Thuya and Grenadilla

[tinomillennium]

Hi all!

So, I have got myself some wood pieces to carve a couple of pipes out of, but I've eventually discovered that some types of tropical wood could be toxic ?.

I have olive tree and briar which I know for sure are ok, then I have grenadilla and thuya ?!
On the grenadilla, I read here some post saying that it should be ok but I'd like to double-check! As for the Thuya, I have no clue so... "wood should I do? ?"

Thanks!
B.

 

[olkofri]

Thuja officinalis?

Might give you irritation of the UT. Or it might cure it if you happen to have it. Who can tell?

THUJA - A Text-Book of Materia Medica. By Pr. Allen Corson Cowperthwaite

 

[python]

Here you go:

Wood Allergies and Toxicity | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

It seems that Thuya is a softwood and has some toxicity that can cause skin and eye irritation. It's also part of the cypress family which is an evergreen coniferous that also has a cedar smell/aroma, so that is not a good type in almost every aspect for a pipe.

Grenadilla is also toxic and it includes the respiratory system.

 

[olkofri]

that also has a cedar smell/aroma, so that is not a good type in almost every aspect for a pipe

Might be just the thing for latakia bombs!! ?

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Thuya makes beautiful knife handles and pistol stocks, but I wouldn’t use it for a pipe. Don’t know anything about grenadilla.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I've had Thuya on a custom pool cue, beautiful wood. But not for a smoking pipe I think. I think the best woods/materials for pipes is fairly well documented. I'd stay within that list.

 

[tinomillennium]

Thuja officinalis?

Might give you irritation of the UT. Or it might cure it if you happen to have it. Who can tell?

THUJA - A Text-Book of Materia Medica. By Pr. Allen Corson Cowperthwaite

Hi! It should be Tetraclinis articulata, but the principle should be the same!

 

[python]

Don’t know anything about grenadilla.

Grenadilla is African Blackwood.

 

[tinomillennium]

Thanks for the replies! So, no go for either one of them it seems...

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Grenadilla is African Blackwood.

Ah, gotcha. Never heard it called that before.

 

[olkofri]

You could try pear wood or cherry wood too.

However, were it me carving, I'd definitely stick to briar.

 

[OzPiper]

You could use them on a shank extension perhaps.
This has an extension of "white" ebony which is a nice feature IMO