Aren't nails great!

[monkey_trousers]

Aren\'t nails great!

started the deck surgery proper today. chainsawed a nice big hole, some soggy bits of wood (knees) fell off, and a few other bits, but the nails left in the soggy mass were mosty in superb condition, so much so I'm going to re-use some

some of the biggest were starting to look their age, pulled one that was 12" - went through a knee into a beam then into a frame. Notably, it was the square ones that were in fine fettle, the round ones not looking their best, but at 70 who can blame them

is there some scientific magic about square nails i've not heard of?

 

[Peterduck]

Re: Aren\'t nails great!

They may be made made from Low Moor iron. This was particularly pure and sulphur-free, and so was quite resistant to corrosion. Many of the old iron Clippers which are still around were plated with Low Moor iron.
Peter.

 

[cliffordpope]

Re: Aren\'t nails great!

That bears out what I was told when I got replacement wrought iron keel bolts made a few years ago. There is ordinary wrought iron, and proper stuff for marine use. The latter hasn't been made for a century, so the only supply is from re-worked old iron.

I read somewhere of old Chinese junks being broken up and the nails being found still in perfect condition. I think they annealed them by dipping red-hot into tar.
A book I read long ago by someone who built a boat in his garden said he copied the technique by using tar scraped up from the road. He inadvertanly tested his boat when it fell of the trailer during loading and ploughed a hole in his garden, but was undamaged. After that he sailed round the world.

 

[monkey_trousers]

Re: Aren\'t nails great!

Is that Low Moor as in low moor near Bradford by any chance

not that it makes a difference, just curious as I lived near there for a while as a boy, and remember local history stuff telling of a foundry famed for its gun metal among other things in Low Moor

 

[Peterduck]

Re: Aren\'t nails great!

I don't know the exact location, but I always understood it to be somewhere in or near Lancashire, so if there is a Low Moor near Bradford, I assume that that would be it.
Peter.