What are modern nails made of? steel?

[OhioDeb]

Just wondering what modern nails are made of. OhioDeb

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[NOLA_Ken]

Usually mild steel, there are specialty nails made of stainless, aluminum and copper too.

 

[Keppy]

Usually mild steel, there are specialty nails made of stainless, aluminum and copper too.

That's right they could be made of any type of metal...........

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Regular nails are still steel or iron or whatever, but remember, some of them have an anodized type zinc micro-coating (that silvery color they have when they're brand new). So a fresh one can have a slightly different signal than an older rusty one, since that micro-plating is only on fresh ones.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Regular nails are still steel or iron or whatever, but remember, some of them have an anodized type zinc micro-coating (that silvery color they have when they're brand new). So a fresh one can have a slightly different signal than an older rusty one, since that micro-plating is only on fresh ones.

True, and there are actually two types of galvanized nails commonly used, one is basically electroplated, and the zinc is very thin, the other "hot dip" are nails that were actually dipped in molten zinc and have a much thicker coating.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Good info. Ken. I've found these fresh nails before, that were trying to give a good signal (even though I knew they were iron), and this explains why. I suppose it doesn't take long, in the soil anywhere, for this electrocoating to break down, and for them to give the tell-tale reject iron signal. But when they're fresh, they might try to bleed through because of this.

 

[Keppy]

Well right now i have nails in my garage made of , steel ,iron , aluminum ,stainless , and , copper .... So you can find nails made from any kind of metal............. not just iron & steel..........

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Well right now i have nails in my garage made of , steel ,iron , aluminum ,stainless , and , copper .... So you can find nails made from any kind of metal............. not just iron & steel..........

sounds like my shop room, a little bit of everything.

 

[Frankn]

And you have to remember that steel is an alloy of iron and various other metals.
Modern square nails known as cut nails have metals added to make them hard. They will break before they will bend. There are extremely hard nails for nailing in concrete like PK nails. There appears to be no limit on what nails can be made of. Frank

 

[Montauk3]

my nails are made of keratin.

HTH

 

[cassrh]

Actually, modern nails are made from a special allow that is scientifically designed to bend 45 degrees when it is half way through the board.

 

[lookindown]

Actually, modern nails are made from a special allow that is scientifically designed to bend 45 degrees when it is half way in the board.

And all this time I thought it was user error.