I want to make a few spoons out of some of the more exotic woods - spoons for kitchen use, not decorative wall hangers. I know that some woods can be toxic if you breathe in the dust. Are there any woods I should avoid for these spoons due to possible toxicity risks?

Thanks!

BTW, I'm going to the Viking Woodcarvers show tomorrow in St. Paul. Can't wait!!

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

wear a mask and consider them all toxic! then you are safe, you never really know....like woodburning basswood really bothers me, and anymore cutting anything on a saw, the dust bothers me....my advice for what its worth...wear a mask! I should have add, that I think we build up an intolerance to it after awhile.

Thanks for the reply. However, I was meaning toxic for use in cooking. I pretty much always wear a paper mask when I'm making dust in an enclosed area.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

well if you wear a mask while eating you will be alright too! LOL

Blackdog,
Excellent opportunity for the 'mother in law test'. Make several spoons, each of different wood you are worried about and give them your mother in law one at a time about 3 weeks apart. Take the previous one back each time because your just not happy with it and wanted to give her a better one. Don't eat her cooking for awhile, maybe your on a diet. If she's OK your OK, if not keeping trying until you identify safe woods and unsafe woods. If she gets real sick maybe just take that spoon back and give it a rest for awhile. Good Luck
Ah Chip
PS: A wooden spoon story. I garden big in the summer, make and can several hot pepper sauces each fall. A favorite is Habanero sauce, great marinate for pork chops. Made a batch one time. About 5 weeks later we have in-laws over for breakfast after church, big bunch 9 brothers and sisters, 34 grandkids, house full. The spoon that stired the Habanero sauce got use to stir oatmeal. Its the first time I ever ate oatmeal that made sweat drip off my ears.

[don]

I wondered the same thing so I did a google search and found lots of sites with lists. One that was fairly easy to understand was http://www.hobbywoods.com/wood_toxicity.htm . There are probably more comprehensive sites out there but this answered my question. Anything that listed the wood as a source of reaction is out. I can't use Ah Chip's test, my mother-in-law is a very nice woman who lives 2000 miles away. Don

Thanks for the replies folks! Don, I will investigate that website.

Ah Chip, you are a wise man. Solomon would not have done better.