No longer used in tradeskills (See EQTraders). And after accumulating several hard to get in quantity items, many are made useless. Now I will dump them on a Merchant for half or less than they cost me. Then in a few months the fumble...will bring this stuff back and make it useful for something really desirable with my luck - argh. Sometimes when something isn't broke, why can't they leave well enough alone. They mess up more new and improved things then they succeed at - rant off - argh. Any way as of this date these have become vendor trash.
Had a card of bristlebane drop from a Bloodbone (< 56 Skeleton) in Mistmoor Catacombs, along with a couple high-lvl words and a page of Yaeth's compendium 73. In 90 minutes we had 5 high-level research items there for a 55-61 group. Very nice.