My oldest find.

[PBrad]

I had today off so I was able to go out exploring some local areas. One of them was the site of an old college that was in operation from 1860-1885. All that is left now are just ruins. A chimney, a masonic corner stone, and a few partial walls. Didn't get many hits with the AT Pro as I am pretty sure it's been picked clean all these years as they're trying to preserve it. I found a few caps, an old tin can, and a square nail. I'm assuming that this nail is from the same time period from what I have read. My first relic?

 

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[Bizzo]

I'm not a nail expert, but it's hard to tell by the picture. Is the head square? I find a lot of more modern nails that look square because of the rust. I have a site that produces square nails at a rate of about 20 modern nails to a square nail so I check all of them haha. The easiest way I think is to just look at the head. If it is a square nail that's a pretty cool find. It could easily be from the school. I believe people stopped using square nails around the turn of the century.

 

[villagenut]

Some guys toss these into their scrap pile as they are a nuisance when looking for what they are "masking off' below them, but I see them a little differently. They are just as much a part of the history of a site as a button or anything else..although not as desirable. If I am finding these at old home sites that I have researched and I know who lived there, who built it and so on, I treat the old nails with the dignity that they once had as they held the building together, nail by nail. Mind you, not all nails are conservation candidates. But there are some that hold a lot of meat still and with various sizes used in a structure, they make a nice addition to a display, especially if it is a case containing artifacts strictly from a known home site. For your first relic, take care of it, or it will crumble. There are steps that we go through that will make a little nail a whole lot prettier, and give it a longer life. I would look into those steps if you think you will want to preserve it...or any other iron you will be digging. nice nail though, they are real artifacts no matter what naysayers say.

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

Check that cornerstone to see if they put a "time capsule" in it! That would have been very common in that era!

Iowa Dale

 

[against the wind]

Well I guess you nailed it, , lol
Congrats

 

[trapperart]

Congrats

 

[kingskid1611]

That's not a nail its a tooth pick. At least that what I sometimes use nails for when I can't find a toothpick.....

 

[Trezurehunter]

Congrats on your first relic "mini boomerang".

 

[PBrad]

Bizzo, it is hard to tell from the picture. At first I thought it was just a nail but upon closer inspection I noticed it looked square so I brought it home. After looking at it under glass, I could easily see it was square.

villagenut, I am definitely keeping this one. Just gotta search on how to preserve this thing now.

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[CRUSADER]

I have a nail collection....lol You have some catching up to do. 1 is a nail, 2 is a collection.

I like this quote from Detectorists (UK TV);

"he was a collector of collections, a collections collector"

You will soon fit that bracket, if your not already!

 

[sutphin]

PBRAD WELCOME TO TNET AND I SEE YOU ARE OFF AND RUNNING ..

 

[Hitndahed]

Check that cornerstone to see if they put a "time capsule" in it! That would have been very common in that era!

Iowa Dale

=======================================================================
EXACTLY,,
Unless it has been visibly broken into I would be taking a wack with a BFH for sure.
GUARANTEED to probably contain goodies.

 

[PBrad]

=======================================================================
EXACTLY,,
Unless it has been visibly broken into I would be taking a wack with a BFH for sure.
GUARANTEED to probably contain goodies.

The corner stone is still intact with the rest of the corner of the building. I will not destroy it looking for items. As I mentioned they are trying to preserve it and is a registered historical site. But I would like to know.

 

[Scrappy]

I love finding them cut square nails! That means the site is old - how old is up to speculation but it looks like a cut nail so it's probably 19th Century. Keep looking and you'll find your oldest coin I'm betting!

 

[46Wheat]

I don't always like finding nails but when im looking for a long gone home or building it lets me know im in the right area . On those occasions if im looking for a place long gone and the first thing I find is a cut or handmade nail I usually keep it . The easiest way to tell if its a cut nail or an older hand made nail is the cut nails are tapered on 2 sides and the blacksmith forged nails are tapered on all 4 sides

 

[digger460]

Quick question. Today's modern cut nails can't be bent, they'll just break. Were they like that back in the day?

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Quick question. Today's modern cut nails can't be bent, they'll just break. Were they like that back in the day?

The old ones are a bit softer and they will bend, to a degree. if you push them too far they'll break. I have a bunch of them I just pulled from some lumber I salvaged out of an 1850's house here, when we replace old trim I like to cut the heads off the old nails and use them to hide my modern nails and screws, and I occasionally use them when I'm building furniture to give it a nice old look. It would be really hard to date the one posted here since it's so rusted, but the easiest method if they're in good shape is to look at how the head was made, if it's machine stamped or hand hammered. I found a site that gives dating info on them, and if I can find it again I'll link it here

 

[NOLA_Ken]

https://www.uvm.edu/~histpres/203/nails.html

 

[DownNDirty]

Speaking of forged nails I have found several at colonial home sites that are curled up at the tip-not bent over but completely curled around. Any info on those? I don't think it would have been possible to shape a nail this way by accident, when hammering it into a board. I have wondered if blacksmiths sometimes heated nails and curled them to made some sort of hook; any ideas?

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Speaking of forged nails I have found several at colonial home sites that are curled up at the tip-not bent over but completely curled around. Any info on those? I don't think it would have been possible to shape a nail this way by accident, when hammering it into a board. I have wondered if blacksmiths sometimes heated nails and curled them to made some sort of hook; any ideas?

I've come across some like that, I think it may be from them being driven through a board and hitting something hard on the other side, like a foundation stone maybe. Not sure if that's really what's going on, but I have seen nails curl from hitting concrete.