Wood recommendations for woodstove handle?

[Lisa Gilbert]

The wooden handle on our woodstove door is splitting, and my husband wants me to turn a new one. Are there any particular species of wood that will hold up better to the heat and protect our delicate digits when we open the woodstove door? We have "in stock" ponderosa pine (about 6 cords), cedar (only about a cord), a little chunk of ebony, purpleheart, walnut, oak, and some cocobolo and tulipwood pen blanks that I just bought my boy for his birthday. But I'm always happy to have an excuse to make another trip to Woodcraft to pick up a different species if none of those would be good. ;)

[Terry Quiram]

Lisa

I think I would stay away from the soft woods but any of the others should work very well.

[Jim Becker]

I'm assuming you mean the removable handle for the front doors. Mine is cherry to replace the ceramic one that "broke" the first week I had the stove. Do not use a wood handle on anything that does not come off the stove when it's in use... ;)

[John Hart]

The one on my wood stove in the shop is Maple. The stove came with the house and I know this thing is pretty old. I don't know if it was made of something else and someone put it on there or what. I would think that the walnut would hold up pretty well. It's pretty stable stuff.

[Lisa Gilbert]

I'm assuming you mean the removable handle for the front doors. Mine is cherry to replace the ceramic one that "broke" the first week I had the stove. Do not use a wood handle on anything that does not come off the stove when it's in use... ;)

Actually, it's the lever-type knob we turn to open the glass door of the stove, firmly and semi-permanently attached with a long bolt, and it started out wood. It gets warm, but it keeps us from burning our hands when we open it up to toss in the wood.

I assumed the coniferous woods were a bad idea, but since we have so very much, thought I'd mention that it's available.

Thanks for the advice! I love walnut, so was leaning that direction for aesthetic reasons.

[Jim Becker]

Interesting that it's "permanently" attached, Lisa. The one on my Vermont Castings Encore slips into a socket when you need to operate the latch, but is completely "free" of the unit when you are not actively using it. (Therefore, it stays cool) Even then, I wear my heat protection gloves to open up for the "reload"!

[Jason Hallowell]

The rosewood varieties like cocobolo will not stand up to heat very well, and I would stay away from the softer woods also. Out of the woods listed, I would probably go with walnut as well.

[Lisa Gilbert]

Interesting that it's "permanently" attached, Lisa. The one on my Vermont Castings Encore slips into a socket when you need to operate the latch, but is completely "free" of the unit when you are not actively using it. (Therefore, it stays cool) Even then, I wear my heat protection gloves to open up for the "reload"!

Well, I'd hate to have to remove that bolt every time I used it. :p I usually wear my gloves, too. I'll post a picture of it installed when I get it done.