Other woods and their risks?

[judcasper]

A couple of weeks ago while asking about the use of rosewood for pipes, I was pointed to a thread on here where a member spoke of feeling nauseous for several days after smoking from one of these... turns out certain species of rosewood is known to be poisonous.
Yesterday I was looking at more pipes on eBay and came across one made from ‘wenge’ wood. Having never heard of the species I decided to look it up and ended up on a page of the wood database where it explained that the dust from wenge wood, when breathed in, could cause nausea, stomach cramps, and most alarming of all, problems with the central nervous system.
What I’d like to ask, therefore, is whether there is anything in place governing this kind of thing? I know it might sound like I’m promoting a nanny state, but it doesn’t seem right somehow, that anyone can make a pipe out of any material he sees fit, and then sell it to the public.
There is a certain irony, of course, in that the tobacco itself poses its own threats, but at least these are made known.

 

[olkofri]

We really don't need more regulation.
The solution is informed consumers.

 

[ashdigger]

It's Ebay, you roll the dice. That sounds heartless, but research like you did matters.

 

[mikethompson]

Well regulations are in place for many things, but you can still get a lump of asbestos and lead and make a pipe from it.
As you've already read, just be informed about what you're buying. It's briar and Meerschaum only for me.

 

[seanv]

You can look for pear wood pipes also. They are a bit cheaper and are non toxic to my knowledge

 

[Chasing Embers]

but you can still get a lump of asbestos

That actually happened.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

I'm of the mindset that we should remove all the warning labels from everything and let it sort us all out. I mean, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you probably shouldn't stick your hand in a wood chipper or a skill saw while running. If it happens by accident, well then it would have happened anyway.
I do research on anything I'm about to do that might harm me in some way because I don't expect someone else to do that for me. Before I ever made my first pipe, I researched what types of wood were the best for it and I fell upon the same wood database you did. If people want to blindly stumble into something they likely shouldn't, then I say Darwinism wins again. You should always be informed and never expect someone to protect you from yourself. That's just how I feel. I feel like we're already in a large enough nanny state as it is.

 

[cossackjack]

Stick to stummels made of:

Briar

Morta/bog wood

Cherry wood (Darren Peditto Pipes, MacQueen Pipes, & many Ropp Pipes)

Olive wood

Pear wood (often used in Eastern European pipes)

Maple wood (Missouri Meerschaum hardwood pipes)

Ash wood (MacQueen Pipes)
I have several Bubinga pipes (estate pipes made by Tom The Pipe Man), though I cannot attest to the wood’s toxicity or lack there of. Otherwise I avoid exotic hardwoods.
Another member, MSO489, has Mountain Laurel pipes.
Avoid:

Beech, Hemlock, Oak, Oleander, Quebracho, Redwood, Sassafras, and Yew (listed as carcinogens). Except for Oak, I know of no pipes made from these Woods.
Also see Pipedia: Alternative Woods Used for Pipe Making. Inclusion of a particular wood in this list does not preclude its potential toxicity.

 

[woodsroad]

I have a Mr. Brog pipe made from oak from wine barrels. I’m not dead yet.
Oleanders growing outside her door

Soon they're gonna be in bloom

Up in Annandale

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I was pointed to a thread on here where a member spoke of feeling nauseous for several days after smoking from one of these

The premise behind this whole post is that one member said that his pipe made him sick. This same guy also said tobacco made him sick, and that he has to take drugs to keep the queasiness of smoking down.

I can make a new thread right now and say that smoking latakia makes me get ulcers, or that touching vulcanite stems blisters my lips, or that... any other crazy thing is happening.
I don't deny that there may be something to smoking these cheap ass pot pipes with tobacco might make someone sick. But, I'm not going to try one, because I like real pipes. ::

 

[winton]

I am guessing that the original poster looked at this site:
https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/
That site is for woodworkers, that cut and sand wood for hours on end, for a living. I have used many of the woods on the list. If I acquire a new wood, I check this site to see if it is dangerous. The wood that could cause giddiness sounds interesting. I am less inclined to use a wood that could cause swelling of eyelids or cardiac / intestinal disorders. This determines how careful the woodworker needs to be.
If the woodworking project is a table / carving, then once it is sealed, there is no danger. I would strongly discourage using any wood that could possibly respiratory issues. Some would just add an interesting taste. Again, stick with the woods cossackjack mentioned.

 

[ashdigger]

That site is for woodworkers, that cut and sand wood for hours on end, for a living

Exactly, I do NOT cut or sand on my pipes while smoking them.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

The wood that could cause giddiness sounds interesting.

Their are several, I believe that cause this, and I might be tempted to work with such just to see what that feels like. Now I'd certainly stray from any woods that they say the sap can be corrosive and toxic. This just screams at me to stay away from it. Now this database is for working with the wood, not necessarily smoking from it. I would follow the advice given on pipedia for pipes that you can smoke from safely. Those are the only choices I would feel comfortable using, unless, and this is a big unless, you make the pipe from one of the more exotic woods you really liked, but inserted a briar insert or at least something safer that hold the fire and tobacco. Then you might be okay, I would think.

 

[pipestud]

We really don't need more regulation. The solution is informed consumers.-olkofri

What he said. If I was thinking about getting a pipe made of a wood other than the few I know of that are safe, I'd sure be headed to Google and start investigating.

 

[jpmcwjr]

For sure. But for those who'll blindly jump on anything, "Here, hold my beer and watch this" etc, Darwin will help thin the herd. But not quickly.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

However, corncobs will not be in that woodworker's database!

 

[crashthegrey]

I think cossackjack made a great list. But let's not regulate, as stated above informed consumer is best. I don't care if people want to smoke those other woods, but I will skip them.

 

[mso489]

If you are carving and sanding stummels I'd get thoroughly well informed about this since some woods that are smokeable are not good when the sawdust or sanding dust is inhaled. I'm not versed in this, so I'm not going to name wood. As a smoker, stick to the best known -- briar, Meerschaum, morta, cob, and clay with a non-clay mouthpiece (I've heard) -- or do research before buying something that might be problematical. Regulations is a whole philosophical and political science question -- stop signs seem like a good idea, selectively some other regs not so much.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

When I go to visit my woodworking friends who are American Craft Council level of artisans, you will see them wearing respirators, and every machine has vacuum, and dust tents, and not a spec of dust anywhere, never anything on the floors. Then when I see pictures of pipemakers, they're standing there with no respirator, working at a dust covered machine in a garage.
I mentioned the dangers of using jeweler's rouge without respirators once on this site, and was dogpiled. It's interesting how much risk taking pipesmokers take. I guess it attracts that sort of personality.
It reminds me of trying to get my granddad to wear a seat belt, back in the old days. ::

 

[crashthegrey]

they're standing there with no respirator

I now wear a respirator. I didn't at first.