Wanted: Hand forged / antique nails

[gjclayton]

I'm looking for some antique, hand forged, strong nails for a number of projects I'm planning.

They can be a bit rusty, found in your shed, in Grampa's tool box, whatever. But I would like them about 2.5 - 3 inches long, or longer.

I missed out on some like these recently and kicking myself now.

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I can swap for numerous things, antler tines, leather, leather watch straps, name your price!

Thanks!

 

[Dave Budd]

you do know that you can buy hand forged nails from living history and suppliers I would offer to make them, but nail makers (and mechanical versions) would be cheaper

 

[gjclayton]

I would buy them from those sources but they seem to sell them in bulk and for more than I would want to pay for them.
I only need a couple really.
Hoping someone had a few banging around somewhere!
Btw- I like your seller thread Dave. I feel like I have a commission you might be able to help me with. I need to clear some projects first mind!

 

[Dogoak]

I'll have a rummage. I saved some from the cottage during our renovation, not sure where they are so no promises

 

[gjclayton]

Thanks dogoak. Won't hold ny breath buy if you find any ill take them off you!

 

[ged]

I'm looking for some antique, hand forged, strong nails for a number of projects I'm planning.

They can be a bit rusty, found in your shed, in Grampa's tool box, whatever. But I would like them about 2.5 - 3 inches long, or longer. ...

I might be able to help you. I collected a few (surprisingly few) from gutting a 300 year old French farmhouse so they're certified antique, but I'm not sure what quantities and sizes I have. I just threw them in a pot in case somebody on here asked about them one day! I think they were mostly on the smaller side but I'll have a look. I think they're kicking around in the shed somewhere. Some of them were bent or otherwise mangled but I'm sure you could straighten them, they won't be high tensile.

 

[tombear]

I hope you don't mind piggy backing on this thread but I am looking for a few hand made nails myself, but in the under 1.5 inch long size so i'm not after the ones you want.

in the us they seam freely available, new made, but they tend to be sold by the pound and the postage would be a killer.

Ive been taking pics and measurements in museums of what I think of as nailed treen, for a few years, fireside salt boxes, wooden hearth tinder boxes, candle boxes, spoon and clay pipe racks, that sort of thing and am trying to scrape together the materials. It would be nice to do them with " real" nails is all.

atb

Tom

 

[gjclayton]

I have found them online here and they come in all sorts of sizes. Although they are newly made too.

Thanks Ged let me know what you find.

 

[Everything Mac]

Square or round?

Andy

 

[gjclayton]

Square or round?

Andy

Either really.

Whatever is available....

 

[Everything Mac]

Well I can do the hand forged bit but antique not so much.

 

[ged]

I might be able to help you. I collected a few ... I think they're kicking around in the shed somewhere. ...

Well I've had a look this weekend but not been able to spend much time on it and not found them. I think they've got buried under a small mountain of other stuff.

I know they're there somewhere so I'll keep an eye out and post back when they turn up.

 

[Dogoak]

Sorry mate, same story as above, just can't find them. No doubt they will turn up eventually!

 

[gjclayton]

No worries I think I got it sorted for the moment.

 

[gjclayton]

Thanks though!

 

[ged]

Just back from doing some more in France, when I had a spare minute I picked up a handful of nails.

Here's a photo:

http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/nails.jpg

The scale is centimetres. This photo is of all the nails I can lay my hands on at the moment, but there are a lot more in a tin somewhere in the shed if I can ever find it.

Most of them are about the size shown, that is about 6-7cm long, and they're all of this cut sheet construction. Many of them have been horribly bent either when originally driven into iron-like oak or during abuse by previous owners for unknown reasons.

One of those in the photo has been in a fire before I ever got to it. Many of them have, the house was at some time in the past almost gutted by fire after an arson attack. Fortunately most of the larger timbers survived.

I don't have much idea how old these nails are, but they must date at least from the nineteenth century. The original house itself is much older, it's an old farmhouse which was much extended over the centuries.

The area is called Languedoc-Roussillon, it's in the south of France which was once famously the heart of Catalan iron production and later steel-making, so the nails were probably made locally.

We're still digging up from the garden odd examples of strange iron artefacts like window grilles cut from sheet, apparently with a chisel!

 

[finnmike]

Have you found enought nails for your project ?
I would have several 8 inch nails for strong use. Looks same than in your pictures but nails head aren´t pyramid shape.
Before I was thinking at use them riveting the old door´s hinges and wood planks.

 

[gjclayton]

I ended up moving onto modern masonry nails. I'd love to see these nails you're talking about and maybe see if I can purchase some off you or swap sommink for em!

 

[ozzy1977]

Ask a local timber framer, when i needed a handful for some doors i was making for a 17centry barn he gave me some, and he had all sortsof sizes

 

[finnmike]

I have this kind of nails. These nails are unused but slighly there can be rust.


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