On Friday I set a really taxing mystery object:

Scale in cm

and asked a question that contained a hidden clue: 

It’s a tall order I know, but what do you think it is?

After a lot of questioning and some impressive reasoning skills I am pleased to say that some of you managed to get it. It is indeed a section of giraffe leg, probably intended for use in making knife handles (well done to SmallCasserole, Alan C. & Woolgatherer for piecing that together).

Most other bones are not sufficiently long or dense to produce a section like this, as gimpy correctly identified. In fact it is the unusual density and length of giraffe leg bone that makes it one of the few animal limb bones suitable for use in making knife handles. The high density means reduced porosity, so it doesn’t absorb much water. This means that it doesn’t swell and shrink like other bone, making it less likely to split and delaminate.

I must say that once again I am impressed! Maybe something a little easier this Friday though? Put your thoughts below.