The walnut wood dust is also toxic to us humans! Wear a mask when cutting or sanding it. It can and will kill.
As a kid I chewed lead pellets, played with liquid mercury, and most fun of all, we had an asbestos pit in the back yard that was full of fluffy asbestos that we loved to play in. Just hope I don't die of anything serious!!
I did all of those things too! But my dad is dying from mesothelioma (asbestos lung cancer) and worked with a guy who as a hobby was a woodworker. He died from a severe allergic reaction from the walnut wood dust. He made beautiful stuff from walnut. Almost exclusively. Things don’t kill you, until they do.
Allergies are strange things. My sister developed one to strawberries but over the years that went away. I'll never understand the peanut one that seems to be everywhere. Most exotic woods, especially tropical hard woods report allergic potential. I have never had a problem but if you are susceptible can be a bad experience. The weirdest one I think I ever heard of is cashew nuts. Seems the cashew grows as an appendage on the bottom of an 'apple' on a tropical tree. When you see one you wonder how anyone thought to make a nut out of the fruit. The really strange part is the sheath of the cashew contains concentrated poison identical to that in poison oak and poison ivy. They need to be handled very carefully and the process includes roasting them which gives off a lethal smoke. Once heat cured you get the sweet nut we all love.
Peach pits and other seeds from the plant family Prunus contain a potentially dangerous chemical called amygdalin that can creates poisonous cyanide when digested. While swallowing a single pit is unlikely to cause cyanide poisoning, consumption of several unprocessed pits can produce symptoms.
When I first saw a documentary on Cashews, I was impressed they didn't cost at least $1 a nut. It's quite a process.
As an ironworker I have had many flashes from fitting up for various welders. Another hazard is using those cheap Chinese wire cup wheels. Just yesterday an errant wire flung out of one and imbedded itself directly and deeply into the knuckle on my little finger. instantly locked up the finger and I had to use needle nose pliers to work it back out of the finger joint. Hurt like hell and is still really sore today. Use your proper ppe guys. All I intended to accomplish was a quick little surface buff. did not take time to don gloves or for that matter a face shield. I absolutely know better. More hurts happen at home shops than job sites. Protect yourselves guys.
The Jalopy Journal
