Do you think I'm allergic to cocobolo?

Chiro75

Chiro75

Joined
Feb 4, 1999
Messages
5,786
I received some koa and cocobolo from Tom Mayo the other day and had some free time so I was downstairs sanding the surface to see what the individual blocks looked like. About aminute after sanding a bot of cocobolo I burst into a huge sneezing attack. I know it is a pretty yukky wood to work around, and that it is toxic. I think I'm probably allergic...what do you think?

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My Custom Kydex Sheath pagehttp://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
 
Chiro,
Were you wearing any kind of dust mask while you were working it? You don't have to be allergic to react to the dust if you aren't using any kind of protection. It will attack the sinuses quickly.
Allergic reactions vary. Some folks will get a skin rash, while others it will affect their sinuses more or irritate the eyes. I've got one friend that quit using it since his eyes would swell up so bad it would be hard to see. The effect seems to be cumulative. If you do react to it, the symptoms will get worse the more you use it.

A good respirator is pretty much required to work without hurting yourself. The best kind, which I can't afford yet, is a full face style that feeds pressurized air to the mask, to keep dust from infiltrating.

I thought I was getting a major skin reaction to cocobolo a couple of months ago. Then it didn't happen again. Turns out, what more than likely happened was that I got into a major bunch of crud from some poison ivy that was cut along a trail I was riding on. I broke out around my ankles and on the backs of my hands where I was wearing riding gloves, and the next time I used the gloves, the rash reappeared!

madpoet

 
Probably one of the worst, unknown hazards of our trade is the exposure to exotic wood and other handle material dusts. No studies have been done, nor are the long term effects known. I personally am allergic to cocobolo. The very first forged balde I made recieved cocobolo handles. That night my wife took me to the ER with eyes that were swollen shut, and labored breathing. The doc came to the conclusion after several visits that it was the cocobolo dust. Even today, I dare not step in front of the grinder with cocobolo, without first putting on a respirator. I am also aware of some other makers who have a difficult time dealing with certain wood dusts, and even one who cannot handle ivory. I look at it now, the same as my safety glasses, if they are not being worn, it's asking for trouble.
http://www.mtn-webtech.com/~caffrey

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Ed Caffrey
"The Montana Bladesmith"


 
A bit off the subject, but still within the realm of wood...
I thought I knew pretty much about the various woods, but went to a yard sale and bought one of those gicked up with resin burlwood clocks for a dollar. Pretty grain,light reds & dark pinks, and since I planned on stabilizing it, didn't matter if it was redwood (which I figured it was).
While I was cutting it up, the aroma from this wood passed thru the respirator, and smelled just like some types of incense I've smelled in the past....anybody care to take a shot at this one?
Harry Jensen
Fresno, CA
 
Harry,

Was it the resin you smelled or was it the wood? I live up here in the middle of redwood country (Humboldt county) and there are redwood burls everywhere. It would have to be stableized i'd think. Beautiful but soft.

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~~TOM~~
 
Coco is really nasty stuff, but alot of the
south American stuff is. I'm alerg. to coco
if I even get it on the crease on the inside
of my elbow it will cause a rash. When I first used it I sneezed alot even with a
respirator. As far as reapirators go it is
really tough to beat the paint respirator made by 3M. It is about 15.oo and has replaceable outer prefilters. It's light and the cartridges fit close to the mask so
visibility is great. It takes out the fumes
and really fine dust. It is called a disposale mask, but I have used one for two
years before tossing by just replacing the
outer filters before they bled through. I use this for metal and wood I also have a great vacuum system. When I hand sand I use
a shop vac with a hand fashoned paper cone
close to where I work to pull the dust away.
A vacuum cleaner could do the same. "Watch
out for the English when you go to town"

goshawk

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http://www.imt.net/~goshawk The race is not always to the swift, but he who hangs loose.
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Psalm 91

 
Several years ago (at least 5, perhaps as many as 10), Fine Woodworking had an article on the dangers of exotic woods. They went into some detail on symptoms and prevention. They also talked about spalted wood, which has non-grain paterning in it as a result of fungal action. (Think about a fungal infection in your lungs. It's enough to make you shiver.) I'll look for it, but my FW collection is a shambles at the moment. They used to have a large selection of back issues. There is a yearly index published in the Nov/Dec issue. A good library might have the magazine on micro-film.

