My first successful, almost, adult bow was an HBI. It was a shooter until it developed a splinter (not very good grained hickory). I saved it by re-gluing and wrapping it. After several hundred more shots, I noticed another splinter trying to come up between wraps. I will probably retire that one til I get time to put a new hickory back on it. You will probably have better luck if you purchased a kit since the backing should be straight grained. Ipe and hickory are both great woods to work with.
Mine was 66 in. t2t, 64 in. n2n, 1 3/8 wide at the handle fade with a pyramid taper to 3/8 in. wide at the tips.
