🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Lead nails ?

[John of Long Island.]

Hello, I found two of these lead nails… ? I don’t know what they are. Dug in the same town but 2 miles apart. The areas were yielding early 1800’s. A mile from a harbor. One is 2 1/2” and the other is 3 1/2”. Lead. Peened at the top. I showed a view people in the hobby and they don’t know. They seem to agree on the 1700’s. I’m new to the hobby. Would they make lead nails back in the day ? I’ve heard of lead headed nails for roofing… thank you the help. John

 

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[creskol]

Looking at the mushrooming on the bent nails head, it would appear that the deformity came from driving it in as you would see on a forged iron nail.....strange for a nail made of lead. If it were a blob of overfill that got tapped on, it would not look like that. This is a strange one for sure.

I respectfully disagree with the first part, but I agree that "This is a strange one for sure."

 

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[John of Long Island.]

What if someone used as a plug? Old water barrel as an example. Drive the lead “nail” into a hole and then melt it slightly to fill the hole.. I’m reaching at this point ! Thanks everyone! Love this site. I know I will learn a lot.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Read through both these long reads (Links) and in the second link in the Q & A section was a post on possible lead nails. This is part of the answer. The entire Q & A about lead nails can be seen at the end up link, right above a picture of lead fishing weights.

"Lead nails would be very difficult to drive into anything but a fairly soft material but might have some marine use."

History of Nails & Spikes

Antique Nails: History & Photo Examples of Old Nails Help Determine Age of a Structure We give a chronology: the history of nails, types & methods of fabrication, and we describe antique and modern cut nails focusing on tree nails, wrought nails, and cut nails used in wood frame construction or...

inspectapedia.com

Key to Age of Antique Metal Nails

Key to Age & History of Antique Metal Nails: Easy questions help form a guess at the plausible age of various types of antique & modern nails, including wood treenails, hand-wrought nails, cut nails, wire nails.

inspectapedia.com

Screen shot of the lead nail Q&A.

 

[creskol]

just a little to add to Sarge's post

 

[creskol]

Now here is something I didn't know .. Check this " lead nail" out!

Carved Lead Spike

This excavated carved lead spike has a very pleasing overall white patina with patches of woodsy brown surface residue typical of a forest find. It is approximately 3-1/2 inches in length and, other than mild bending and a couple of dings to the head area, it is in excellent condition.Recovered 1999

www.virginiarelics.com

 

[RussM]

Hello, I found two of these lead nails… ? I don’t know what they are. Dug in the same town but 2 miles apart. The areas were yielding early 1800’s. A mile from a harbor. One is 2 1/2” and the other is 3 1/2”. Lead. Peened at the top. I showed a view people in the hobby and they don’t know. They seem to agree on the 1700’s. I’m new to the hobby. Would they make lead nails back in the day ? I’ve heard of lead headed nails for roofing… thank you the help. John

I have found these lead square nails myself a few times. I have NO idea what they could have possibly used for, but they are definitely lead square nails from back in the day. Best of luck figuring them out, I never did.

 

[Underwonder]

Lead nails or wedges or spikes…These are pretty interesting! They DO look like nails and never heard of nails being molded…and like many have said, not strong enough to drive. I have seen lead poured and formed to fill spaces around iron poles that were secured into granite posts. These may have been fillers for something I am not sure I would trust that boat LOL. Thanks for sharing. Maybe you will find more in that location.