Simple solution: Buy another block of wood. Cut one block like pic 1, Cut one block like pic 2. Make 6 pairs of scales. Buy six razors to go into the scales. Easy. Addiction is now fed for the moment.

Seriously though, Bocote is pretty hard so grain direction shouldn't matter for scales. I'd go with Pic2, cut it in half, and book match it, then make scales for a big chopper.