Square Nails

[CoinSniper]

I used to find many square nails when I used to hunt ghost towns and old cellar holes... still have this collection. Anyone know how much authentic square nails go for? Also, if you know who would be interested in them that would be helpful (assuming a contruction worker, etc.)

Thanks

 

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[Cannonman17]

I've never heard of anybody that wants square nails... pretty abundant... I would think a construction worker would opt for new ones from the hardware store. If you find somebody who is actually willing to pay you for sqaure nails let me know, I'll stop throwing them away when I find 'em.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Prior to 1790, nails were hand forged. Around 1790, machine-cut square nails were invented, and they were used primarily until 1890, when wire nails were invented. By the end of 1890, 50 percent of the nails being used were wire nails. By 1895, 75 percent of the nails being used were wire nails. If your site had more than 50 percent square nails, we can cautiously assume that the site dates to before 1890

 

[stefen]

Not to take away from the intended direction of this string, however new square nails can still be purchased today.

Some years back I purchased a box full and still have them in my wood shop.

Although I haven't had any reason to look, but the manufacturer's name may be on the box.

 

[TreasureTales]

Many times an unusual way to display items will lead to making a sale. What I mean is this: One of my uncles used to be an antique dealer. He'd buy estates and then try to sell EVERYTHING he got from the estate. Many of the bigger things and valuable things were easy to sell. It was the smaller, common things that he had a hard time selling. Then he got an idea. If you take something common and turn it into something unique or attractive...maybe you can sell it. So he took things like square nails and glued them onto a 1/4" sheet of plywood, which he cut down to a size that could fit into a piture frame. The picture frames he chose were always older ones, but maybe a little beat up. Anyway, he'd glue the nails into designs like sunbursts or log cabins and he sold the framed "pictures" pretty well. He even took the brass ends of shotgun shells and did the same designs with them, also selling the framed "pictures" for some good money. One shotgun shell "picture" was where he glued the butts into the shape of a shotgun. That one sold very quickly.
Try thinking outside the box and maybe you can find interesting ways to use the common items you find. I have often thought that shot shell butts might make interesting buttons. How about gluing the nails into a three-dimensional "log" cabin? Use them like Lincoln logs or match sticks.

 

[buscadero]

TT: You took the same path I was going to take. You can sell virtually anything if you package it up nice. Guys are always looking for Decor Pieces to put in their Den, Bar, Office, etc. Sellers have been doing it w/ Barbed Wire for yrs. Label it up nice & give it a Historical Slant.

Presto! You've made Money$$$!

Joe

 

[Section10]

I have seen old square nails arranged into the shape of the Christian cross using fine copper wire. As I recall two longer ones tied together with heads opposite as the upright and two shorter ones tied the same way as the cross piece. At a flea market they were selling, but I can't recall the price.

 

[shanegalang]

I framed homes for 21 plus years. The square nails everyone are refering to are generally used to attach "sole" plates, the green 2x4 treated wood that is the bottom of a wall. These are used for driving into concrete and I have found that they work better than the spiral drill bit looking types. There was a time when the first thing they did before building a house was "cut" nails from wire. Thus they are generally in my experience called "cut" nails.

 

[PALEOMAN]

i was helping clean out a guys shop one time in montana and he had a whole wooden keg full of em. still in perfect condition

 

[allen]

you want to buy all of my square nails !!!!

 

[mrjosh]

25 years ago my dad was helping restore a house from the mid 1800s when he found several pounds of these unused. At that time we were doing 'living history' reinactments, so he used them for that when he made stuff for those. To make it to old.