✅ SOLVED How old is this nail?

[relic lover]

I am trying to date a site. Oldest datable object found so far is 1820's. The nail is two and a half inches long the head is the size of a dime. Rings up like brass but sticks to a magnet. Came out of the ground just like this no rust. Site is a mountain Homestead Foundation. My question is how old and what was this type of nail used for?

 

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[ARC]

 

[relic lover]

Thanks so pre 1800 I guess. Bizarre how it has not rusted it must be some kind of alloy. I was pretty shocked when it stuck to a magnet.

 

[BosnMate]

I found where someone must have tipped over an entire bucket of square nails. Some were very rusty, and some weren't hardly rusted at all. Go figure, I sure don't know.

 

[bill_wabo]

They are mostly made of iron but are forged, and become harder and take more time to rust. Just my 2 cents. I always dig some, even with discrimination, but it's part of the game. You have an old spot for sure, good luck!

 

[powrsurg]

Just found a nail and because of the chart now know it's 1790's to 1820. You guys are awesome.

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[DownNDirty]

That's a rose head square nail-18th century.

 

[Tnmountains]

I had heard that nails were at such a premium many would burn down the cabin for nails to take with them when the up and moved.
Good job on the I.D and lets put the green check to it.

 

[relic lover]

I want to mark it solved but I cannot seem to figure out how to do that from my phone app. I am also unable to nominate anyone for the banner from my phone app. And my computer is broken.

 

[alabama11]

Very cool find. Found one near Mobile and my Archaeologist boss said it was a wrought nail and 1700s or eatlier. Find some more.

 

[relic lover]

I have heard the same thing about people burning their cabins and collecting the nails to move out west. It's definitely believable because out west and Nails would have been much more expensive.

 

[HuntinDog]

This rumor has been circulated around for years, but I'm more inclined to think it is false and I've seen no data to prove it.
The intense heat from a fire would change the Metallurgy of the iron, loosing any temper and making the nails to soft and bendable.
This I just my opinion and I don't have any research or testing to prove this.

 

[Tnmountains]

This rumor has been circulated around for years, but I'm more inclined to think it is false and I've seen no data to prove it.
The intense heat from a fire would change the Metallurgy of the iron, loosing any temper and making the nails to soft and bendable.
This I just my opinion and I don't have any research or testing to prove this.

I have a coal burning forge and know they make nails and rivets just never done any. To many other things once you get it running. Might throw some regular concrete cut nails in and then quench a few and see how they do. I have heard like you its just an old tale now.

 

[relic lover]

No reason they couldn't just reheat the nails and quench them then temper them once they got out west. But you are right they would be about as soft as copper after burning in a house

 

[relic lover]

And if you heat a nail red hot and just quench it in water it would probably shatter when you hit it with a hammer hard to say if the average settler would have the knowledge to temper them