Krysta Ryzewski Robert Gordon

Abstract

Characteristics diagnostic of manufacturing technique are retained in the microstructure of iron nails even though the original surfaces are lost in corrosion. Distinctive metal structures differentiate hand-forged and machine-made nails. The one-operation machines that automatically cut and headed nails left unique shear bands in the nail-head metal. Presence of these shear bands indicates that nails cut and headed by machine were in use in Rhode Island before 1781. Before about 1815 nail machines in New England operated on pre-heated iron plate, as shown by the recrystallization of the shear band. Nails made thereafter until about
1850 were formed from cold iron and have un-recrystallized shear bands. Cut nails made after about 1850 are in the longitudinal rather then transverse orientation, and have a folded head structure resulting from improved design of the nail machine header grips.

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References
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How to Cite
Historical nail-making techniques revealed in metal structure. (2021). Historical Metallurgy, 42(1), 50-64. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/204
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