Well, I ordered some balsa today to practice with, and just to get me started turning some sketches into actual lures. I didn't request hard balsa, and in fact, I didn't see a place to indicate which density I preferred. My guess, then, is that it won't be as dense as you mentioned.
Next time, once I have a little practice and have experimented a little, I will call the company and ask specifically. Until then, what are some things to do to protect balsa that may not be quite as hard as is preferred?
I'll try to find out the density of what I ordered and let you guys know. Then you'll know exactly what I'm working with.
Thanks