Berberis Spork

[bob_the_baker]

After much nagging, I have finally made my daughter her spork.
I recently trimmed a piece of, very windswept, Berberis from my father-in-law's garden and was amazed by the colour. Really pleased with this one, the colour and the grain are really nice.

 

[Mesquite]

Nice spork,

I've cut berberis back before and like you said it's got some vibrant colours for sure

 

[Robson Valley]

That is far and away better than the one I made for myself. Well done!
That's an unusual (for us) wood color.

I never made a second one.
Tried one night to prepare supper.
Used both ends.
Food smeared up to my wrists, both hands.
Is there a tidy solution to the puzzle?

 

[Clouston98]

Cracking job mate!

 

[Muddypaws]

That's a very pretty spork!

 

[crosslandkelly]

Lovely work, a great looking spork.

 

[Big G]

Some fine detail in that!

 

[forginhill]

Daughters know how to get their way.... Lovely job on that! Three for the price of one!

 

[brambles]

It looks very nice -but a wee nagging thought at the back of my mind prompted me to look up toxic plants and berberis berries are toxic , with "irritant properties causing burning pain in throat and mouth, thirst, nausea, vomiting , fatigue and shock" - I hope this does not translate to the wood as well!

 

[bob_the_baker]

It looks very nice -but a wee nagging thought at the back of my mind prompted me to look up toxic plants and berberis berries are toxic , with "irritant properties causing burning pain in throat and mouth, thirst, nausea, vomiting , fatigue and shock" - I hope this does not translate to the wood as well!

Could you reference that please? I had Berberis down as an edible fruit

 

[brambles]

Can't find the exact ref I looked at last night ( got a funny feeling it was the SAS Survival Guide ) but another google shows the following.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...ved=0ahUKEwiT7oOvy_fLAhXDNxQKHU9OCP0Q6AEITDAH

http://ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/Toxic_Plants_by_Scientific_Name_685/

 

[Dean]

Nice work Ian, the colouration is a little weird but then again so was the Sea Buckthorn.

 

[nitrambur]

Berberis bark and root are toxic, not the berries as far as I can tell http://www.ivydenegardens.co.uk/Plants/poisonousplantsl.html

 

[Wayne]

Nice carving. I like it. The colour looks like it has been stained with extra virgin olive oil.

 

[nitrambur]

Checked with my herbalist friend, they say it's most likely safe unless you're chewing on it or letting it steep in hot liquids
They did ask if you could confirm the species though so they could double check

 

[bob_the_baker]

It's Berberis darwinii.

And Wayne, it's been treated with flax oil, so that is it's natural colour.