Decent hardwoods are few and hard to find where I live, so I thought I'd found a gold mine when I got a hickory board 2" X 10" X 13' a couple months ago. I cut it in half and sliced one half into backing strips, enough to last me a LONG time. Trouble is every bow I've used it on has broken in tension. The grain is fine but the wood is not. I got it in a store 700 miles from here so it won't be replaced soon. I also got a smaller board (hopefully from a different tree) at the same time, so when I'm finished feeling sorry for myself I'll cut some more strips and get back at it. Sure envy people living back east among all those hardwoods. By the way, my HBI trade bow is backed with wood from a different board, it's still alive, almost ready for final sanding and finish. It shoots so well I want to keep it. Just love ipe and longbows. Rob