Erotic wood from the German countryside

An enterprising German family is pushing its way into the erotic industry with their handmade spruce wood dildos.

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The tight-knit Thüry clan lives in Hettigenbeuern, deep in the Odenwald forest region in the German state of Hesse.

According to news agency DDP, Elmar Thüry and family started making the dildos in 2006. They' dubbed their woody sex toys "The country pleasure maker" and a "natural alternative to synthetic dildos."

When his wife, Maria, expressed misgivings about the business, Thüry says he told her what he tells all his customers - that spruce wood doesn't splinter and has a special resonance.

"Guitars and violins aren't made of spruce wood for nothing," he told DDP.

His wife satisfied, Thüry set about carving out his business, naming the company, "Waldmichlsholdi," which is a play on words on a popular German folk song. All five family members, aged 18 to 46, have a hand in producing the products.

They now sell over 72 different styles of wooden sex toys, with names like "Goliath," "Foxtail," and "Bear tongue." They also fill special orders, according to the intimate preferences of their customers. One memorable special order boasted a girth of 12 centimeters.

Each piece is handmade, and the family patriarch turns out some 40 dildos each day. His wife Maria lovingly lacquers the products with an environmentally friendly varnish.

The impressive pieces are available online, and Thüry said his products have aroused international interest, selling in both Belgium and Switzerland. Now he says erotic industry companies are getting excited about his wood. He now plans to attend an erotic trade show in Las Vegas this year, he said.

According to the Waldmichlsholdi website, the question people most frequently ask is whether there's a possibility of getting splinters. But the family enterprise assures customers they needn't be concerned and their products are guaranteed to be 100-percent safe.