I have a skin sensitivity to coco-bolo, and my lungs are sensitive to ebony, so you have my sympathy. Ivy Block (available at the drug store) helped with my skin problem. As I get older, I use progressively more efficient masks.

Hope this helps.
 
Cocobolo is fine by me but I get huge headaches and nasea when working Micarta without a carbon fiber respirator. The woods treat me fine. The standard 3M mask works great for everthing but Micarta. Don't know what it is.

Steve
 
Just to add, be VERY careful when dealing with scrounged Dogwood. The disease which frequently attacks Dogwood trees, causing the branches to die and fall off is similar to Anthrax. It's not similar enough to be fatal, but can be uncomfortable. Make sure any found Dogwood is dried for atleast a year, and maybe even baked a little.
Aaron

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amacks@nist.gov
Don't forget to pay your taxes...they eventually become my knives:)

 
Many, many woods are toxic to some degree in one way or the other. I believe that a respirator of some sort should be worn when working around any wood as well as any "dust producing" operation.

Teak contains silica which is not only bad on your lungs but will also dull most any cutting tool fairly quick.

The foreign woods are not the only ones that are toxic but the domestic varieties, such as cedar and desert ironwood (honey mesquite) are toxic as well.

I am not affected by cocobola (or poison ivy for that matter) but redheart and canary wood will run me out of the shop! Needless to say, I avoid them at all cost. Like the old saying goes, "If it hurts, don't do that!"

CLWilkins
 
i dont think anyone is immune to the fine dust created by sanding exotic woods...i almost always get a headache after making a ebony handled knife....ivory is nasty too... always wear a mask...take a shower when youre done......some are way worse than others...as for the perfume wood...could it be possible that you got a hold of some sandelwood? it smells wonderful....

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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
I'm not much of a knifemaker, I've only done maybe 7-10, but I tell you what, I don't take any chances. Whenever I'm working with wood, I'm wearing my respirator. Someone is crazy not to wear a respirator, you're just begging for serious respitory problems.

Joe
 
Let me say that I have made alot of Cocobolo handles for my knives... You NEVER!!!! grind anything without a reperatior and a good clean filter... You have to wash and change your clothes when around any hardwood dust as the oils will cause you to look like you have been playing in a patch of posion ivy. Wash anywhere there is moisture like the crack of the elbow or between the fingers, Look for blisters and a red rash.
I use the highest cordazone % available and wash and scrub with ivory soap.
 
Chiro75:

For an even better alergic reation have Tom send you some Mango wood. It's in the sumac family, which is the same as poison ivy.

I've heard stories about people doing a barbeque with the wood and getting the "poison ivy" rash in their lungs.

Nobody told me that mangos were so nasty. I found out when my lips started itching and burning.
wink.gif


Dave
 
Hi !

I just did a seach on Deja.com of rec.woodworking with the seach word "cocobolo'. Someone had posted an article that showed the major hardwoods and how toxic they were. Very detailed and imformative.
Bottom line ...be careful. You think " Aw..it's just a little handle....a little dust..no problem."
It can attack the skin, eyes, and respitory system. It's a sensitizer too.
The guys at rec.woodworking love the looks and the ease of finishing but they still don't like dealing with it due to it's toxic properties.


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~~TOM~~
 
that's weird how toxic some woods can be, i hadn't got the chance to use any exotic hardwoods yet, but i have some in stock (cocobolo, zebrawood, ebony, ect.) i'm definetly going to use a respirator, possibly one wirth a sealed sheild. i already use on for synthetic materials, always bad for the lungs. i've heard black walnut is like poison ivy when it's dust contacts your skin. it's a beautiful wood, just make sure you use heart wood, the out side wood doesn't polish. the brown heartwood can be mirror finished when buffed after 2500 grt. also be careful around buffalo horn i just recently used it, and it smells like teeth being drilled. thanks for the info everyone.
 
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