hickory backed IPE almost finished!!!

[DelawareDave]

Well here it is! My 6th bow but 4th successful     Hickory backed IPE, 66" NTN just about 1.125 wide at fades 3/8 at the tips, draws just over 50lbs @ 28“, extremely snappy shooter just a little hand shock. Glued in 2" of reflex have about 1" now. Only thing left is to put on tip overlays and final sand, and seal. I do have a question for u all, I'm going to use this as a hunting bow so I need to do something to darken the hickory, what would u all use or do???
 

[Hophornbean0423]

I use leather dye on hickory. I get mine at tandy leather.

[Black Mockingbird]

Well congrats...some cc for ya... your hand shock is likely coming from having too much of your bend in the inner limbs and not enough in the outer limbs creating dead mass in the outer limbs causing shock and robbing performance.... also round all your edges and corners better for several reasons

[PEARL DRUMS]

Minwax stain is cheap and easy. You may consider fades on your next bow like this. Without them your glued on handle section is trying to stop all the bend, hence your hand shock. The bend needs to stop a few inches, or so, before the grip.

[DelawareDave]

I know its hard to see in the pic but the wood under the handle is about an 1/8" thicker and does fade into the limbs also I tillered it so that the outer 2/3 is doing most the moving now and rounded off all the edges very good, also shaped the handle.  I lost about 3 lbs. But there is almost no hand shock now.  

[takefive]

Congrats on your bow.  I used Trans-tint dye in denatured alcohol on my last hickory backed bow.  It dries fast so you can do a few coats in a short time to get it nice and dark.