They insist that there is a fair trade for the bone and horns. On occasion, his own animals help to pad out his reservoir of materials. And it won't be the first time that a customer has turned up with a heap of bones and asked for an object to be made from them, hoping for a very reduced rate. Edgar is not such a push over. Quality materials are important, just like with any other job.
Bone is good for carving and is very good when only bent or forced in one direction.
This makes it ideal for buckles for example, but not strong enough for combs. Riveting through bone is more tricky than it is with antler or horn, although bone will give you fairly thick plates of material where antler can be disappointing. This means that buckles, thick pins such as cloak pins, plates for panelling wooden game boards or complete boxes are made from bone. Skates and whistles are made of bone because of its naturally strong tube shape. Its complex shape makes it unpredictable and difficult to judge until it has been cut.