Would you smoke this or save it?

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isme

isme

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Joined
Feb 24, 2023
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Location
Knoxville, Tn
I recently returned from a vacation in the Dominican Republic. While I was there I picked up a locally made pipe. The pipe is made from Lignum Vitae. I picked one that seemed to be drilled straight with a hole in the stem that is centered and low in the bowl.
My questions are concerning the safety of smoking this pipe due to the material used.
Lignum vitae dust is known to be a skin sensitizer. I can easily make sure the dust isn't present and there isn't anything that I can find concerning smoking tobacco in a pipe made from this wood.
I'm hoping someone here has some experience with using one of these pipes.
I have spoken with some friends at Woodcraft ( very knowledgeable about exotic woods) but they aren't pipe smokers. The suggestion there was to possibly char the bowl with a torch lighter prior to the first bowl to remove the oils and create a carbon layer to reduce the chance of a reaction from the Lignum vitae.
It's a really cool momento from the trip, just not sure if it should stay a looker or become a working member of the group.
Any assistance would e Greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Isme
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Lignum Vitea? Very interesting stuff. It’s known among wood carvers for its hardness. I recall its SO hard they made bearings out of it for some unique applications. It is also one of the more commonly misidentified species out there. A roadside papa san claiming it to be the species of his craft should be suspect at the least. I would never in a month o’Sundays believe it to be the actual species.

So you’re left with:

1. It’s real…is it OK to smoke?
2. It’s not real…so what is it? Is THAT OK to smoke?
3. Even if “safe” do you even WANT to char its pristine beauty?

For me, number three is the real question here. Once it’s burned - it’s burned. I’d druther have it preserve some memories of your trip forever and look as lovely as the day it suckered some gullible American tourist. Um…that came out sounding a bit more harsh than intended. You might have picked up two! One fer saving and one to test.

Be sure your kin put “My friends TOLD me not to smoke it!” on your tombstone. 😪
 
Great points!
Thank you.
Actually I'm pretty confident its Lignum vitae. I worked for Woodcraft for years in the past where we regularly carried, sold, and worked with that species. So I am pretty familiar with it.
I'm still not real confident about the safety of smoking it.
I will probably put it in the case to remember the trip.
I already have a whole selection of epitaphs in the queue. Just not sure which will fit my ending.
" Here hold my beer while I..."
" See, I told you these weren't dangerous..."
" I never expected that..."
"Oh, $#!+...."
Etc, etc😁
 
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