Yeah, I probably meant to write "across" the grain.

I think some of the boards I have of this wood are made up of staves which have been glued together, but sometimes it's hard to tell. If so, I would expect the joint to split if you put strain on it, especially if you thin the wood down. Still, the "cross-cut" scales may turn out to be functional, in which case I'll probably use them for one of the blades. They do look more interesting than the others, for sure, even though I think the others will look good too once they're finished.