Dug up 5" square nail-researched it

[bayhawk2]

Today I visited old town and done some metal detecting.Not much,but did
find an old 5 " long Rectangle Nail.
Notice I said Rectangle?I was going to say square nail,but then I did some
research and found this.The nail I found as you can see was handmade
somewhere before the 1880's.Since it was Rectangle shaped.
So for me this was news.I had always just called them square nails.
BUT I was wrong.The three pics of the holes that a nail leaves,
tells the whole story.So when you see a square nail,is it really square?
Or is it somewhat newer?Rectangle is still very old,but now we know.
Did this help you?It did me.

 

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[villagenut]

I still call them square nails, but did you know there was a type A and a type B? The plot thickens.......

 

[coinman123]

Used that same diagram after buying my house, checking to see how old each addition was. Very interesting when I first saw it, I didn't know there was any difference. The ones that leave a square hole are normally the very old completely hand forged rose head nails. The rectangular ones were machine made I believe, but I could be wrong.

 

[bayhawk2]

[I still call them square nails, but did you know there was a type A and a type B? The plot thickens..]


After reading your response and making another trip to the internet,you are right.
I found this picture.So mine is the type "B".Cut nail.
Judging from my other finds in the same area,I think around 1870-1880.
Thanks for the A & B info.Made me research.Many Detectorist simply dig it and either
throw things away or throw them in a collection box.
Me?I research things.It's all a part of what it means to be in the hobby...two thumbs up.

 

[bayhawk2]

(Coinman 123)-You are correct.Check out the other pic I found in response to 'villagenut'.I
suspect that a "cut nail" is probably machine made.
Or is it hade made and then cut?..)