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A friend of mine just got back from Hawaii and brought me a nice big block of Koa wood. He wants me to make a pipe out of it. Being an Exotic Hardwood I'm a little worried that it may be toxic.

Do any of you guys have experience with it? If all else fails I'll have some great extension material.

I know of 2 different wood toxicity sites and neither of them list Koa as being harmful.

I found one site in particular that sells koa wood baby rattlers.

http://www.hawaiianhulahut.com/shopexd.asp?id=925

Would it be a type of wood you'd want to make an entire pipe out of? I have no experience with the stuff, just asking. I know it's used for stem and shank decorations but beyond that, I'm right on out.

It depends on the type of Koa. I know that one type, can make your arms itchy from the saw dust. I talk to this Ukalelei maker once and he said that the dust and resin from the koa are toxic. You do see Koa bowls, but people usually don't eat out of these bowls. The Kanaka Maolie (Hawaiians) used Koa mostly for canoes. I've never came across someone who had a koa pipe.



Jaden

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You might want to consider making a liner for the pipe. Like a calabash. That way there would be no danger of hurting yer friend, but still use the block and make him something special.

How about a photo of it? I'm quite interested in what it looks like.

Thanks for the info guy's i'll get a photo of it when I can make it down to the shop. I would prefer to just made some decorations with it but my friend who bought it has asked for a pipe. I am not familiar with Koa wood at all but from what I've heard it has a very natural shimmer to the wood.

I do like the meerschaum linning idea. I hadn't thought of that.

Briarfox wrote:I do like the meerschaum linning idea. I hadn't thought of that.

Or perhaps a briar insert.

Frank wrote:

Briarfox wrote:I do like the meerschaum linning idea. I hadn't thought of that.

Or perhaps a briar insert.

Ok, I need to think outside the box, another great idea!