That captures the material nicely. My scales have been handled quite a bit, so they are darker than when they were new. The texture is fairly fine. When comparing it to the buffed it's similar to the grain you would feel on a finely sanded wood versus wood that has been finished with something like linseed oil. The grain is more pronounced before the finish. The micarta behaves in a similar fashion.They will darken with use from the oil on your hand, or you could use mineral oil.