The balsa I have is very light grade and is much too soft. It was my first balsa purchase and it's lasting a looong time I like paulownia very much except it does have occasional "grain issues" - narrow dark soft porous stripes, sometimes adjacent to very light hard grain. So sanding can be tough and I sometimes have to work wood filler into the black grain to prevent it from cratering. But it is surprisingly tough and hard for its light 18 lbs/cu ft density and it makes very durable baits.
I like paulownia very much except it does have occasional "grain issues" - narrow dark soft porous stripes, sometimes adjacent to very light hard grain. So sanding can be tough and I sometimes have to work wood filler into the black grain to prevent it from cratering. But it is surprisingly tough and hard for its light 18 lbs/cu ft density and it makes very durable baits.
