# Longest natural thorns or spines **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219 "2015-12-02T16:11:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/21 "2015-12-03T02:07:52Z")
Deer antler? It should have the required strength and about the right density; but it might not be so easy to find one with a straight section 12’’ long. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/22 "2015-12-03T06:02:13Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > is there any formal constraint on the levels of technology you are/not allowed to use, and what actually constitutes ‘natural’ materials? Do the materials have to be biological in origin or can you include minerals? I believe they could include mineral as natural material seems to be the guideline. The amount of processing used might be up for debate if it were a close call. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/23 "2015-12-03T07:32:58Z")
> [@Ignotus](#): > > Deer antler? It should have the required strength and about the right density; but it might not be so easy to find one with a straight section 12’’ long. Antler might be tricky (although it is an excellent material - heavy and tough). How about a sliver of horn from a gazelle? Gemsbok have very straight, long horns - and they are not brittle (people make bow arms out of them). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/24 "2015-12-03T07:37:32Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I believe they could include mineral as natural material seems to be the guideline. The amount of processing used might be up for debate if it were a close call. How about natural bamboo, drilled hollow and packed with a mix of resin (or animal glue) and powdered iron ore?. Once it’s set up, the knuckles and other surface imperfections of the bamboo could be smoothed away. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/25 "2015-12-03T07:38:26Z")
Antelope horn - specifically, [gemsbok horn](https://www.giraffebone.com/horns/gemsbok-horn-tip-6-19-19-64-x-1-17-64-x-55-64-inch.html)- can be found in the lengths you need & is machinable (it’s used for custom knife handles) but I have no idea of the density other than it’s like a hard plastic and IME denser and stronger than bovine horn, if you’ve ever used that for nocks or tips. ETA - I see I’m ninja’d by **Mangetout** - but I brought a link! ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/26 "2015-12-03T13:20:18Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > How about natural bamboo, drilled hollow and packed with a mix of resin (or animal glue) and powdered iron ore?. Once it’s set up, the knuckles and other surface imperfections of the bamboo could be smoothed away. We use a lot of mosso bamboo presently, very heavy stuff and currently our best material. Hard to work with in very small diameters. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/27 "2015-12-03T13:22:35Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Antelope horn - specifically, [gemsbok horn](https://www.giraffebone.com/horns/gemsbok-horn-tip-6-19-19-64-x-1-17-64-x-55-64-inch.html)- can be found in the lengths you need & is machinable (it’s used for custom knife handles) but I have no idea of the density other than it’s like a hard plastic and IME denser and stronger than bovine horn, if you’ve ever used that for nocks or tips. > > ETA - I see I’m ninja’d by **Mangetout** - but I brought a link! I have some of this home, I use it in some bows i make, not stiff enough in the small diameters also issues with straightness. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/28 "2015-12-07T07:31:02Z")
I think we might be back to a section of animal bone then - If you can get hold of one of the longer bones from the leg of a cow, horse or maybe deer, I think there could be some way to get a 12"+ straight solid piece out of it (although ironically, the quickest way to know this for sure would be very _un_primitive - a 3D medical scan of the bone would reveal whether there is away to cut a piece of the right length and straightness out of it) I’m nearly certain a giraffe leg bone would have enough of the right material (and surely has to be strong/dense enough), but could be difficult to source. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/29 "2015-12-07T16:47:21Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I’m nearly certain a giraffe leg bone would have enough of the right material (and surely has to be strong/dense enough), but could be difficult to source. Not if you have contacts at a Danish zoo. StG ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219/30 "2015-12-09T21:39:06Z")
You could try making paper or even fabric, then rolling and lacquering it into a tight cone with a bit of stone in the tip for weight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-natural-thorns-or-spines/739219.md?page=1)