Question

Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?
Thanks for any
help!
Judith

Peter W. Rowe

2010-03-24 08:39:16 UTC

On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:34:34 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry

Post by S***@aol.com
Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?

Virtually any of the normally used and available decorative woods would be safe
for jewelry, just as it would be safe for furnature, etc. Even if a few woods
out there might be irritating as dusts breathed in (when working, sanding, etc),
or as allergens for some people, once sealed in any decent wood finish
(urathane, varnish, shellac, Danish oil finishes, Tung oil, etc) you should be
fine. Choose finishes that dry non porous for resistance to things like sweat,
body oils, etc. Urathane would normally be my choice, but some oil finishes,
linseed or Tung, are also sometimes nice. Just be sure everything is cured and
dry before wearing.

Peter

William Black

2010-03-25 01:38:37 UTC

Post by Peter W. Rowe
On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:34:34 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry

Post by S***@aol.com
Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?

Virtually any of the normally used and available decorative woods would be safe
for jewelry,

Stay away from yew though.

It's very pretty but deadly poison.

--
William Black

"Any number under six"

The answer given by Englishman Richard Peeke when asked by the Duke of
Medina Sidonia how many Spanish sword and buckler men he could beat
single handed with a quarterstaff.

Chilla

2010-03-26 04:47:38 UTC

Post by Peter W. Rowe
On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:34:34 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry

Post by S***@aol.com
Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?

Virtually any of the normally used and available decorative woods would be safe
for jewelry,

Stay away from yew though.
It's very pretty but deadly poison.

A lot of woods will cause a nasty reaction in particle form (sawdust),
however if you wear a filter mask things will be fine.

Yew is no worse than any other if you take precautions.

I would (ha ha) suggest that you don't use yew (taxus) as it's boring in
a jewelry sense. Pick a nice burl species.

We have a lot of nice mallee burls here in Oz, red or brown, most have
cream coloured woods mixed in.

Curly maple is nice, and should be easy to get in the US.

Regards Charles
P.S. Yew is really only good for long bows imo ;-)

William Black

2010-03-27 07:15:35 UTC

Post by Peter W. Rowe
On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:34:34 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry

Post by S***@aol.com
Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?

Virtually any of the normally used and available decorative woods would be safe
for jewelry,

Stay away from yew though.
It's very pretty but deadly poison.

A lot of woods will cause a nasty reaction in particle form (sawdust),
however if you wear a filter mask things will be fine.
Yew is no worse than any other if you take precautions.

If we're talking about Taxus baccata, I get a rash just handling the
stuff, and I do use it to make longbows out of, but I wear latex gloves.

I've seen it used for knife handles and didn't like the idea.

Chilla

2010-03-28 07:23:53 UTC

Post by Chilla
A lot of woods will cause a nasty reaction in particle form (sawdust),
however if you wear a filter mask things will be fine.
Yew is no worse than any other if you take precautions.

If we're talking about Taxus baccata, I get a rash just handling the
stuff, and I do use it to make longbows out of, but I wear latex gloves.
I've seen it used for knife handles and didn't like the idea.

You must have an allergy, I imported some billets from Canada, so is
pretty close to English as far as growth climate goes. I didn't have a
problem.

Yew deadly poison? Well not for me. Maybe if I breathed in the saw
dust, but breathing in any wood dust isn't good for you.

I agree I don't care for it as a knife grip material, it's too plain,
burls are far superior esthetically.

I was speaking to my teacher the other day about incorporating a nice
coolibar burl into a ring. The suggestion was to use a tight fitting
fine silver tube, and a couple of doming punches to secure a wooden disk
could make a nice ring.

Regards Charles

William Black

2010-03-28 20:15:24 UTC

Post by Chilla
A lot of woods will cause a nasty reaction in particle form (sawdust),
however if you wear a filter mask things will be fine.
Yew is no worse than any other if you take precautions.

If we're talking about Taxus baccata, I get a rash just handling the
stuff, and I do use it to make longbows out of, but I wear latex gloves.
I've seen it used for knife handles and didn't like the idea.

You must have an allergy,

No.

It's noted by foresters for being toxic.

It's nasty stuff, so take care.

Chilla

2010-03-29 07:58:03 UTC

Post by Chilla
A lot of woods will cause a nasty reaction in particle form (sawdust),
however if you wear a filter mask things will be fine.
Yew is no worse than any other if you take precautions.

