horse shoe nail

[Ephraim]

Any one ever use a horse shoe nail to make a patch box releace on s banana patch box on a Tenn. rifle? Do you think it could be given enough spring to work? I don't want to rush out and buy a hand full and find out it wouldn't work.
Any black smith out there I need your help. :surrender: Thanks
Ephraim

 

[Bountyhunter]

I use a lot of horseshoe nails for different things, I do not know the steel in them but my guess is that there isnt enough carbon in them to get them to spring. They are about dead soft, and I cut them with hoof nippers. They file right down with a rasp.......I dont think you can harden them. I havent tried it, though.

 

[blafen]

I havent used them before but based upon there intended purpose i would guess they would be low carbon mild steel, probably with a lot of impurities like rebar, remember unless the part demands high carbon for wear resistance, strength or toughness chances are the manufacturer will have cheaped out and used plain ol' low carbon.

 

[Rod Lassey]

Horse shoe nails are pretty soft--remember they're made to be snipped off and clinched over in a horse's hoof.

Rod

 

[Ephraim]

spring steel is soft enough to cut with an knife before you harden it. I was wondering if you could harden horse shoe nails to spring, a catch on a banana patch box don't move but an 1/8 of an inch or less. any steel can be hardened I was just wondering if I could make it spring a little with out snaping off.
Ephraim

 

[paulvallandigham]

Unless I have told completely wrong, nails are made from low-carbon steel, and there is just not enough carbon in them to harden them as you ask. I have tried to harden nails before myself, and had no luck at all. :hmm:

 

[J.D.]

Any mild steel will work for the what little springiness is needed for a patchbox release, but IMHO, a worn out hacksaw blade, or piece of industrial banding would probably be a better choice.

 

[brubincam]

-----how about the hardened nails for nailing into concrete--the ones shaped just like a horse shoe nail--just a thought-----

 

[Elnathan]

Concrete nails are maid with tool steel, and I have made a satisfactory chisel, screwdriver, and scraper with a few. I don't know if it work for springs though.
I would suggest looking for something like the tine of a garden rake or a piece of those steel strips used as tie-downs. A patchbox spring doesn't require much.

 

[J.D.]

I would suggest looking for something like the tine of a garden rake or a piece of those steel strips used as tie-downs. A patchbox spring doesn't require much.

Hmmm, a springy tine from a leaf rake might be the ticket. Do you have a neighbor who leaves his rake out? He might not miss a 3/4 long piece missing off of one tine. :hmm: :wink:

 

[Birddog6]

This spring/latch was made with a old square nail pulled from my dad's house. I pulled several when we remodeled the bathroom. (HOuse was built in 1890) I annealed the nail, ground it down & retempered it when I got it drilled & shapped.
I think a cut nail (concrete nail) will work also, and have some & gonna try one next time. I have also seen small old files used to make the latches on patchboxes. A piece of old clock spring would work as well, then solder a lil tab to it so it is a lil thicker & looks smooth on the outside.

 

[Ephraim]

I got me some horse shoe nails and hammered and filed heated to cherry red diped in kasint. It took 3 times but
it worked. Now if I could get photo bucket to work for me I would post pic's I am just not computer wise lucky I can turn this thing on.
Ephraim