Any idea what this is?

[WVNed]

I picked this up on the beach at the Outer Banks about 55 years ago.
It is a part of a bone that is 28 inches long, straight and pointy.
I have always wondered what it came from

 

[Crabs McJones]

No idea, but how cool would it be if it was a fragment of a rib bone from a whale or something :)

 

[WVNed]

The ends

It has grooves down one side.

It used to be sharper but is has taken some wear being knocked around the house for a long time

 

[WVNed]

No idea, but how cool would it be if it was a fragment of a rib bone from a whale or something :)

I have had that thought before but their doesn't seem to be such a long straight pointy bone in a whale.

 

[Lukas75]

To be honest it looks a bit like the center woody area of a palm frond.

Is it bony like it's relatively new or is it fossilized?

 

[WVNed]

It is a bone I think. It is as I found it. There was no flesh on it.
It is very straight. There aren't a lot of things that grow that are straight.

 

[JonoB]

The tooth of a narwhale!

 

[Lukas75]

It is a bone I think. It is as I found it. There was no flesh on it.
It is very straight. There aren't a lot of things that grow that are straight.

Right, and now that I see it definitely no place for the leaves to attach. I questioned if it was fossilized because vertebral spines are common throughout history, but I can't think of anything living that would have one that long.

Looking at some whale skeletons it could be the upper jaw portion of the skull. Kind of the nose bone. Maybe a juvenile finback or humpback.
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/humpback-whale-skeleton-millard-h-sharp.html

 

[Lasse]

The tooth of a narwhale!

+1

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Lukas75]

I'm thinking not narwhal for two reasons. The narwhal tooth is rounded and spiraled and the outer banks is about two to three thousand miles south of its natural habitat. Not impossible for it to find its way there, but unlikely.

 

[diverpat]

It kinda looks like an old swordfish bill.

 

[fish farmer]

It kinda looks like an old swordfish bill.

I was thinking the same...billfish.

 

[WVNed]

That might be it

I think we have a winner.
Swordfish bills, sanded and polished. These polished swordfish bills range in size from 18 inches up to 34 inches long and are used in the art of scrimshaw, for carving and for making swords, daggers and letter openers.

Mine is decorated too.

My Mom wrote my name on it when I took it to show and tell in first grade. My Mom passed away several years ago.

I thought they were round or triangular

Thanks.
I have had this a long time and might put it on the wall instead of some closet.

 

[cracker]

very cool !

 

[Lukas75]

That’s it!

 

[JonoB]

I was mostly joking about the narwhale, but looks like I was on the right track :D:p Pretty awesome though!

 

[Lukas75]

I was mostly joking about the narwhale, but looks like I was on the right track :D:p Pretty awesome though!

You were definitely closer than me :)

 

[cracker]

It does look like bone. Came from the sea, Very interesting !