Spoons – but can I use them?

[Kerne]

I had to cut down a dead plum tree in my garden and, rather than commit it all to the woodpile, I made these spoons out of it (rock hard to work with!). I used my mora and a crook knife and finished them with olive oil.

The problem is this – when I look at the parts of the tree I stored for firewood, they have all grown a coating of an orange fungus:

Any mycologists out there with an opinion on whether I will be OK to use them, or will they be harbouring this fungus, ready to do my innards damage were I to eat my porridge with them? (They have not developed any sign of this while sat on the piano waiting to be oiled.)

 

[weaver]

Beautiful spoons from beautiful wood.


If you want to be sure the fungus is dead you can put the spoons in the oven at 250°F for about four hours. Nothing on Earth can live at that temperature

 

[Kerne]

weaver said:
If you want to be sure the fungus is dead you can put the spoons in the oven at 250°F for about four hours. Nothing on Earth can live at that temperature

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[bushcraftbob]

Would that warp it or anything??? Awesome looking spoons

 

[hog]

What beautifull spoons, excellent work Bru.
Will kill everything @ that temp but the cockroach!!

 

[DoctorSpoon]

If you haven't already, please, please don't bake your spoons. They will be in danger of splitting and there really is no need. That mould is only growing on the log because it is damp. Your spoons are dry and will not rot. Even if you did store them somewhere damp and they did grow mould there is very, very little danger the amount you would ingest would do you any harm. Use them and enjoy them.
Nicola

 

[Kerne]

DoctorSpoon wrote:
If you haven't already, please, please don't bake your spoons. They will be in danger of splitting and there really is no need. That mould is only growing on the log because it is damp. Your spoons are dry and will not rot. Even if you did store them somewhere damp and they did grow mould there is very, very little danger the amount you would ingest would do you any harm. Use them and enjoy them.
Nicola

Thanks. I don't want them to split after all that hard work. They show no signs of developing a mouldy covering so I'll risk it.

 

[pwb]

What lovely spoons and I had know idea that plum had such a beautiful appearance.

Pete.

 

[Barney]

that's beautiful wood, and well made spoons to

 

[elevenses]

Amazing looking spoons
I have never seen plum wood used for anything before

 

[Shewie]

Lovely work Kerne, just need to make some matching bowls now

 

[Ex Member - Sidney Bounty]

You should send all the spoons ASAP to me to protect yourself from harm...

 

[Kerne]

Survival Bill wrote:
You should send all the spoons ASAP to me to protect yourself from harm...

Unfortunately, if they are deemed "safe" (and I think they are) then they are earmarked as pressies.

 

[alpha_centaur]

Cheers mate I think that I've finally found the perfect wood for my next knife handle

Have a virtual pint on me

 

[bartjeuh200]

Cheers mate I think that I've finally found the perfect wood for my next knife handle

Have a virtual pint on me

I am at that stage right now with my knife, and i'm also using plum

 

[bushtuckerman]

Nice work. Plum is very nice wood but as you say it's rock hard, which I rediscovered recently when I carved a large fish slice for the kitchen. Felt like a mammoth job but then I did do it standing up for some reason. The thick branch had been broken in a hedge in wind a year or two back and was almost completely dry when I got to carving it. I found it tends to split and shatter if mishandled.

 

[rivermom]

That fungus is called Coral Spot. The spoons are perfectly safe, and wont give you any problems unless you have a wooden leg.

But make sure you have not left any scrap of infected wood near your fruit trees, and treat any pruning wounds with an anti fungal. Coral Spot is very infectious and kills plum trees and cherry trees and peach trees.

 

[Kerne]

rivermom wrote:
That fungus is called Coral Spot. The spoons are perfectly safe, and wont give you any problems unless you have a wooden leg.

But make sure you have not left any scrap of infected wood near your fruit trees, and treat any pruning wounds with an anti fungal. Coral Spot is very infectious and kills plum trees and cherry trees and peach trees.

Wow! Thanks for that. The tree has been dead since we moved into the house several years ago but part of the fence was nailed to it so I only took it down when I fixed the fence. I have a small cherry tree about 10 metres away so I'll get to work on cleaning up the stump asap.

Thanks again.:You_Rock_