Forged nails vs cut

[Nobody Special]

I've been reading again (a sure way to get into trouble). The book is The Village Blacksmith by Aldren Watson. It's more about blacksmithing than a how to, but not bad, full of tidbits and some illustrations that remind me of the Weygers stuff.

While reading a section near the beginning though, he briefly discusses nail making in colonial America (by smiths and by farm based "factories", kind of like the old cliche about the widow sewing lace or piecework by night) and there are illustrations of various nail types. I've made dozens if not hundreds of square nails, and more than a few round ones. But, these drawings include L shaped rafter spikes, thin lath nails, and thin L shaped or T shaped finish nails.

I thought that these shapes came mostly with the invention of cut nails, circa-late 18th century. I've even heard it quoted as a good way to identify period ironwork. It's not directly stated, but seems implied that these types were also made by smiths. Is that so? If so, how? A thin, slit shaped header for finish nails? A folded over head?

Til I hear from the experts, gonna keep reading, but taking this book cum grano salum salis magnus.

[Bubbasan]

That is interesting , I picked up a nail die from Tom Clark  its a piece of steel with handle and a square head die in the middle. All I did was heat some medium carbon steel rods hammer it

into the hole and walla  perfect square nail head . Tom used to make nails at competition .  I don't think he ever lost.  I will post a picture of it after I buy new camera .GRR.

Just bought a brand new Fuji would not take pics smaller than 1080x 2200 ??  almost all pics are blurred  as you can see in my posts. I used to have a cheap Kodak easy share and it took better pics than most very expensive cameras.

check the reviews.

Sorry about getting off topic , it just bugged me .   James

[Smoggy]

I'm no expert in this area, but I'd suspect that since time in memorial, when ever a builder has needed to join two items together, be they for a boat, building or battle armour then all manor of fixing have been employed. Nails, rivets, bolts. screws, roves and clips in many and various guises......I very much doubt that with the exception of the likes of the snap head rivet much has been a modern industrialisation invention.

Look at the item, ask yourself could you make one at the forge, if the answer is yes, it's likely that is from where it originates!

Edited October 11, 2015 by Smoggy

[Nobody Special]

Makeable, possibly. Screws were available from at least the 16th century....but not in common use as a fastener for another 250 years.

The question is were these other types commonly made as seems to be implied, and how? I can do a rubik's twist on the forge, but it's still anachronistic.

[Wayne]

Go back to the middle ages and even back to the Roman period you will find L T and headless nails in use.

I have several archaeology books showing these, if I get 5 mins later will dig them out and see if I can upload some pic's

[ThomasPowers]

When I teach a blacksmithing class at NM Tech's Community College Fine arts (as an adjunct to the armour making class) the students have to make 2 nails and L headed ones are almost as common as rose heads.  They hit off center to start and that folds the head material to the side and further work continues it.   No problem making them at all---except they are graded on making a rose head.

[SmoothBore]

Looking at it from another perspective .....

ANY product that was popular enough to be a commercially viable product of mass production, ... had to have FIRST been "custom" made, to prove it's utility.

Looking back, We see this all the time, ... where many useful "Custom" made specialty products, fell by the wayside, ... when they were NOT in great enough demand, to be commercially viable.

 

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Edited October 11, 2015 by SmoothBore