If we're talking about Taxus baccata, I get a rash just handling the
stuff, and I do use it to make longbows out of, but I wear latex gloves.
I've seen it used for knife handles and didn't like the idea.

No.
It's noted by foresters for being toxic.
It's nasty stuff, so take care.

When you make your long bows, do you coat the staves in anything?

Just found this :-
<http://woodturningblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/is-yew-wood-toxic/>

It appears the the leaves and seed will make you very sick and have the
potential to kill you.

The saw dust is a problem, as is any saw dust.

The author is waiting for a reply from a toxicologist.

---

Had a quick look at the species you were talking about on Wiki, and
apparently the berries aren't toxic, allowing distribution of the seeds
by bird.

If you eat the leaves, bark or wood, or chew the seeds you will
definitely get very sick, however fatality in humans is very rare.

---

So what do we know for sure :-

* Yew has been used for bows since ancient times.

* You get a rash from handling the wood, although I don't (*** side
note: do you get sweaty hands when you work? Because this would
facilitate the taxane getting onto your skin... can't imagine you using
green wood).

* Saw dust particles aren't good for you, and yew sawdust would be real
nasty due to the taxane. Poisons and lungs never go well together.

* It's not a good wood for jewelry or a knife grip, as it's very plain
and marks easily, you can dent it with a fingernail. (It can be made
safe by using very hard resins/eposies, but why would you?)

Regards Charles

William Black

2010-03-30 05:21:47 UTC

Post by Chilla
A lot of woods will cause a nasty reaction in particle form (sawdust),
however if you wear a filter mask things will be fine.
Yew is no worse than any other if you take precautions.

If we're talking about Taxus baccata, I get a rash just handling the
stuff, and I do use it to make longbows out of, but I wear latex gloves.
I've seen it used for knife handles and didn't like the idea.

No.
It's noted by foresters for being toxic.
It's nasty stuff, so take care.

When you make your long bows, do you coat the staves in anything?

A light coating of linseed oil after they're finished.

Post by Chilla
* You get a rash from handling the wood, although I don't (*** side
note: do you get sweaty hands when you work?

Afraid so.

Chilla

2010-03-31 04:15:32 UTC

Post by Chilla
When you make your long bows, do you coat the staves in anything?

A light coating of linseed oil after they're finished.

I like boiled linseed oil, raw makes wood really dark.

Wonder how that would protect against the taxane(?)

Post by Chilla
* You get a rash from handling the wood, although I don't (*** side
note: do you get sweaty hands when you work?

Afraid so.

Sweat is corrosive, and a fluid, so dry hands would be better... you use
latex gloves and that will make your hands stinky and pruney.

A barrier cream would probably serve you better.

Do you make the bows for the GP or for re-enactors?

What's your current price, so I can pass on the details.

Regards Charles

William Black

2010-04-02 00:34:23 UTC

Post by Chilla
When you make your long bows, do you coat the staves in anything?

A light coating of linseed oil after they're finished.

I like boiled linseed oil, raw makes wood really dark.
Wonder how that would protect against the taxane(?)

Post by Chilla
* You get a rash from handling the wood, although I don't (*** side
note: do you get sweaty hands when you work?

Afraid so.

Sweat is corrosive, and a fluid, so dry hands would be better... you use
latex gloves and that will make your hands stinky and pruney.
A barrier cream would probably serve you better.
Do you make the bows for the GP or for re-enactors?

For me, but I'm a re-enactor...

Chilla

2010-04-03 08:02:52 UTC

Post by Chilla
Do you make the bows for the GP or for re-enactors?

For me, but I'm a re-enactor...

Well they sell well here in Australia, due to the lack of the raw
material, it's why I asked.

So could be an opportunity for you if you're interested.

I'm a re-enactor too (dark age), and some of the pieces from the
Staffordshire hoard are worth making as replicas ;-)

Regards Charles

William Black

2010-04-03 21:16:16 UTC

Post by Chilla
Do you make the bows for the GP or for re-enactors?

For me, but I'm a re-enactor...

Well they sell well here in Australia, due to the lack of the raw
material, it's why I asked.
So could be an opportunity for you if you're interested.

