Archive for the ‘Hookah Stems’ Category

• What’s up with all of these stems?

  Date: 2010.05.21 | Category: Hookah Accessories, Hookah Stems | Response: 0

  If you’re an avid hookah smoker you’ve probably checked out every hookah store out there and browsed through their wares.  If you’ve scoped out enough sites you’ve more than likely seen your fair share of stems and have a good idea of which stems come from where – but here’s a crash course on the stem styles of hookah nations the world over to help clear up any questions!

  First, we should take a good look at Egyptian stems.  Highly traditional, these stems are still hand-made for the most part, so you’ll see welding marks around hose adaptors and other key structural points.  Egyptian stems utilize brass, copper, and stainless steel; Sometimes all 3 of the metals at the same time! Two companies that idealize the Egyptian style of stem are Magdy Zidan and Khalil Mamoon.  The top selling Egyptian stem according to customer demand are the Khalil Mamoon tri-metal stems.

  

  The next big stem producing country is Syria. 13% of the population is Syria smoke tobacco, making it one of the prime hookah nations in the world.  Syrian stems are usually entirely made of brass or stainless steel without any mixing, though they are sometimes coated in nickel to give them a silver sheen.  Their stems are generally very traditional looking with a modern twist – the pieces are welded together by hand after they’ve been laser etched, adding a touch of finesse to them.  Nour is one of the leading producers of Syrian hookah stems.  All of Nour’s solid brass stems tend to be the best sellers from Syria.

  

  Finally, we come to China, the master producer of the world.  Chinese made stems tend to range from semi-traditional to extremely modern…  Chinese stems come in all shapes and sizes, all of the parts are machine manufactured so that they fit perfectly together – in fact it’s nearly impossible to find any sort of welding mark on a Chinese made stem.  The major advantage of Chinese stems tends to come from the way they break down, and since their adaptors aren’t welded in, switching a stem from a 1 hose to multiple hoses is extremely simple.   Typically Chinese stems are entirely composed of stainless steel, but others brush a coat of zinc or nickel on to them.  Some Chinese manufacturers have taken a hint from the traditional stem manufacturers and have begun to utilize brass into their designs to make a heavier product.  One of the main things China does differently is add a design of cloisonné or ceramic on the outside around the stem.  Some of the best selling Chinese produced stems include the Mya QT and the Sahara Nar.

  

  And there you have it – a tour through the major stem producing countries and a decent idea on how to gauge the differences between their products!