Replies

1. 
   joinerswork | Jun 02, 2009 03:55am | #1

   chris,

   Predrill, using a bit diameter that matches the thickness of the untapering side of the nails.  If the wood is one that splits easily, you may want to waggle the bit a little as it enters the wood to provide a bit more room for the fat part of the nail's shank.

   ray

1. 
   flairwoodworks | Jun 02, 2009 08:07am | #3

   Thanks ray. I predrilled the first board, then pounded the nails in without any problems. I realized it's been a long time since I've really swung a hammer.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com and now http://www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

1. 
   AdamCherubini | Jun 02, 2009 07:25pm | #4

   I got some advice on this I'd like to pass on:  When driving these nails, lots of small hits seem to work best.  Save the "mighty blows" for carpentry.  The slow knife cuts best.  Think of it how ever you want.  But this has been my experience. 

   Also, make sure you drive your nails straight.  When tapping in cut nails close to the (end grain) edge, you have a better chance of "chunking out" a portion if you send teh nail in at an angle. 

   Adam

2. 
   WillGeorge | Jun 04, 2009 01:16pm | #5

   Ray

   Predrill, using a bit diameter that matches the thickness of the untapering side of the nails.

   I have some really old and new cut-nails. The new ones seem to be hardened and can drive into cement with a big hammer.

   The old ones just soft iron I 'reclaimed' from old wood.

   All I have, new and old,  all have a taper the full length? What?

   I never noticed.. I'll have a look... For That untapered side...

   I just drive them in and nothing ever splits. However, never into 1/2 inch wood at a corner...

   I have made a few from hammered 8 Guage solid copper wire. Not a 'real' nail.. Just fer show!

   Thanks!

   EDIT:

   Adam had a really good thought!

   Annealed the metal 'making it softer, more ductile less brittle' ideally the whole piece would be annealed and then retempered 'making it harder again'

   How to with copper? And they did this thousand of years ago!

   And without my help!

   When I run into a problem like this I dring alot of Jack Or I go to Utube and watch this very old song that my wife and I played together if we got pissed at each other..

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVoN-xmVtNA&feature=related

   And after I wish she could watch today with me today..

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORbF--V3_eQ&feature=related

   Edited 6/4/2009 6:48 am by WillGeorge

1. 
   joinerswork | Jun 04, 2009 02:49pm | #6

   Hi Will,

   Cut nails got to be called cut nails because they are cut from a length of sheet steel.  So they have two tapered sides, the sides that were "cut", and two untapered sides, the sides that were the top and bottom of the sheet metal piece.  This was cutting edge (heh heh) technology in the early 1800's, and made nails a lot cheaper than when you had to pay a blacksmith (or his kid) to make them one at a time. With old cut nails, you can often see the marks from the shear on the tapered edges.

   If your old nails are tapered on all four sides, they are probably forged, ie blacksmith made.  Often you can make out the marks from the smith's hammer on the heads of hand forged nails.  And, their shanks frequently come to a fairly sharp point or edge, rather than being blunt, as cut nails are.

   Ray

1. 
   WillGeorge | Jun 06, 2009 06:54am | #8

   Ray thanks! I though such but not sure...

2. 
   saschafer | Jun 04, 2009 04:16pm | #7

   Annealing/hardening works differently for different metals, but most metals will anneal if you heat them to near their melting point, and allow them to cool fairly slowly (this doesn't work for all metals, though). And most metals will work-harden; that is, they will get harder the more you "work" (bend, hammer, etc.) them. This is how copper wire is hardened to make nails: either the wire is bent back and forth or it is repeatedly struck with a hammer.

   -Steve

    

2. 
   Tinkerer3 | Jun 02, 2009 05:53am | #2

   I have found that if I put the wood under compression with clamps so the wood just cannot split that it helps. 

3. 
   roc | Jun 07, 2009 04:48am | #9

   Hi Chris,

   I have no actual experience but Christopher Schwarz is very positive about them in his DVD

   Forgotten Hand Tools

   He talks a fair amount about them and I recommend the DVD in general.

   roc

   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )