To the experts on gun stocks: I read sometime ago, in an English publication, that dark stripes going across the grain, known as "Tiger Tail" are a desirable a feature. Asides from estetics is there any other reason for being a valuable feature?

I restocked recently an old sxs, using local walnut and when visiting the gunsmith for my first fitting I found that the new stock had more vertical stripes than a Tasmanian Tiger.

EJ