Should be fine, ipe is really hard and has natural insecticides. Many years ago when I was in my 20s and working on a carpentry crew we had a batch that made all of us break out in hives from the sawdust. Make sure you wear a respirator when you sand, the dust is really nasty and you don't wanna breathe it.

 

Remember to wipe with laquer thinner after you sand, just before you apply new stain.

 

If you plan to sand anyway, why not just sand and eliminate the other steps?

 

Thanks everyone. I have sanded ipe before, however I did forget how nasty it is, thanks Strait Lines. The reason I do not just sand is it seems to take forever to cut threw a product like Cabot Aussie oil. I already go threw 3X the amount of sand paper and thats not cheap. I will already be at the job site power washing some retaining walls so its not an extra trip..

 

I have always found that SW deck products are kind of expensive and not that effective. Even the zinsser stuff is pretty good, I really like the flood deck stripper for liquid stripper, or try something from PressureTek. If you call Bob at PressureTek he will know what to recommend.