Post #389377 by Toataiaha on Wed, Jun 25, 2008 7:34 AM

He's looking better and better Ben .

Yep , the shin bone of the cattle beast is favored by many bone carvers .
It tends to be the more solid one , and thicker too .
All limb bones grow to suit the work put to them , and the lower legs of cattle carry the full weight and have a fair amount of movement stress , both of which thicken and strengthen them .
Sometimes , due to bruised shins etc in the past , there can be dark streaks running along the bone , which can give a whalebone look to it .
Ribs , split down the middle are excellent for wafer thin work , where a small amount of flexibility will be of benefit , tho sometimes it can warp a bit .

This is a Clairín Búirthe , an Irish bullroarer , that has developed a slight twist , in the manner of a propeller , over the years .
I think it adds to the sound , so maybe the Old Ones knew a thing or two about flight eh :)