I was talking to a friend who was a forestry major several years ago about hard, dense, domestic woods suitable for making strikers. My friend said that he had once seen some old-growth Magnolia core heartwood which was as black as ebony and just as hard and dense. Anyone else ever heard of or seen this black Magnolia heartwood.
I've never seen any. I have seen some that took on a mineral stain like poplar, but the density didn't appear to be different in it.
I have used alot of different magnolia and none that I have ever used was very dense. Its about the same as poplar from my experience. I have had some that was very dark like you described.