I have some green maple and birch that I'd like to use for carving (spoons, etc.), but lack a kiln to sterilize the wood. Is boiling the blanks a workable alternative? I've seen instructions on how to boil wood to prevent cracking (in bowl blanks, etc.), but not for sterilization purposes. My instincts are that the one hour per inch of thickness rule for boiling will almost certainly be sufficient, but I'm hoping someone out there has some experience.
Cheers.