Cocobolo wood grips rash.

[yomama]

Well it seems I have gotten a rash from my cocobolo wood grips. I got the rash in the exact spot where my grips come in contact with the skin. Anyone else ever have problems like this?

 

[LHB1]

Cocobolo is known to cause allergic problems for some people. BE CAREFUL THAT YOU NEVER GET ANY IN YOUR EYE.
Cacique500 ( www.1911pistolgrips.com ) had a bad experience with cocobolo sawdust and has, I think, totally discontinued working with cocobolo. You might try Desert Ironwood grips instead.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Cocobolo is one of the more dangerous woods. I used to build custom furniture as a hobby and sell it at saturday Market. I know woodworkers that have almost dies from exposure to cocobolo. The oils in the wood are the dangerous part so it is not usually bad except when being cut or shaped. I good sealant on the grips should prevent any reaction. I worked with all kinds of dangerous hardwood such as purpleheart, satina, and rosewood but cocobolo is one of the worst.

 

[LHB1]

PP,
I think Rosewood and cocobolo belong to the same family of trees.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[Pork Fat]

Remember folks-

There are people that die a little inside every time you refer to grips as "grips" and not "stocks".

Grips grips grips grips grips grips grips grips grips grips grips grips grips

Seriously, never heard that about cocobolo. Must take some dedication to work with that stuff.

 

[mbs357]

Grips?
You mean the thingers that go around the bullet clip?

 

[Kevlarman]

I've always considered the wood on pistols "grips," and the big hunk of wood on rifles/shotguns as a "stock."

Is this wrong?

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

LHB1

Yes, and Rosewood is a bad one for me. Whenever I would build something from rosewood my wrsits would swell so bad my watch band would pop. The exotic woods do make some pretty gun boxes though for bedside. here are some I made for people.

 

[yomama]

They sure dress up a 1911. I think I will play it safe and go with some alumagrips. This rash sucks!!

 

[LAK]

Take a look at micarta or carbon grips:

http://www.vzgrips.com/

http://www.carboncreations.com/

---------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org

 

[49hudson]

exotic woods

I have a pen that smells so bad when it gets warm it nauseates me and I have to quit using it until it cools.
It was made by an M.D., who makes pens and collects guns.
It is made from some kind of exotic wood.
I guess one day I'll have to ask him what kind.

 

[hso]

Remove them and seal the surfaces with a clear acrylic or with a urethane spar varnish. Sealing the surface should protect you. Of course, so will replacing them with a different material.

The fact that you've developed a rash indicates that you've become sensitive and will become more subject to allergic reaction as exposure continues.

 

[madmike]

Cocobolo, Tulipwood (which isn't from tulips), certain Central American rosewoods and Kingwood are all dalbergia genus woods. They're dense, oily, resinous and the resinous dust is VERY irritating. Wear a mask when working it. At the very least a paper one. One of the filter types is better.

Some people are allergic to the resin or dust. It's hard to seal properly without catalyzed vinyl or epoxy--they're so tight a grain and so oily that most finishes flake off. I generally don't finish them, just polish them down to 320 grit or so and wax.

Purpleheart, Bloodwood and Padauk also are irritants in a similar way. The more open woods, like bocote and zebra wood are less so, but still can be. Wear a mask when working with ANY tropical wood, or ivory, bone or horn.

And I recommend against ever using imported bone, or human bone. There are perfectly legal sources for both, but you have no idea what killed the animal/person and some of those diseases sporulate in bone.

There are some excellent burls of maple (actually smells nutty), walnut, ironwood and the laminated birches (Dymondwood(r) and Pakkawood(r)) that are almost guaranteed allergen free and are far less irritating.

G10 and carbon fiber REQUIRE a respirator type mask to work if you don't like the hospitality of your local hospital. But they're fairly benign once finished.

 

[LHB1]

PP,
VERY NICE work! I envy people with such skills. My artistic, creative skills are still undiscovered after 67 years. Guess I will grab one of my Wilson Classic pistols and go punch holes in paper. At least I can do that. Have a good day.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[svtruth]

Try here

http://www.riparia.org/toxic_woods.htm
Good luck.

 

[hso]

Thanks Mike. I hadn't had the problem so I figured urethan would do fine.

 

[madmike]

HSO: Urethane is probably fine. I haven't tried it. Marine grade varnish might also. Same disclaimer.

Oils won't seal it against sensitivity, and hard varnishes will not adhere and crack off.

The uberplastics will hold, and the epoxies and cyanoacrylates will seal it. They won't glue it, though.

Whatever you seal it with has to have enough strength to hold itself together with the surface as a support, not a contact. Or else it has to be strong enough to enter the few pores there are, grip those and hold its surface tension.

 

[1911JMB]

A lot of people are allergic to cocobolo. You can imagine the possible problems when the stuff gets sawed and dust gets blown all over the place. You may be able to correct the problem with a proper coat of varnish, but that would probably damage the texture.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I've always considered the wood on pistols "grips," and the big hunk of wood on rifles/shotguns as a "stock."
Is this wrong?

Yes, you are. If a pistol or revolver's handle is made of wood or ivory, it's a stock. If it's made of rubber or plastic, it's a grip.

 

[Sistema1927]

sporulate

My new word for the day.

 

[Rembrandt]

Once heard of a guy that had Habenero pepper residue on his hands....after going to the bathroom he transmitted it to his wingwang. I suppose the moral of this is to wash your hands after shooting guns with Cocobolo grips....or something else might swell up.

 

[Kevlarman]

Yes, you are. If a pistol or revolver's handle is made of wood or ivory, it's a stock. If it's made of rubber or plastic, it's a grip.

Ok, then what about those grips that are wood + rubber? Ala a few Rugers I've seen?

 

[Standing Wolf]

Ok, then what about those grips that are wood + rubber? Ala a few Rugers I've seen?

I'd be inclined to ask whether they're primarily wood or rubber.

 

[CrazyIrishman]

I've always considered the wood on pistols "grips," and the big hunk of wood on rifles/shotguns as a "stock."

Thats what I thought too. Once in a while I have seen some custom "grips" listed as "stocks"! lol

I'm glad I read this thread. I heard about different effects regarding some chemicals in wood like treated wood for decks but didn't realize it would find its way into firearms.

Here's one solution.......

Lets get a grip on ourselves and STOP making rash decisions! lol

 

[Kevlarman]

Well according to the SAAMI website, they define stock as

The wood or plastic component to which the metal parts of a firearm are attached to enable the shooter to hold the firearm.

and grip as

1. In handguns, the handle.
2. In shoulder arms, that portion of the stock to the rear of the trigger.

I suppose everybody has a different opinion.

At least we all agree about the difference between a magazine and a clip!

CLIP: A separate cartridge container to hold cartridges or shells in proper sequence for feeding into a specific firearm. It is a magazine charger, and unlike a magazine does not contain a feeding spring. Sometimes improperly called a Magazine.