[TheForge] nail header question

[Bob Willman]

	I make mine larger away from the head end.
Also there can be no sharp edges under the head.
I rounded all 4 edges slightly especially in the corners.
I also quench the nail in the header and then tap the
tip on surface of the anvil and the nail should pop out. 


Bob Willman
Bowling Green, Ohio
The Eagle's Anvil
WB8NQW

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
Steven.Walker at its.state.ms.us
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 9:50 PM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [TheForge] nail header question


   I  recently  purchased a nail header from Tom Clark at Ozark School of
   Blacksmithing  and  I am having some trouble with nails getting wedged
   in  it  after  forming  the  nail head.  I did some reading about nail
   headers and how to make them and the tapered square hole in mine seems
   to  be  punched  in the opposite direction than what I've read you are
   supposed to do.
   The  one I bought from Ozark S of B has the tapered hole larger on the
   top   of   the   dome   and   smaller   on  the  bottom....like  this:
   ======\  /
   This originally seemed correct to me because that's the same direction
   the  nail  tapers.  However, hammering down on the head is pushing the
   tapered  nail  into  the tapered hole and making contact evenly on all
   sides....and getting stuck.
   However,  after  reading  various  blacksmith's instructions on how to
   make  one,  they all seem to  say to make the taper smaller on  top of
   the  dome  and  larger  at  the  bottom  to keep the nail from getting
   stuck.....like this: ======/  \
   Seems with the hole tapered like the one I bought \  / , the nail gets
   wedged  and stuck when I form the head of the nail. I have to pound on
   it to get it out and it always screws the nail up.
   My  question  is what is the correct way to taper the hole in the nail
   header. I wondering if Ozark S of B might have punched the taper in my
   backward accidentally.  Being a blacksmithing newbie, I'd like to here
   some thoughts on this before I call and talk to Ozark S of B about the
   nail  header  I bought.  For all I know there are different schools of
   thought on how to taper the hole.
   You input will be greatly appreciated.
   Thanks!
   Steven Walker
   Crystal Springs, MS
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