Hi folks, does anyone know how dangerous cocus wood is? My wife for example has some bad food allergies. I just got a new 19th c flute in cocus. I’m afraid to let her play it until I find out if cocus allergies can be quite bad or not. Thanks!
The worst I’ve ever heard of happening is a rash.
Anyone know the difference between cocus, cocoa and cocobolo?
We will have to wait for Loren to weigh in on the horrible effects of Cocus allergies. (You could do a search for Loren, cocuswood) As to the difference between Cocuswood and Cocobollo, I would say Cocobollo is 100 times more toxic. I have turned flutes from both woods, I have had no reaction to Cocuswood, but Cocobollo is toxic!
Thanks for your answer, but I’m curious to find out what the actual difference is between cocuswood, cocobolo and “cocoa” - the latter being particularly confusing because it is a favourite drink… and it also appears in old catalogue descriptions by Clementi of the prices and elements of the their flutes. They use the word “cocoa”, while their flutes are made of cocuswood. Or else they mean “cocobolo” which is also from the West Indies. Hmm… I think I’ll go and have a nice hot cup of cocuswood and think about all this.
Cocuswood means brown wood, or Chocolate colored. They were refering to cocuswood not cocobollo when they called it cocoa.
Thanks Jon, that clears it up for me.