i'm happy to report from the first test drive.
i loaded the okin with a coarse grind from an average sharp stone grinder. tamped as per instruction. i didn't weigh the load, but judging by the amount of the evenly vaped ABV, it could equal an mlfb trench, or maybe even less.
the preparation of the charcoal needs some patience, but it's not hard work. more of a zen like activity helping to get into the okin mood.
the vapman torch did a good job igniting the charcoal, its goose neck helped directing the flame where it needed to be. the first draws were flavourfull and produced dense clouds. i couldn't detect any hint of wood in the taste, unlike after the first few times with the vapman. bonus, after the session the okin provides a nice tactile experience.
i ended up using two pieces of charcoal for one load. did anybody manage to go through a load with one charcoal only or are two the rule? maybe it would be possible with one, but i didn't now, how low passed the tips of the prongs the coal is allowed to burn off. both pieces of coal are about half burned until they were slightly above or even with the tips of the prongs. also, are your coals burning even? mine burned slightly "skewed", if that's the right word. however, they weren't perfectly cylindrical from the start, so maybe that played a role, too, to some degree.