Big nail

[Sam Salvati]

Got these nails figured out, I forge a ball on a stem using a ball spring swage, then just taper the stem and put it in my slowly evolving swage block
and head it over. You only need a hole in a block, not a header if your upset head is big enough to give and form a shoulder. Just mild steel.

[Pug}{maN]

what you useing them for ? look good to !

[yesteryearforge]

Nice job Sam

[Sam Salvati]

Pug, nothing specific, they do make a GREAT coat hanger.

 

thanks Mike!

[FordPrefect]

Nice job Sam, I made something similar at Stans hammer-in on his LG 100# power hammer. I kept what I called a pin with a 1/2" round had, made it using ball swage, round tapper, but now you gave me an idea for different application. Unfortunately after all the work I was talking to by brother in law and burnt the pin first in half, forge welded it back together, then burnt the head of it, and that was that. Started a new one since, with a square tapper, I wanted to make a spiral latter holder, also you could easily make a banana holder, cup holder, etc. I will try and finish my new one but not easy with out a ball swage, maybe my friend Stan can make me few ball swadges of various sizes (5/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1"), for that he already said I need to make a trip to IL.

[bosox]

Very creative! Like the design on its head .

[ThomasPowers]

Clavos, decorative nails, are a common feature in Spanish colonial door work.

[bigfootnampa]

Well you could as easily make them with a header and I don't see the advantage of a spring swage???  Just start with thick enough stock to give enough mass for the head and then draw down from there.  That's how I do it.  What is the difference between smashing a cylinder and smashing an orb?

[bigfootnampa]

That IS a NICE nail though!

[beth]

sam i LOVE that nail.! its great! very pleasing :)

[Sam Salvati]

Well you could as easily make them with a header and I don't see the advantage of a spring swage???  Just start with thick enough stock to give enough mass for the head and then draw down from there.  That's how I do it.  What is the difference between smashing a cylinder and smashing an orb?

 

BFNampa, I make them from the little lollipops because I use them for alot of different things, nice to have a bunch of pieces sitting around that can be turned into 10 different things from one preform, takes me one heat to make each one. Plus, I like the ball as it makes QUITE a good centered and very round head for my nails.

[Ironman50]

Neat work!  Spotless.

 

 

 

 

http://www.sawblade.com

[bigfootnampa]

BFNampa, I make them from the little lollipops because I use them for alot of different things, nice to have a bunch of pieces sitting around that can be turned into 10 different things from one preform, takes me one heat to make each one. Plus, I like the ball as it makes QUITE a good centered and very round head for my nails.

Fair enough. I often prefer a rough or rustic rounded head... but I can see doing it your way too.  Thanks for sharing BTW! Your posts are always interesting!

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

Sam, have you seen the "BIG NAIL" that Danger Dillon and a bunch of blacksmiths in Atlanta made??  It is about 7 foot long and has touchmarks of blacksmiths from all over the country.  It was made to honor Tom Clark.  I forget where it is mounted now.

[Dillon Sculpture]

Thats not a nail, THIS is a nail... :o Ben Bradshaw has it... 

 

A side note the man standing directly behind me in this photo name is Mike Shaffer.  I just posted a dragon that Dan Boone made that was in Mike's collection, Mike just passed a few months ago.