🔎 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...

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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.