# Heat resistant woods



## knyfeknerd

So this old guy has finally worked his way up to saute after a couple of months working garde-manger and grill, etc. etc. anyhoo....
.... I use this great Lamson fish spat that has a pom(or some other kind of crappy) plastic handle. The material has melted in many spots, and some of the other cook's spats are in much worse shape. There is no "getting around" the fact that this thing is going to get this hot.
I would like to rehandle it. It has 3 rivets and I think this would be easy to do, but which wood is the most durable and flame/burn resistant?
I'm guessing that Ironwood will be everyone's answer. I don't care how purty or ugly it is, I just want it to work.


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## hobbitling

Apparently Cumaru is rated Class A fire resistant (same category as concrete).

Here's a chart of Fire Spread Index (SPI) of various woods.
http://www.terramai.com/userfiles/file/Technical/USDA_Flame_Spread_Index_for_Wood.pdf
It lists Azobe (Ekki) as pretty much totally fire resistant.


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## sachem allison

I rehandled mine in red oak years ago. no problems at all.


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## Dream Burls

Heavy, dense woods like ironwood will provide better heat resistance than lighter woods, of course. But even lighter woods can be stabilized to provide additional heat resistance. Finishing is also a factor. Varnish is the most heat resistant finish. Put a varnish finish on an ironwood handle and you could roast marshmellows with it (just kidding).


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## ejd53

hobbitling said:


> Apparently Cumaru is rated Class A fire resistant (same category as concrete).
> 
> Here's a chart of Fire Spread Index (SPI) of various woods.
> http://www.terramai.com/userfiles/file/Technical/USDA_Flame_Spread_Index_for_Wood.pdf
> It lists Azobe (Ekki) as pretty much totally fire resistant.



I just redid my deck with Cumaru. It's extremely hard and heavy (sinks in water) and is rated Class A (the same as concrete and steel). Ipe is very similar (slightly harder and heavier) and also has a Class A rating.


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## Burl Source

You should be safe with any hardwood.
We had some old hickory knives that we would abuse when camping.
Worse that ever happened was a surface of a handle getting blackened from the campfire.


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