# Chocolate Heart (Albizia)



## kweinert (Jan 24, 2012)

Finally ran into one of those tropical woods that I had a reaction to.

It was described as 'Chocolate Heart' by Cook Woods and after I had the reaction (coughing, sneezing, my friend says my face is swollen, I don't appear to have any contact reactions though) I looked it up and it appears to be one of the Abizia family of trees.

It's a pretty wood and very lightweight.

Not sure I'll be finishing this one off, though, until I pick up much better protection - the simple mask wasn't nearly enough.


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## phinds (Jan 24, 2012)

Sorry to hear about that. Sounds nasty, possibly could have been worse.

Do you have any pics of this particular piece? Give us all a heads up on what to look for.

I have a pretty extensive database of wood names and there is no "chocolate heart" and none of the species in the genus Albizia had the word "chocolate" in any of their names. That doesn't preclude the name for being legit, since my database is hardly exhaustive, BUT ... I'm guessing this is just a marketing name. I have found Cook to be way more interested in marketing than in accuracy when representing their woods.


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## kweinert (Jan 25, 2012)

phinds said:


> Sorry to hear about that. Sounds nasty, possibly could have been worse.
> 
> Do you have any pics of this particular piece? Give us all a heads up on what to look for.
> 
> I have a pretty extensive database of wood names and there is no "chocolate heart" and none of the species in the genus Albizia had the word "chocolate" in any of their names. That doesn't preclude the name for being legit, since my database is hardly exhaustive, BUT ... I'm guessing this is just a marketing name. I have found Cook to be way more interested in marketing than in accuracy when representing their woods.



This is the package i got: Bottle Stopper Assortment. The 2nd from the bottom on the right hand side is the one they identified as Chocolate Heart.

They also have one other piece listed that way as well: Chocolate Heart

The two pieces they identified as CH don't seem to resemble each other though. What I have turned so far is a pretty even chocolate brown and doesn't show any of the characteristics of the board in the 2nd link.

From what I read while researching I found reference to two different woods called Chocolate Heart. One family was from Africa but I don't believe that this is that wood as it was described as a heavy wood and what I have is anything but heavy. The other was from Hawaii and is more likely what this is. It's related to Mimosa (or maybe people only think it is because of its looks.)

I'll take pictures of what I have turned. The shop has been closed up all night with the exhaust fan on and should be clear enough now that I can go back in without triggering this reaction again. All I'll be able to show you is the turned (rounded) piece but I can dampen it so the grain is clearer and I'll scan the end grain. That won't happen until later on this afternoon when I get home from work though.


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## phinds (Jan 25, 2012)

Sounds good, thanks.

Something to be aware of in case your not is this --- some woods are "sensitizers" which means that it can happen that if you DO have a bad reaction to them, the NEXT time you have a bad reaction it will be much worse.

Cocobolo is that way for some people, but I have found, not for me. I had a HORRIBLE reaction once but none since.

Anyway, better safe than sorry, so NEVER go near that wood dust again is the best bet.


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## kweinert (Jan 25, 2012)

phinds said:


> Sounds good, thanks.
> 
> Something to be aware of in case your not is this --- some woods are "sensitizers" which means that it can happen that if you DO have a bad reaction to them, the NEXT time you have a bad reaction it will be much worse.
> 
> Cocobolo is that way for some people, but I have found, not for me. I had a HORRIBLE reaction once but none since.





Made my friend, a nurse, very nervous last night. I now have promised her that I won't work with any new woods unless someone else is around.

I've never had any reaction to woods before. Not cocobolo or any of them that other folks have talked about.

It probably took longer last night for me to realize that something was really going on because I'd not reacted before. Sure, I was getting a little snuffly, maybe coughed a time or two - but I have chronic sinusitus so it wasn't a big deal. Not until I started having a little trouble breathing and my eyes felt a little itchy did I decide that I should stop. Then Sandra's reaction when I came back out to the living room with my swollen face and red eyes made me really realize what was going on.

Kind of snuck up on me. Next time (with, presumably a different wood) I'll be quicker to realize what's happening and not get quite as deep into it.



phinds said:


> Anyway, better safe than sorry, so NEVER go near that wood dust again is the best bet.



Sounds like you didn't take your own advice or you'd not know about not having a reaction again :) That piece will be coming off the lathe until a) I have a better mask and b) someone else is around, just in case.


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## phinds (Jan 25, 2012)

kweinert said:


> Sounds like you didn't take your own advice or you'd not know about not having a reaction again :) That piece will be coming off the lathe until a) I have a better mask and b) someone else is around, just in case.



Yeah, some folks are reckless in that way. I'm not reckless at all, just incredibly stupid. Actually, I just didn't know about sensitization at the time so didn't realize the danger, and I though that long sleeves and a mask would take care of it. Luckily for me it DID, but it might not have.


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## Burl Source (Jan 25, 2012)

I would bet the wood is Chocolate heart mango.
Cook woods and a lot of the ebay sellers are using that name with mango with a darker brown heartwood.


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## kweinert (Jan 25, 2012)

Burl Source said:


> I would bet the wood is Chocolate heart mango.
> Cook woods and a lot of the ebay sellers are using that name with mango with a darker brown heartwood.



Interesting, as I've turned some pens from mango root and not had an issue. Is it really light (as in not dense)? This piece feels light on the order of basswood, if not lighter than that.

I'm certainly not an ID expert so I'm not disputing - just putting out more info :)

I'm still not entirely recovered today. Slightly short of breathe still, throat a bit scratchy.


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## kweinert (Jan 25, 2012)

OK, so I'm home and I braved the workshop to retrieve the piece of wood from the lathe.

Here's an end grain scan - might not be fine enough but I'm not inclined to try to sand it any better at the moment:

[attachment=1429]

And here's a scan of a portion of the side. Since it's been turned not all that much is in view:

[attachment=1430]

It really is a pretty piece of wood. Superficially it resembles (in grain and end grain but not in color or weight) the Brazilian Guava from my most recent stopper picture.


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## phinds (Jan 25, 2012)

I don't have good representation of mango on my site, but from what I can see of what I DO have, this is at least consistent with mango.


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