I have used it in a cabinetmaking project, for edgebanding and as sliced veneer. My recollection is that the material was splintery, though not as bad as wenge, and the splinters festered badly. The sanding dust was fine, oily and a bit obnoxious, though I had no toxic reaction. Ipe describes a number of species in the Tabebuia genus and they may be mixed in commerce, so the characteristics may vary somewhat. As you have probably found, it is quite hard and heavy and dulling to tools. It is most often found air-dried for decking and although stable when dry can move a lot while getting to that point. Many people have adverse reactions to working ipe, especially the sanding dust. Here are several links from woodworkers in the trenches
ipe safety gluing ipe working w/ ipe. A couple of memorable quotes, "The sustainability of ipe (I suspect) is due to its natural resistance to woodworkers" and "I believe Satan's throne must be made of ipe, as it already smells like a blast from Hell." I doubt there would be any safety concerns for the end user of an ipe bowl, but that's just a guess. As far as gluing it, thoroughly dry wood and freshly machined surfaces are a must. "Brazilian Walnut" is just a marketing ploy.
