My questions weren`t as precise as they should have been . Is there a difference in hardness between the light and dark areas in hardness , as measured by pushing on it with a fingernail ? Very soft wood will dent easily with minimal pressure , hard wood will show very little , even with high pressure . Not a very scientific test but it does provide some information .
Is the black line around the `tooth` area a void , a bark inclusion line , or a spalt line ? If a void , you did very well to keep it all together . Doesn`t really look like spalt when I blow the picture up , and certainly not like any maple I have , but I don`t have it all . Bark might be a bit softer than the adjacent wood .
Good idea to jog his memory any way you can . Delighted you were able to use the half inch material . Many wouldn`t even try .