Questions About Walnut Wood

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averagejoe1

Lurker
May 23, 2018
49
15
Hi everyone how are the pipes smoking cool and clean I hope I had some questions about making a pipe for on walnut I’m sure someone here can help me I’ve made several with other types of wood but never walnut and never green wood well thanks in advance

 

pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,270
4,261
Actually, I believe Vauen makes walnut pipes. And, I did a search and found other sites talking about walnut pipes. Rebornpipes did a blog about a black walnut pipe he worked on.
Also, check out this article: http://naspc.org/archives/otherwood.html

 
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
I've heard of several makers carving walnut pipes as well as cherry wood pipes. I made two out of cherry for myself. It can be done, but I wouldn't know how well it would smoke. I don't even smoke my cheery wood pipes too often so that I down burn them up too quickly. It's still a hard wood, but I wouldn't think of it as a daily smoker. Mine I use more for the novelty of them than anything. I would certainly echo what others have said to be careful with certain woods, especially the exotic stuff. Most of it might not kill you, but it wouldn't be the best smoking experience.

 

armonts

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 3, 2018
164
6
France
" I've always heard that nut tree woods are to be avoided, and similarly with cherry tree. "

-----------------------

( There were once pipes in cherry (wild cherry), it is not toxic, but the wood burns easily ...)

 
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
^^^^^^^ Yep, which is why I'm burning mine slowly so as not to burn them out too quickly before they can build a little cake to help insulate my bowls more. They also tend to but a little on the hot smoking side.

 

tozert

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 26, 2017
165
95
Cornwall
I'll chime in here as a pipe maker but also as a gunsmith that often works on walnut stocks. I wouldn't suggest using walnut for two reasons. First, it is soft and wouldn't hold up long under repeated firing. Second, it is slightly toxic. It has a chemical called Juglone (you can look this up yourself), and walnut sawdust could cause an allergic skin/breathing reaction to some people. I have never made or smoked a walnut pipe, nor have ever had a skin reaction to walnut dust, that doesn't mean that it wouldn't for someone more sensitive to this specific toxin. You are free to do what you want if you are making this pipe for yourself, but I wouldn't recommend it, especially if you plan to sell it.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I'd be extra cautious about working with lesser used wood. My go-to pipe carver does some work in Mountain Laurel, and I think that works but requires you use only certain parts of the wood, though I've never discussed this with him. He's been using it for years. I did buy a Cocobolo pipe from him, which I think if fine for smoking, but the dust can be a problem, so I hope he doesn't use it regularly for his own sake. Few woods are as heat and fire resistant as briar. The other most non-problematical material is corncob. Maple seems to be okay, but I'll defer to the Forums carvers on that.

 

averagejoe1

Lurker
May 23, 2018
49
15
The only toxin in walnut I’m aware of is in the leaves and roots once that is removed it is safe walnut it’s pretty hard and dense I’ve made some walnut pipes as well as hickory and mulberry and have been smoking them for some time they smoke really good even better than my current briar just I didn’t have any dried walnut so my question was could I make a green walnut pipe or would it just crack and split on me

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,068
Carmel Valley, CA
Dunno - never had success working with green wood.
But! Photos of your craft would be appreciated.
Once your photos are on a photo hosting site (such as Imgur.com; Photobucket; Postimage; Dropbox, etc.), or on virtually any site, select the full image, then Control-click (Mac) or Right-click (Windows) on the image itself, then choose copy image location. Now paste that URL (the full web address, which should end in .jpg) into the IMG box in the reply window of the thread you're posting to.
The site's album is also a good choice.

 

sasquatch

Lifer
Jul 16, 2012
1,683
2,862
It will eventually crack and split, no wood takes the hot/cold wet/dry cycling of a pipe the way briar does, and it's for very technical reasons of silicate content and growth patterns.
You can make a pipe from walnut and you won't die. The pipe will last as long as it last, and taste however it tastes.

 

averagejoe1

Lurker
May 23, 2018
49
15
I’m not a big fan of internet or electronic deviceses I don’t even know what half of this stuff is lol I just google crap and I kept finding good post on this sight so I thought I would make an account and see for myself what this sight was like guess I expected a different outcome than what I seen portrayed off of reading posts here but that’s my fault and well well there went my train of thought

 

sasquatch

Lifer
Jul 16, 2012
1,683
2,862
What, you don't like the answers you got? I can give you the same answer somewhere else, or you can search until you find people who give you what you want even though it's bullshit. Your choice!

 

sasquatch

Lifer
Jul 16, 2012
1,683
2,862
So you had no questions at all, Joe.
Everything posted here looks good to me. Walnut is slightly toxic, the wood is sensitizing as many are, slivers tend to inflame quickly. It's not as good at handling heat or moisture as briar, and the pores will tend to wick tar.
Can you make a pipe from it? Hell yes.
Will it survive the way a briar pipe will? Hell no.
Do as you please.

 
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