What Is It? I Know. Why Is It??? Who Knows???

     I dig my share of old cut/square nails.  They always look like this or worse.

     But last fall, I dug this one.  

     I dug several others at that site, and they were rusted to pieces, so it's not due to ground conditions.    It sticks to a magnet, so it's iron, or contains iron.  
     Everybody digs cut nails (if they're on an old site).  It gets annoying sometimes, but when I dug this one I told my buddy "I just dug the best cut nail I've ever seen".  He laughed and continued to swing.  I said "Seriously!  Take a look at this thing".
     I've only cleaned off the dirt.  No electrolysis, AND YES...I DUG IT!   I know it sounds silly, but I'm as proud of this find as I am some of the coins I've dug over the years.

Just had to share this one with y'all.

Happy Hunting!
Cm2db

I dont know why its preserved but I also found one mint.

I've dug them like that, and I've also found cans full like that non dug.
My only explanation is that they somehow ended up in the ground later than we would think.

I'm more interested in that old coinmaster in your avatar..

 

I love old detectors.

Lots of times if they were burnt it tempered the nails and other iron where it didn't rust. we commonly dig nails like that in civil war pits. I've also dug gun tools and parts The coolest being a complete lockplate assembly I could see the eagle and 1853 Springfield on it as soon as I got it out of the ground I dug the barrel bands and trigger assembly in the same pit.

I dont know why its preserved but I also found one mint.

Cy, I thought you were talking about your ship's spike at first . No, these early nails can be amazing!! I dug some pure smelted bog iron down here a few months ago and it was rust free, not a speck of rust! It's all about purity of the metal.  Nice nail!

     Thanks for the pic BigCypress.  I guess it happens occasionally.

I've dug them like that, and I've also found cans full like that non dug.
My only explanation is that they somehow ended up in the ground later than we would think.

I'm more interested in that old coinmaster in your avatar..

 

I love old detectors.

Thanks Rando,
     This was an old site in the woods, so I know it dates back with the rest of the relics.  I think there was a local blacksmith that knew some kind of ancient Chinese secret.  He sold his "special" nails for a 1/2 cent more per pound, and this one got mixed in with the cheaper ones.  I think I'll go with that.  Sounds good anyway.
     As for the old coinmaster, I got it at a yard sale in 1982 for $75.00.  It was my first "good detector".  I'll never get rid of it.  I have a picture somewhere of me using it way back when.  When I find it, that might be my new avatar.  I went from that coinmaster to a DFX a couple of years ago.  I had a 5000 GEB for a while, but got rid of it.  Going from a coinmaster2db to a DFX is like going from a Model A to a Ferrari.  I'm still learning how to use it.

Cm2db

Lots of times if they were burnt it tempered the nails and other iron where it didn't rust. we commonly dig nails like that in civil war pits. I've also dug gun tools and parts The coolest being a complete lockplate assembly I could see the eagle and 1853 Springfield on it as soon as I got it out of the ground I dug the barrel bands and trigger assembly in the same pit.

That would be so cool.  As for all those nails in the pit, I guess those are from all those ammo and hard tack boxes they burned for heat.  That's why they're worth so darn much when you find one.  Not many survived the war.  Thanks for the info!

Cm2db 

Did you see the .32 1/60 caliber bullet bold I found?

I'm told, an Iron object can occur a natural electrolysis (if you will) when "sandwiched between other metals in the earth. My bullet mold looks like it never was dropped.

I also think I read something to do with this here.
http://www.minelabowners.com/coincleaningadvanced.html

Lots of times if they were burnt it tempered the nails and other iron where it didn't rust. we commonly dig nails like that in civil war pits. I've also dug gun tools and parts The coolest being a complete lockplate assembly I could see the eagle and 1853 Springfield on it as soon as I got it out of the ground I dug the barrel bands and trigger assembly in the same pit.

That would be so cool.  As for all those nails in the pit, I guess those are from all those ammo and hard tack boxes they burned for heat.  That's why they're worth so darn much when you find one.  Not many survived the war.  Thanks for the info!

Cm2db 

A lot of the nails are from the boxes.  Heck those guys burned anything that would burn I believe. I'm sure that's way there's not many of the boxes around too.

http://antiquesupply.com/catalog/Nails_Antique-9-1.html

My theory is that it was buried against another piece of metal that acted as a sacrificial anode. They put pieces of zinc on ships for that purpose so that the zinc anode deteriorates instead of the metal parts of the ship.

