Thread: Mango wood characteristics?

So I have been wanting to craft some things with mango wood for a while. For most woods I can atleast find a place that sells blanks and will give you some info on the characteristics as to the grain and finishing characteristics like if it will soak up a bunch of resin or stain and density. I bought a bowl made out of mango and it looks great and the grain does seem a little porous but in some areas it seems really tight and closed...kinda inconsistent. I was wondering if any one has worked with mango wood and what where your experience's with it

Have never worked with mango,Have always found it to be soft and pithey.
I bet it would stabilize wonderfully.
Mango | The Wood Database - Lumber Identification (Hardwoods)

I have only BBQ'ed with it a few times, my neighbor just pruned his tree I should ask for some wood. It is imparts a nice smoke and flavor to the items being grilled.

Originally Posted by dustoff003

I have only BBQ'ed with it a few times, my neighbor just pruned his tree I should ask for some wood. It is imparts a nice smoke and flavor to the items being grilled.

I would be very carefull doing that,mango woodsmoke can be toxic,Is the same family as poison oak and Ivy and can cause severe lung issues.

I think for now on Im just going to directly ask you for the answers to anything wood related pixelfixed. Also if you are using mango wood soaked in water and smoke your food that way would the toxins get in the food still. I wasn't planning on cooking with it, but maybe some info for dustoff003.

Is not the toxens getting into the meat,is breathing the smoke,people have died from burning Poison Oak (same family) and inhaling the woodsmoke.

Thanks pixelfixed! That is very interesting, I guess no more Mango wood BBQ for me.

Originally Posted by dustoff003

Thanks pixelfixed! That is very interesting, I guess no more Mango wood BBQ for me.

Gotta be carefull with most woods,my lungs are shot from working with exotics (and cigs) for 50 yrs.
Have been turning Cocobolo all day,my skin is on fire,my chest hurts,my eyes burn.

Originally Posted by dustoff003

Thanks pixelfixed! That is very interesting, I guess no more Mango wood BBQ for me.

well you could still use it you just need to get a different fuel source and use a wood chip smoke box for the mango wood. I just make mine out of tinfoil. I live in a condo and we are not allowed to have charcoal grills and I think propane taste weird so I will make a little basket out of tin foil and put soaked wood chips in it and then cover it with another piece of foil and poke holes in it and that works very well and no smoke and atleast masks the flavor of propane.

I had some smallish pieces of curly Mango that I had stabilized. The pieces were too short for a razor, but I made one into the handle of a marking knife I made. I hand no trouble working with the Mango, and I think the handle turned out nicely. The knife itself is just "okay". I'll post a picture of it tomorrow if I get the chance...

Ah, what the heck, sleep is over rated. Here are a couple of pictures. The blade is a left over piece of CPM S35VN.