[TheForge] Re: Nails

[John Chobrda]

> I'll try to explain more fully what I did yesterday:

Took an old chisel, flattened it and upset it into a domed shape leaving it about
3/8 thick. Annealed the piece and drilled a small hole thru the center of the
dome. Heated it and drove a square tapered drift thru the hole from the under
side, quenched in oil. Took 1/4 sq. and forged nail with a sholder to sit on top
of dome. Cut nail almost off reheated to almost orange, put in header, twisted
off, forged head, STUCK.

1. Is the degree of the taper critical.
2. How loose should the nail be in the header before you head it.
3. When you form the head, do you try not to strike straight down, and just use
     angled blows to form the head.

Thanks in advance
John C.