Probably not the case here but you can still buy those old fashioned style square nails. Monty

I have used this type of nails for years...  They are typically higher grade steel and are a &*^%@ to hammer into old concrete...  Now they are usually sold now as galvanized hardened steel.  I think the technical name is now "cut masonry nail".  Here is a current ad:

Cut Masonry Nail

Technical Info:
Cut masonry nail is made of high-quality low-carbon-steel
Finish: Electric galvanized, hot dipped galvanized, blunt point and tapered shank reduce splitting
Sizes of Masonry Nail: 1"-4", 3d-20d
Packing: Bulk, box, bag, or according to customers' requests

Uses: Cut masonry nail is mainly used for attaching wood to cinder block, mortar joints, brick walls, and fresh concrete.

---
I'm guessing that even the older nails made for this purpose were at least hardened and/or made of better quality steel (and possibly galvanized) which will attribute to the lesser oxidation of the steel.
---

Galvanization is a metal coating process in which a ferrous part is coated with a thin layer of zinc. The zinc coating seals the surface of the part from the environment, preventing oxidation and weathering from occurring.

The primary method of galvanization is “hot dip galvanization”, which has been in use for over 150 years. While the idea of coating a part in molten zinc was first proposed by chemist Paul Jacques Malouin in 1742, the process was not put into practice until patented by chemist Stanislas Sorel in 1836. Sorel’s process has changed little since then, and still involves coating a part in molten zinc after cleaning it with an acid solution and coating the part in flux.

Read more: http://mechanical-engineering.suite101.com/article.cfm/introduction_to_galvanization#ixzz0X2Bn38T3

-whynot

I have used this type of nails for years...  They are typically higher grade steel and are a &*^%@ to hammer into old concrete...  Now they are usually sold now as galvanized hardened steel.  I think the technical name is now "cut masonry nail".  Here is a current ad:

Cut Masonry Nail


Uses: Cut masonry nail is mainly used for attaching wood to cinder block, mortar joints, brick walls, and fresh concrete.

Todays cut nails are similar but different as you demonstrated in your pic. The most obvious difference is in the head.

Here is a company which makes several galvanized cut nail head styles and has been in business in the US for about 180 years.
Nice History:
http://www.tremontnail.com/searchgalvanizednails2.htm

Cut nail patterns:
http://www.tremontnail.com/tremont-galvanized.htm

Seems to me that the "galvanized" property might still be in play for many early (mid 1800s +) finds.
-whynot

Here is a company which makes several galvanized cut nail head styles and has been in business in the US for about 180 years.
Nice History:
http://www.tremontnail.com/searchgalvanizednails2.htm

Cut nail patterns:
http://www.tremontnail.com/tremont-galvanized.htm

Seems to me that the "galvanized" property might still be in play for many early (mid 1800s +) finds.
-whynot

In the case of the early square nails it seems likely that the amount of carbon in the iron may be a big factor that inhibits rust.

Cut nail patterns:
http://www.tremontnail.com/tremont-galvanized.htm

Maybe they still make authentic restoration nails the same way. I would have to see them side by side. The pics are convincing.


As far as being galvanized, I dont see any signs of that unless it all wore off.

This may be one of the livelier posts I've had.   I appreciate all of the info.  I'm aware that they still make nails like this.  Thanks for the link Whynot.  That's a cool site.  I'm pretty sure it's not galvanized.   I'm certain that this nail dates back to at least the 1850's or 60's.  The site is in the woods (now), and it's far enough away from everyone, that there isn't much traffic (just me and some hunters). 
     I've learned a lot from you guys.  The natural electrolysis is a possibility (lots of metal around it in the ground).  The tempering makes sense, but there's no other evidence of this home being burned down.  I suppose, it could have been in an area where they burned their garbage, or it may have happened @ the blacksmith's shop (my "ancient Chinese secret" theory).
     Thanks for all the replies.   I guess it's not that rare, to dig an iron nail in this shape, but it happens infrequently enough that you appreciate them when you find 'em.  They're like the four leaf clover of the relic hunting world. 

My theory is that it was buried against another piece of metal that acted as a sacrificial anode. They put pieces of zinc on ships for that purpose so that the zinc anode deteriorates instead of the metal parts of the ship.

Agreed

My theory is that it was buried against another piece of metal that acted as a sacrificial anode. They put pieces of zinc on ships for that purpose so that the zinc anode deteriorates instead of the metal parts of the ship.

Agreed

zinc is very important for avoiding corrosion. for instance roofs with black streaks, are from nails that have not been zinc coated. zinc is also in dams and locks

It could have very easily been next to an old zinc jar lid.  This gives me an idea for a little experiment in the backyard.  I can't test it for 150 years, but after a few months, an untreated nail should start to rust.  And lord knows I've got plenty of old zinc jar lids for the test nail.