[flying crane]

Hi everyone, this is my first posting here. I hope someone can make some suggestions on how I should proceed.

I am an occasional hobbyist in woodworking. I make hilts and scabbards for swords, and like to carve them from exotic hardwoods. The problem is, I have discovered that I am allergic to at least some of them. Since I often have been exposed to more than one wood at a time, it is hard to know exactly which ones are the problems, but the ones I have worked with, and are suspicious candidates, are Chechen (poisonwood), bubinga, cocobolo, jatoba, koa, and zericote. I think I have found every one of these listed on various lists of potentially problematic woods.

I have not had any respiratory or sinus problems, but I develop a very nasty rash and swelling of the skin on my fingers, and includes small fluid-filled blisters under the skin that open up, and the skin goes thru a terrible drying and cracking and peeling that takes forever to heal. It is uncomfortable to the point of being downright painful. It got bad enough that I finally went to a dermatologist and got a steroid cream that is helping a lot, but it is still kind of slow going (like three weeks now since I started using the cream). So far the rash has been limited to my fingers, since I cover up pretty well and use a respirator when I work.

So my question is this: for the pieces that I have already finished, what would be an appropriate sealant to make sure handling will not cause a further outbreak? I like the linseed oil finish after sanding to about #600, but would this effectively seal the wood from contact with the skin? I was recently using one of my finished pieces, and a couple days later my fingers took a turn for the worse again. This suggests that the linseed oil may not be enough, or at least perhaps I have not applied it heavily enough.

I don't want to use a heavy polyurethane or something like that if it can be avoided. If someone has any suggestions, I would be most appreciative.

Thank you.

Michael

[AlArchie]

This won't solve the sealing problem, but check at the auto supply joints. They (some anyway) sell a product that you rub on your hands and it forms a flexible protective shield on the skin.

You might try Cabot's sanding sealer to seal the surface without putting a whole lot of material on the surface. It soaks in and seals pretty well.

Al

[Paul_Guraedy]

You pose an interesting question. Having lived with a wife and son who have severe allergies, and experienced what is necessary to alleviate these problems, I suspect that the answer will be beyond those of us on this board.

I would think that any of the "oil" finishes are going to be insufficient for the protection you need. I have used tung oil with success in protecting furniture from water absorption; but, found real success only when some form of varnish was added to eventually coat the wood.

You might want to contact some of the educational institutions (dealing with wood) who are on line and ask for assistance in finding something that would totally isolate you from contact with the wood and, yet, leave it looking like wood.

Good luck, and in the meantime, try to stick with those woods that do not cause an allergic reaction.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I was going to suggest you wear rubber gloves, but the problem seems to be that you still need to coat those with something, what about your customers potential allergy to the wood? Maybe sanding sealer and lacquer? just a thought

[flying crane]

Thank you all for the suggestions. When I work with the wood, I wear hypoallergenic surgical gloves under leather work gloves. This helps a lot, but at some point during preparation or something it seems I handle the wood without the gloves. Sometimes that seems to be enough to cause a problem.

I am trying to determine if it is the dust from the rough wood that is the culprit, or if even the smooth sanded and cleaned wood is also a problem. I haven't been able to determine this yet, because when I am working with it, it seems I am handling it both ways. Also, the rash sometimes takes a day or two to appear, and once it sets in, it stays for a while so I can't tell which episode caused it once i've got it.

For the products suggested, the sanding sealer or lacquer or varnish clear coat, would I need to re-sand the pieces before applying this, or is this something I could apply over the current linseed oil finish?

Most of what I have done so far is for my own use in training Chinese martial arts, but I have done a few pieces for others. I am certainly thinking about the potential ramifications if a customer has an allergic reaction also. It could be a real problem, i'd probably have to buy the piece back from them.

I am going to start focusing on woods like maple and walnut, maybe cherry. Hopefully those will be less problematic.

Again, thanks for all the suggestions, I do appreciate it.

Michael

[BobD]

Michael, I'd love to see some of your work! I've studied martial arts, and perhaps have an ulterior motive <grin>

Just a word of caution, though...in its own way, walnut can be just as problematic. I know if I power carve--or even cut walnut on my scroll saw--I'm going to have a sinus infection the next day.

In nature, Walnut produces toxins to keep other trees from growing too close to it (look at a walnut tree in the forest--it has all the space it needs).

Just something to be aware of!

Bob Duncan
Wood Carving Illustrated

[flying crane]

Originally Posted by BobD

Michael, I'd love to see some of your work! I've studied martial arts, and perhaps have an ulterior motive <grin>

Just a word of caution, though...in its own way, walnut can be just as problematic. I know if I power carve--or even cut walnut on my scroll saw--I'm going to have a sinus infection the next day.

In nature, Walnut produces toxins to keep other trees from growing too close to it (look at a walnut tree in the forest--it has all the space it needs).

Just something to be aware of!

Bob Duncan
Wood Carving Illustrated

Thanks Bob, this is the kind of info I need. I did one piece in birds-eye maple, and it is beautiful. Didn't give me any problems. I would like to have a dark wood option as well, so if you might recommend a pretty one that might be less problematic, I would appreciate it.

In the beginning, I didn't have any issues with the wood, but then I used a piece of Bubinga and had my first problem. From there on out, everything I have used has at least been suspicious: chechen, cocobolo, zericote, jatoba, koa. I haven't used maple since the first one, so I'm willing to give it another try. I wonder if I am now sensitized, and anything might be a problem. I guess I'll have to experiment a bit and find out the hard way.

Most of my work is done without power tools. I am pretty much self-taught in what I am doing. I use a power drill to drill out the hole in the handle to fit the tang of the blade, and I use sanding drums on my drill for some of the rough sanding. I use a router to cut the space in the scabbard blanks for the blade, and I sometimes use a small hand-held belt sander. But everything else is done with hand tools. My carving is done with a planer, a draw knife, and a pocket knife, and my cutting is done with a hand saw.

I am a renter, so I don't have a shop. Instead, I drag my tools outside to the loading dock in my building and do the messy work there. Keeps the living room clean and liveable. My wife wouldn't put up with it otherwise.

I'll post some pictures when I get a minute.

Thanks again.

Michael

[BobD]

Michael,
There is a definate sensitizing nature to some of these natural toxins.


For the most part, walnut isn't bad if you wear a dust mask. In the Woodworkers Pocket Reference, it's listed as a sensitizer, which will make you more sensitive to other species of woods that could be an irritant.

It is much safer than some of the more exotic hardwoods!

Bob

[flying crane]

Thanks Bob, that's good to know.

Are there different types of Walnut? I did use a piece once (didnt' give me any problems), but it was very lackluster. It was kind of a plain grayish brown, without any strong grain pattern. But I have seen furniture made from walnut that has a strong and pretty grain, and a much darker color. What's the secret with this?

By the way, what martial arts have you trained in? I currently train mostly Chinese arts, including Tibetan White Crane, Wing Chun and Tai Chi Chuan. I also have a background in Kenpo and capoeira. My sword work is all Chinese, both broadsword (dao) and straight sword (jian). I've been involved in the martial arts since I was in junior high school, for about 22 years now.

Michael

[flying crane]

Originally Posted by BobD

Michael,

It is much safer than some of the more exotic hardwoods!

This is such a bummer, because these exotics are SOOO BEAUTIFUL! oh well. beauty and the beast, I guess...