Square Nails

If there is a way to restore square nails, you could use them..

I haven't found any yet as I am new to this hobby myself. But, have a few places that I haven't looked. I'm planning a hunt in about a week so I can spend a few hours practicing and hopefully finding something.

How many would you like me me to send you?

These old Lake Michigan ports are carpeted with them of all sizes from the original docks.

Irons said:

How many would you like me me to send you?

These old Lake Michigan ports are carpeted with them of all sizes from the original docks.

Click to expand...

Funny you should say that. My wife is a teacher here in Las Vegas and she collects old items and puts them in a mining museum they have at her school. She teaches at a math and science magnet school and I hope to find some interesting items when I hunt.

I acually have a nice pile of them over the past few years. I keep the ones that are still in good shape but the pieces and rusted up ones that are to far gone I toss into my scrap metal bucket. My wife scratches her head wondering why I keep all that old rusty c-r-a-p (as she puts it) I say because its old and I love the history of the items. I doubt she will ever understand but maybe one day she will get into the hobby also and stop complaining about having all that rusty goodness in the house lol.

For "crafty" folk, square nails can be fashioned into things that are very saleable. Hammered into rings, they can be sold to tourists. "This iron ring, made from a square nail, was once part of a Colonial building! Now you, too, and own a piece of (insert name of state/town) history! Found (X) feet deep with a metal detector, this is not a reproduction!"

There are also instructions on the Internets for making crosses from horse shoe nails. These (ESPECIALLY square nails!) make wonderful Lenten crosses to wear. Made from actual antique square nails they sell as well as the rings do. Better because guys buy 'em.

Hammered flatter, they can become money clips, bookmarks, even hair fasteners, linked together to make bracelets, belts, pendants anything.

I'll happily take some off your hands. I could make things that would help me pay the rent! Since I make things for the Cathedral de St Francis D'Assis here in Santa Fe (PRIME tourist traffic!) I'd love to try my hand at them.

I will look up metalworking and see what items can be fashioned! Let me know the postage and I'll re-imburse you.

SageGrouse.

One man's trash is another man's treasure. Some folks like and keep stuff that others toss out. Keep some of whatever you think is cool, you can always toss it out if you ever decide it wasn't that cool after all. I don't keep nails, rusted out axe heads, or most rusty old iron. Some folks collect shell casings and the brass portions of old shotgun shells, I throw all of them out. I put all old bullets in my scrap lead can to melt for fishing weights. I keep all the odd little enameled buttons with mottos or organization names because I like them even if they are worthless. Just keep what you love and toss the rest.

I occasionally keep the odd one that is in decent shape... the rest I toss in the trash.

Iron pays

Not much, but over time you'll get money out of it. Also there are people who are fanatical about original restoration