pipemakersforum.com

Mayby Tyler can make this a sticky flashing one for people to read when considering alternative materials.

The UK has a nice chart up:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis30.pdf

Or the American Association of Woodturners:

http://www.mendelu.cz/user/horacek/toxic.htm

others from other places had purpleheart on there...

Hi Tyler,

I have recently finished an experimental pipe in Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry). As I was saying to Kirk bosi, this stuff is hard as rock. I have worked with harder woods in Sculpture, but never in pipe making. I am smoking this one myself. I thought I would not do another due to the time required to shape it. 36 grit abrasive on a 3000RPM disc is slow going. It smokes great though. I have tested the heat resistance and it is greater than briar. The downside for some would be the weight, so smaller pipes are better there, and the open-grain. Personally I like the grain. It is not fancy like briar and so the shape is shown off more. It's interesting that pipes usually go for great grain, and I happen to love great grain as well, but in sculpture you usually downplay grain so as not to detract from the shape. Interesting. I checked on toxicity and found no problem associated with it, in fact it is used in preparation in South America for health benefits.

Not certain if I'll do another Jatoba pipe, but the more I smoke it, the more I like it. I'll get some Black Cherry next, and see if I can line up some Olive wood. Not certain if my local supplier has Olive. They have the Cherry.

Cheers,
John