Gary,
I don't think you can expect the same results. I am the one the turned Dario on to Tx Mt. Laurel and have been messing with it for a while now. The Texas Mt. Laurel is also know as Mescalbean and is not the same as the Mt. Laurel you have up there. Your Mt. Laurel is in the Ericaceae family while the Mescalbean is in the Fabaceae family. I am not into taxonomy but I believe this tells us that the 2 are not even related. Also, the piece that Dario used for that pen was from the root rather than the limbs. The roots have the best color and look quite different then the limb wood.
Dario, nice pen BTW!