Heat and Ipe (pic added)

[NTD]

Thanks Ryan for the info.  Definitely helps put my mind at ease that I didn't ruin this piece.  I'm wondering if this wood wasn't dry and maybe that's why it developed twist while sitting around here.  And maybe it's still not dry and the heat was forcing the moisture out of it?  Thoughts?

[HickoryBill]

NTD: Your last thought was good. Do you happen to have a moisture meter?  I heat treated an IPE selfbow with no ill effects, and I MEAN I TOASTED It NICELY!!! Then it got backed with rattlesnake skin.. It's still in use.

[NTD]

NTD: Your last thought was good. Do you happen to have a moisture meter?  I heat treated an IPE selfbow with no ill effects, and I MEAN I TOASTED It NICELY!!! Then it got backed with rattlesnake skin.. It's still in use.

I don't have a moisture meter.  But I got the wood in November and for the last 4 months it has sat in a place with an RH never reacing any higher than 30%.  It honestly would suprise me that it would still have a high MC but I can't think of a reason for the expression of the black liquid sap stuff when some others haven't seen that with Ipe.  The only other thing that I can think of is the fact that we know not all Ipe is equal and it has what 100 different species....maybe some express this tar and others don't....

[ricktrojanowski]

I work with Ipe quite a bit, not for bows, but for decks and other building projects.  I've never heated it but, would definitely suggest doing so outdoors.  The dust can be quite harmful so I'm sure the vapors let off during heating would be even more so.  Also,  I've been told that a few different very similar exotics are sold as "Ipe".  Possibly this is why some pieces are bendable and others are not?  Just a thought.

[DarkSoul]

I once tried to oven dry an ipé sample. I just put a small piece of ipé in our oven and turned it on - didn't think much of it. After half an hour or so, I checked the wood. I could see black drips just like you showed! The wood had literally leaked some drips of black 'resin'! That was the last time I ever heated ipé, I told myself.

[dragonman]

I've noticed that some ipe has a lot more oil in it than others, and I believe boiling and steaming is better than dry heat (I've only heard this, not tried it..)