[TheForge] nail header

[Michael H. Murphy]

I've been known to take three heats when I'm showing people all the little
steps.  But my name is not Peter Ross, so I'm satisfied with the two-heat
method.  Damn, that guy is good!

Murf

> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:theforge-
> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ralph E Douglass
> Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 4:26 PM
> To: Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] nail header
> 
> Albin Drzewianowski wrote:
> >
> > Tom Clark has a good suggestion for making nails.  He always does it in
> 2
> > heats.
> >
> > In the first heat,   he shoulders, draws out the nail and then notches
> > almost all the way through.
> >
> > (Now here is what he does different) Bend the nail rod at the notch to
> about
> > a 60 degree angle and put it back into the fire with the notch/head down
> > into the fire and the tip pointing up.  (what this does, is it heats up
> the
> > head with out the  risk of  burning off the fine tip of the nail.  By
> > reheating the head in a 2nd heat, you insure that the head will spread
> out
> > nicely.)
> >
> > Then take the nail out of the fire, twist it off in the header and form
> the
> > head.
> >
> > I now use this is system and definitely get larger and better shaped
> nail
> > heads.
> >
> > You can do a nail in one heat, but I think that no matter how fast you
> are,
> > you are really forcing the steel to form the head at that point. The
> head
> > forms so much easier after the 2nd heat with Tom's system.
> >
> > Albin Drzewianowski
> > Westminster, MD.
> 
> Have you ever seen Peter Ross or any of the other smiths form Old
> Williamsburg make nails?
> The nail is still pretty bright red when the nail hits the floor. And
> with only one heat.
> 
> I timed him. It was an average of about 24 secs per nail and 25 hammer
> blows.
> Best I did was 30 nails an hour.
> 
> But I will say that I do like reheating the nail in exactly the same
> manner that Tom does.
> 
> Ralph
> --
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
> Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision."
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