Cocobolo

[Steve Mathews]

This may have little to do with woodturning but I just finished making a knife handle for a friend of mine using Cocobolo. This was my first attempt at knife handle makin' and the first time using this type of wood. Based on this experience it's doubtful that I would want to turn anything with Cocobolo. I used a good respirator but the debris from cutting and sanding it was awful and left me sneezing big time. No, I don't think turning with this stuff would be good.

[allen thunem]

it is a wonderful wood to turn. the dust aside.

[John Grace]

There is an old joke about turners and Cocobolo...those who are allergic and those waiting to become allergic. Fortunately...I've been spared to date but I'm also very judicious with using my negative air-pressure dust helmet and like I said, so far so good. Personally...I have more difficulties with Camphor wood. A beautiful exotic but turning it always gives me a headache.

[Reed Gray]

There are two kinds of woodturners, those who are allergic to rosewoods (cocobolo is in that family), and those who will become allergic to rosewoods. Last time I worked any, it kind of felt like some thing may be happening..... Never more probably...

robo hippy

[John K Jordan]

This may have little to do with woodturning but I just finished making a knife handle for a friend of mine using Cocobolo. This was my first attempt at knife handle makin' and the first time using this type of wood. Based on this experience it's doubtful that I would want to turn anything with Cocobolo. I used a good respirator but the debris from cutting and sanding it was awful and left me sneezing big time. No, I don't think turning with this stuff would be good.

If you are sneezing it seems that some dust might be getting past your respirator. Did you smell the distinctive cocobolo smell when sanding?

Cocobolo is an absolute joy to turn and carve. It cuts smoothly and cleanly and with sharp tools rarely needs sanding coarser than 400 or 600 for small things. I've made lots of things from it including turned boxes, ornaments, handles, batons, finger tops, wands and more. I have a lot of stock on hand, some pieces almost too heavy to lift, but I can use more so feel free to send any you've decided not to use! I like the stuff with beautiful orange, yellow, red, brown, and black figure. :-)

That said, I NEVER sand Cocobolo without full protections. I wear long sleeves and wash my hand regularly. A hand lotion is good too. I breath through an industrial respirator with P100 filters and sand with the cyclone dust collector running. If I get cocobolo dust on my bare skin and don't remove it promptly my skin will start to tingle. Note that I treat cutting it with the bandsaw the same as sanding as far as skin and breathing protection.

Most of the other rosewoods don't affect me, at least not yet, but I do take the same precautions with dust. I've found one which is the worst of all: Borneo Rosewood. Just smelling the wood is enough to warn me. When I turned some I used nitrile gloves. I don't have much of it but I won't turn another piece - I wonder if it burns as well as Cocobolo?

JKJ

[Steve Mathews]

A little clarification on my original post ... Cutting a small piece of the Cocobolo on a bandsaw without a respirator is what initiated the sneezing. It wasn't until doing some research on the wood afterwards that I put on my best respirator. That stopped most of the sneezing. My skin never reacted to it before or afterwards. I will admit working with the wood otherwise was a joy and the finished product looked great. I would still prefer not to turn with it though.

[Steve Peterson]

A little clarification on my original post ... Cutting a small piece of the Cocobolo on a bandsaw without a respirator is what initiated the sneezing. It wasn't until doing some research on the wood afterwards that I put on my best respirator. That stopped most of the sneezing. My skin never reacted to it before or afterwards. I will admit working with the wood otherwise was a joy and the finished product looked great. I would still prefer not to turn with it though.

This is what I have heard regarding other irritants like poison oak. You get one free ride, then all future exposures get progressively worse. They only get better as you get better at avoiding the plant.

Cocobolo might be similar. Your body doesn't have any reaction on the first exposure, but your immune system starts building a response for the next time you are exposed. The second exposure could be much worse than the first one.

I am not a doctor. Considering all the horror stories I hear about cocobolo, I don't want it in my shop no matter how pretty the end result is.

Steve

[Montgomery Scott]

I am immune to the effects of anything I've used in the dalbergia genus so far, which includes, Madagascar rosewood, cochen rosewood, Brazilian tulipwood, Brazilian rosewood, African blackwood, cocobolo, Mexican kingwood, Brazilian kingwood, East Indian rosewood, Honduran rosewood and Amazonian rosewood. After working with them for 30 years with no discernible effects it's apparent that old saying isn't true.

[Clint Baxter]

I did some flat work with a rosewood piece many years ago, enddd up getting a lot of fine sanding dust on my left arm, and smaller amounts over portions of the rest of my body. (Working in shorts and flip-flops at the time.) severe allergic reaction on my left arm, blisters over the entire arm where the heavy layer of sanding dust had sat, (was using the disc sander function of a Shopsmith Mark V to thickness a small item.) Due to no dust collection whatsoever, wood dust was pretty much rampant everywhere. Also had skin reactions on my right arm, face and even down between my toes. Doctor put me on quarters, till the blistering went down.

I had had previously turned multiple items in rosewood, (all wood was purchased from the same supplier), and have never had any previous reaction. Was very leery of touching the stuff after that, but years later started working with Dalbergia again. I have read many accounts of the propensity of cocobolo to cause serious reactions with individuals upon contact with the wood, so have tried to be especially careful when working it. Long story short, I've not had another reaction since. I've turned, and otherwise worked, tulipwood, kingwood, African Blackwood, bois de rose, Honduran rosewood in addition to many, many pieces of the "dreaded" Cocobolo. I have very good dust collection now, and ensure it is in operation whenever sanding any of the Dalbergias. I often wear long sleeves, but don't use gloves as some do. I do, however, make it a point to wash up, especially after working the Cocobolo, when I might have some of the dust settled on the hands, and arms.

Maybe I've just been lucky to this and the allergic reaction will return full force in the future, or maybe that event was just the reaction to a massive overload of that allergen at that time. Kind of funny, but the wood species that seems to bother me the most these days is domestic red oak. I did a whole bunch of milling and fabrication of some eastern red cedar last year and was careful to have proper PPE and dust collection in effect. Did notice a little reaction to the ERC, but less than the effect I get from the oak. White oak does not affect me at all.

i will continue to work the Dalbergias till my body won't let me, (they're too beautiful to resist). Hopefully, protecting myself carefully will continue to allow me to do so. If I become over sensitized to them, I'll just have to mourn their passing, but will hopefully still have many other less toxic species to continue to work with.

As always, YMMV.

Clint

[John K Jordan]

I did some flat work with a rosewood piece many years ago, enddd up getting a lot of fine sanding dust on my left arm...severe allergic reaction on my left arm
...I have very good dust collection now, and ensure it is in operation whenever sanding any of the Dalbergias.

There is a common and easy way anyone can check sensitivity to particular species. Put a small amount of sawdust on a bandaid and fasten it to the inside of your forearm. If sensitive to that wood in an hour or so the skin under the bandaid will start to itch and turn red. (Of course, remove it and wash the area then!)

A mild reaction won't prohibit working with that wood - just keep the dust away. Of course, breathing that (or any kind of) wood dust is another issue!!!

I discovered in a similar way I was sensitive to eastern red cedar - I was wearing a wristwatch and some fine sawdust got under the watch and caused itchiness. I have turned and sanded many, many things from ERC since then (as well as cocobolo and other rosewoods as mentioned) with zero issues. I use the dust collector and wear a respirator when sanding.

JKJ