exotic woods - danger

H

Harry Bonar

New member
Dear Sirs:
In building a gun for my sniper buddy I used Bolivian Rosewood for grip cap and forend tip (manlicher style stock) and got, as I did two years before, a real rash and chest congestion and coughing; it's better now but you guys be careful of all these exotic woods - they are listed in the better books as being toxic and poisonouus!


Harry B.
 
I'd heard that some were really bad, but never knew why. Depending on the type of tree and where it's grown, the tree takes up a variety of minerals and such into the heartwood to keep it from decaying. That's why heartwood has those nice colors and the live sapwood around the edges doesn't.

I read about toxic dust in an article on violin bows in Smithsonian magazine at the Subaru dealer last Friday. Did you know that Brazil was named for the tree they use to make violin bows? It's the only wood that will do.

googled up at random for the terminally curious www.drbows.com/pernam.html

John
 
Yes, a lot of the woods used in our stocks and grips are toxic in one way or another, including the famous Cocobolo wood! Here's a list and what they cause:

Toxic Woods and Occupational Lung Diseases

Lots of other sites on the Internet that have the same information. Just pull up your favorite search engine and type: toxic woods
 
not just the wood but also the finishes. Urishi or japanese laquer is made from essentaily the same plant as poision Ivy, for those who are sensitive to poision Ivy, urishi dust can be nearly fatal as it invades the lungs and then sets off the reaction. I found this out on an early japanese shotgun i was asked to refinish, I had a respirator on, but fifteen minutes after i stated to sand of the old finish i was covered in rash. and on my way to the ER

there are now signs that multiple meleoitis (SP) a nasty form of cancer can be traced to longterm exposure to sawdust.

also, allergic reactions get worse typically with exposure, I would stay away from rosewood from now on if iwere you.
 
I've used alot of exotics for pens and other small lathe projects. Cocobola, Bolivian Rosewood, most exotics from South America, Africa , are very poisonous to some. Steroids are my only relief, I reload and shoot more instead now for my hobby!
 
A lot of natural materials can be dangerous.

In watchmakers school I remember the jewelers being warned about breathing Ivory dust.

Elephant ivory is toxic if breathed and causes some kind of bacteria infection of the lungs that can be quickly fatal.

Another material to be careful with is micarta.
The wood, and especially linen and canvas micartas are bonded with a phenolic resin that gives off some bad fumes while being power sawed.
 
For those who want to melt down brass - remember that brass contains zinc which is very volatile and zinc fumes are toxic. There was a blacksmith that recently died from zinc poisoning from welding galvanized pipe.
 
This is good to know.

Nortonics... Site bookmarked. I have worked with more than a few of the woods on those lists.

I just finished a teak wood project with no ill effects. Maybe some people are less sensitive than others, because I had no symptoms at all, and it was rated in both lists as medium risk.

Ya learn something new every day... :p

Thanks Harry for pointing this out...

Mike
 
Wow, another thanks. I've been doing woodworking and refinishing for years and knew that certain volitile finishes were dangerous if inhaled, but never realized the wood itself could be bad. You learn something new every day. Gotta love TFL.

-- Sam
 
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