Something I just learned the hard way...

[halfseminole]

Apparently you can be allergic to osage.  I shaped a thumb ring I made from it with files, rasp and sandpaper and I started to notice my eyes tearing up.  I thought nothing of it (my right one will do it with no warning) until I saw that everywhere the osage touched me I have welts.  Four Benadryl in and my eyes are still tryin to shut on me.  I know that cocobolo is known for giving reactions, but I hadn't heard about osage until I experienced it.  Be careful, and work safe folks.  I knew there was a reason I distrusted osage...

[Bowjunkie]

That sucks. That would be bad, very very bad. I love osage. I would trust an osage bow with my life. I love getting covered in yellar dust like I was yesterday and blowin yellar boogers all afternoon  

Yew dust is my second favorite flavor :^)

[ranger 3]

Can you post pics. of your thumb rings please

[goobersan]

that's a major bummer. hope you get back to feelin good pretty soon

[wood carver 2]

Sorry to hear that. One guy can eat wood dust of all kinds and another guy could be allergic to one or another type of wood.
Dave.

[Eric Krewson]

I am getting more and more sensitive to osage dust lately. I have to wear a dust mask now when I work with the stuff, just a little exposure and my nose stops up and stays that way for a couple of days.

Walnut dust really makes me sick, almost like the flu.

[Eric Krewson]

I may have this wrong but I seem to remember Troy Breeding saying he had such a violent reaction to Ipe dust the first time he cut a piece that he passed out.

If you look up the toxicity chart on woods it is surprising how bad some of the tropical woods are. American walnut is one of the most toxic in the states.

[Roy from Pa]

IPE really tore me up. My whole face was burnt red and swollen and my eyes were almost swollen shut. Had a rash over my entire body that looked like chicken pox. I still have problems with things now that never bothered me before. We had to change laundry detergent, dryer sheets, hand soap, all to free and clear products. Wife calls me her dainty little flower now, LOL.

[Bowjunkie]

Always knew yer were sensitive.

[arrowlauncherdj]

I agree with mr krewson too about walnut, I did a set of knife scales out of it and hacked n wheezed for a week. Cured me of using it again without a respirator.

Dave

[stickmonkey]

All woods are toxic to a degree and are also desensitizers meaning with every exposure you become less resistant to them to a degree. With time, exposure, dose, rate and your physiology you can have reactions to woods you once thought benign or harmless at some point.

[halfseminole]

I was actually sicker than I thought.  I typed that up and passed out.  Must have slept something like 12 or 13 hours total.  Seem to be OK today.  Walnut doesn't seem to bother me, though.  I like it.

 

 

And here you can see my missing ring finger knuckle...

 

 

You can see the next one roughed out, black walnut.  Got maple and dogwood to use, possibly some oak if I can find it.  Want a piece of lignum vitae to make a Turkish style ring, and I've got a bone tipped leaher stall for my thumb to try out as well.  

So now you can see why I don't use Mediterranean or three under.  I've got lots of stuff I want to try out...

[John Scifres]

Osage sap breaks me out and fine dust stops me up.  Mickey Lotz spent several months sick after working a yew bow.

[BCWV]

Osage seems to be bothering me more lately too. My head gets all stopped up, used to be for a day, now it plugs me up for 2 to 3. I've been wearing a mask and it seems to help.

[JMartin]

Dang....I'm fixin to make a bamboo backed Ipe bow, never worked with Ipe. Guess I'll wear a mask to be on the safe side.

[bigbob2]

"wife calls me her dainty little flower"
Didn't know stink weed flowered!!!                  

[goobersan]

that right there is funny Bob