Cut nails

[ATG]

When salvaging old wood for the stove, all of the nails that I hammer out are cut nails. But some modern frames also come out with big cut nails in them. Are they better than round nails for some purposes? Seems that with their blunt end they are going to rip their way into the wood rather than go in smoothly. Are they dramatically cheaper than round nails?

ATG

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

Cut nail's are very good for pine flooring ,they don't split the wood because of the blunt end punches the wood through the board, unlike round or oval nails which split the fibres of wood ,but nailing proceedure needs a little more attention ,twisting the body of the nail if it goes a bit skewed.they also grip the joist very well,I havent bought cut nails for year's ,but used to be readily available in London

 

[gregers]

like wise,mind you bet there bloody expensive now.

 

[joinerjohn]

Victorian joiners used cut nails for almost everything. I've seen modern joiners almost stuck trying to remove Victorian door frames, held in with cut nails and timber wedges.

 

[gregers]

yep ive hung off them with a wrecking bar totally destroyed the d/frame and the bloody thing still didnt move.
then you hit it twice each way with a hammer and it snaps amazing things aint they.