If you cut the scales thick, say 1/8 inch after sanding, the wood tends to be quite stiff. If you are pinning a thick blade and need a third pin spacer, it can be quite difficult to get the wood to bow in at the pivot pin to get it pinned. I have made them 1/8 thick and 1/16 thick (with a dense and sturdy wood). Personally, I like the thinner wood. The scales I make are larger in height and length with the cut I use. I like the delicate appearance of the thinner scales with smaller blades (6/8 down) but on the big meat choppers I will go a little thicker. The lines balance out better and a big 8/8 or meat chopper and they need a slightly heavier scale to balance it out.