I'm retired, and if I started trading again I'd go back to being a 17th
century silversmith and jeweller. mainly because there's a couple of
thousand quid's worth of period tools and equipment in my tool chests...

I worked out many years ago that the re-enactors aren't the ones with
the money, it's the paying public who have the money...

Andrew Barss

2010-05-02 07:16:59 UTC

Chilla <***@optushome.com.au> wrote:
:>
:> It's noted by foresters for being toxic.

Foresters are in long-term cntact ith wet sedust, branches, bark, berries,
and leaves from whatever they are harvesting. Doesn't extend to
occasional exposure to the wood alone.

: Had a quick look at the species you were talking about on Wiki, and
: apparently the berries aren't toxic, allowing distribution of the seeds
: by bird.

No no no no. Birds can eat and digest the berries from a number of
trees and bushes which are severely toxic to humans.

: * Saw dust particles aren't good for you, and yew sawdust would be real
: nasty due to the taxane. Poisons and lungs never go well together.

Yes. But wearing a decent mask (not a nuisance mask from the hardware
store, a real air fitration mask) when sanding is the most important part.
Sand outside if you're really concerned.

-- Andy Barss

Chilla

2010-05-03 06:36:55 UTC

Post by Andrew Barss
:>
:> It's noted by foresters for being toxic.

^^^
I didn't write the above.

Post by Andrew Barss
Foresters are in long-term cntact ith wet sedust, branches, bark, berries,
and leaves from whatever they are harvesting. Doesn't extend to
occasional exposure to the wood alone.
: Had a quick look at the species you were talking about on Wiki, and
: apparently the berries aren't toxic, allowing distribution of the seeds
: by bird.
No no no no. Birds can eat and digest the berries from a number of
trees and bushes which are severely toxic to humans.

Fair enough I was just parroting from the web.

Post by Andrew Barss
: * Saw dust particles aren't good for you, and yew sawdust would be real
: nasty due to the taxane. Poisons and lungs never go well together.
Yes. But wearing a decent mask (not a nuisance mask from the hardware
store, a real air fitration mask) when sanding is the most important part.
Sand outside if you're really concerned.

Would agree to that, one of the ones that look like a space helmet.

Regards Charles

1 Lucky Texan

2010-03-27 07:17:06 UTC

Post by S***@aol.com
Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?
Thanks for any
help!
Judith

Good posts in here. I suggest you take a look at what the 'pen making'
crowd is using. Pen barrels are certainly in contact with the skin,
plus, woods popular for that craft may also make interesting jewelry.

Carl

Chilla

2010-03-28 07:24:26 UTC

Post by 1 Lucky Texan

Post by S***@aol.com
Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?
Thanks for any
help!
Judith

Regardless you can always coat the wood ;-)

Regards Charles

Maren at google

2010-03-28 20:15:05 UTC

Post by 1 Lucky Texan

Post by S***@aol.com
Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?
Thanks for any
help!
Judith

Regardless you can always coat the wood ;-)
Regards Charles

And the coating can always chip or otherwise be disturbed.
I would not rely on coating to keep me (or my customers) safe.

Aloha,
Maren

Chilla

2010-03-29 07:57:52 UTC

Post by Maren at google

Post by Chilla
Regardless you can always coat the wood ;-)
Regards Charles

And the coating can always chip or otherwise be disturbed.
I would not rely on coating to keep me (or my customers) safe.
Aloha,
Maren

True, but if you put a really hard/strong resin, or epoxy, that amount
of abuse would ruin the piece anyway.

From an esthetic point of view, yew is pretty boring, like ebony,
that's boring too.

If the customer "wants" a wood that you feel is toxic, then you can
outline the percieved dangers, and then it's in their court.

English longbows made from yew don't seem to cause issue with people
using them. If they were that bad to use people wouldn't use them...
surely.

Regardless burls are safe to touch, and have a far greater "wow" factor
anyway.

The main problem with wood is sawdust, if you wear a filter, or have an
effective dust extractior you'll be fine.

Regards Charles

S***@aol.com

2010-03-28 20:16:59 UTC

Post by S***@aol.com
Hi,
Could anyone tell me what woods and finishes are safe to use for
wooden jewelry?
Thanks for any
help!
Judith

Thanks so much for all the answers: I really appreciate your help!
Judith

Chilla

2010-03-29 07:58:15 UTC