Re: Musk is having a bad week

JAB <here@is.invalid> writes:

On 12 Aug 2024 17:14:34 -0300, Mike Spencer
<mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> wrote:
 

I'm pretty sure cut nails came first, then wire nails.

 
The Humble Nail - A Key to Unlock the Past
 
The next phase of progress in nails was the appearance of "cut" nails,
beginning in the very late 1700's
...
...
Cut nails continued as the standard until the end of the 1800's, and
were used in building construction, ships and furniture. These nails
fairly accurately date furniture to the 1900's, although it is worth
remembering that sometimes modern nails were added in subsequent
repairs.
...
...
About 1880 in America and in Europe, the modern wire nail was
developed.
 
 
https://www.harpgallery.com/blog/the-humble-nail-a-key-to-unlock-the-past/

When I learned how to hand-forge nails in the 60s, the Tremont Nail
Company was still in business in  Wareham, Masachusetts.  It was,
AFAIK, the last and only source of cut nails which were still, at that
time, preferred by some wood workers for particular uses.  Since the
end of a cut nail is a square (well, rectangular) surface rather than
a point, when driven into wood it tends to shear the fibers rather
than push the apart, said to reduce splitting in easily splitable
woods such as oak.

Company acquired by Acorn Manufacturing in 2006 and production moved to
Mansfield, Massachusetts. The original Tremont mill is now a national
historic site.

As an aside, hand-forged nails also had a unique feature that made
then preferable to cut and wire nails for certain purposes.  Because
they are tapered over their full length, it was possible, when they
were driven more that completely though, to make them curl up and
clinch whatever was being nailed in place.  Example would be nailing
strap hinges which, when clinched, wouldn't loosen in use.  Wire
nails, being uniform in diameter, can only be bent over, ugly and not
effective.



--
Mike Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada