the hookah bowl) with a layer of paper towel and place empty bowl on it, testing for air tight fit.
• If there is too much paper towel and the bowl will not fit over the paper towel, cut off some of the paper towel and reapply the procedure above.

• Pack hookah bowl according to the Hookah Masters Bowl Packing Guide for the tastiest, thickes smoke, longest lasting hookah.

• Use tongs to hold the coal.
• Use a lighter, put the flame close to the charcoal, and ignite.
• Once the charcoal is ignited, the charcoal should start to light on its own.

Hookah Masters Alternative: Light the coal on a gas stove top for a quick ignition or if you are lacking a lighter. Remove from over the stove top and place over the hookah tray.

Hookah Masters CAUTION: If lighting the coal at a location away from the hookah, hold the tongs and coal over non-flammable item, such as the hookah tray, while transfering the coal from one location to the hookah bowl, in order prevent coal breaking and accidentally burning carpets, wood floors, and clothing. If coal breaks, extinguish the coal with water. DISCLAIMER

• Place the concave area of the coal face down, off the center of the hookah bowl.
• Coal should not sit directly in the middle of the bowl.
• Only 3 or 4 holes should be covered at a time.
• This will produce the thickest smoke.

Hookah Masters tip: Place the coal over direcly in the center of the hookah bowl covering all the holes or as many as possible if the charcoal is turning grey, an indication tha the charcoal did not light or needs oxygen to really get burning.

Hookah Masters tip: Once you place the charcoal down on the hookah bowl, do not move the charcoal right away. Do move the charcoal when the smoke is getting harsh or losing thickness. See our Hookah Masters Smoking Guide.

Hookah Masters tip: Too much movement breaks up the coal, decreasing the length of time the coal will last, and produces ashe that gets into the bowl and causes the hookah to taste badly.

Hookah Masters FAQs

• Puff, puff, puff --> Pass.

Hookah Masters O's
(AKA smoke rings)

• Make your lips in an O shape, and tighten them up (loose lips will not work for this one).
• Next, "caugh" (a little) from the back of your throat, so that only a little air is pushed from your lungs.
• If done properly, an O will eject from your mouth as you exhale.
• Repeat for multiple O's.
• I practice by sitting close to the hookah pipe and shooting O's at the hookah pipe.
• Move further away from the hookah pipe as you get better.
• Practice makes perfect for O's.

• This is more expert level trick, basically exhaling through your mouth, inhaling through your nose, creating a french curl over your upper lip. Very cool smoking trick (can be done with any smoke).
• Start by exhaling some smoke.
• Extend the bottom lip out, allowing for smoke to be pulled up over your top lip.
• Inhale back through your nose, which produces the curl over your top lip.
• Practice and perfect your French Curls, and you friends will be amazed.

• A sign of affection, the shottie is a great way to kiss and smoke.
• Shotter: Inhale the hookah. Come close to the Shottie's lips. Exhale.
• Shottie: Inhale hookah while the Shotter is exhaling.

• Clean the water out of the base of the hookah after every session to keep the smoke tasting fresh every puff.

• Buy alcohol swabs from the pharmacy and clean off moutpeice after every hookah.

• Keep open tobacco in air tight jars or plasticware, which will keep tobacco fresh and moist.

• Ensure all joints are air tight before lighting the coal by "testing the pull" of the hookah. If extra air is noticed, ensure connections are air tight by power toweling the hookah. Paper towel should be used new every hookah. Surround the top of the hookah, where the bowl rests, in order to make air tight connection. If hose is lose, wrap paper towel around end of hose and insert in the hookah.

• Keep hookah smoking safe: Mouthpeice condoms are a good idea if you share a hookah with multiple people, such as in a college fraternity or sorrority, they are cheap, can be purchased online (ebay or other hookah sites), and will decrease liklihood of transferring illnesses and diseases.

• Hookah Courtesy: If you are sick, do not smoke in order not to contaminate the hookah, and to prevent your fellow hookah smokers from getting sick.

Supplies:

Ballpoint Pen, E.g. Bic TM