Keith
Hunter
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 1,002 
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Post by Keith on Aug 22, 2023 4:45:16 GMT -7
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Post by artificer on Sept 14, 2023 17:26:46 GMT -7
I found it very interesting that the blacksmith said they did not commonly make nailes (an 18th century spelling for nails) at Mt. Vernon and usually purchased them ready made. Actually, I'm not so sure that was true because in the very same period, they made LOADS of nailes at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.
Square Iron Naile Rod was sold in large quantities in the colonies. Sizes ran from smaller and larger, though the most common sizes were 3/16" up to say 5/16". Due to the fact the rod was already square and of the correct size for many sizes, it made it much easier to produce nailes without using a normal size forge. The Naile Rods were heated in a nail brazier that looked a lot like a modern circular outdoor grill, though of thicker metal. Rods were placed all around the circumference of the brazier with the ends in the fire, so there was no need to wait for a rod to heat up or re-heat, as needed. They just grabbed the next one already heated up. This meant there was little waiting to continue making nailes.
Like the blacksmith said in the video, they used young [normally slave] children between the ages of 10-12 to make at least the smaller sized nailes in this manner.
Gus
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Post by artificer on Sept 14, 2023 17:41:06 GMT -7
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Post by spence on Sept 15, 2023 11:31:35 GMT -7
I was surprised to hear the blacksmith in the video say 2000-4000 nails was the output of one person in the dedicated nail making establishments. Doddridge seems to indicate that in the frontier setting 100 nails was considered a day's work.
Nails show up in period ads very frequently, sometimes in kegs or casks holding 60-80 pounds, in many sizes and of many types, including spikes.
Spence
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Post by artificer on Sept 15, 2023 12:22:05 GMT -7
I was surprised to hear the blacksmith in the video say 2000-4000 nails was the output of one person in the dedicated nail making establishments. Doddridge seems to indicate that in the frontier setting 100 nails was considered a day's work. Nails show up in period ads very frequently, sometimes in kegs or casks holding 60-80 pounds, in many sizes and of many types, including spikes. Spence Did Doddridge mention whether or not they were using commercially available Nail Rod? If not, then that still seems to be a low number even if began from round rod or wire. Perhaps he was talking about larger nails that took longer to heat up between forming? Indeed, imported commercial nails were frequently available in large quantities for use in many trades. For those who did not have slave labor available, that certainly was the more likely source. However, Plantations like Mt. Vernon and Monticello often used semi trained or trained slave labor to do things like blacksmithing, making nailes, shoes, etc., etc. Gus |
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Post by artificer on Sept 15, 2023 12:40:21 GMT -7
I'm guessing this is an earlier video of the Mt. Vernon Blacksmith shop because it has the large bellows instead of the 19th century hand cranked blower seen in the video above. www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY86Wxw91QUGus |
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Post by spence on Sept 15, 2023 16:35:23 GMT -7
Gus said, "Did Doddridge mention whether or not they were using commercially available Nail Rod? If not, then that still seems to be a low number even if began from round rod or wire. Perhaps he was talking about larger nails that took longer to heat up between forming?"
Doddridge wasn't discussing nail making directly, just mentioned it in making a comparison.
Joseph Doddridge, Notes on The Early Settlement and Indian Wars of Western Virginia and Pennsylvania from 1763 to 1783, pg. 168
"Young as I was, I was possessed of an art which was of great use. It was that of weaving shot-pouch straps, belts and garters. I could make my loom and weave a belt in less than one day. ....It frequently happened, that my weaving proved serviceable to the family, as I often sold a belt for a day’s work, or making a hundred nails. So that although a boy, I could exchange my labour for that of a full grown person, for an equal length of time."
Spence
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Post by artificer on Sept 15, 2023 17:24:31 GMT -7
Gus said, "Did Doddridge mention whether or not they were using commercially available Nail Rod? If not, then that still seems to be a low number even if began from round rod or wire. Perhaps he was talking about larger nails that took longer to heat up between forming?" Doddridge wasn't discussing nail making directly, just mentioned it in making a comparison. Joseph Doddridge, Notes on The Early Settlement and Indian Wars of Western Virginia and Pennsylvania from 1763 to 1783, pg. 168 "Young as I was, I was possessed of an art which was of great use. It was that of weaving shot-pouch straps, belts and garters. I could make my loom and weave a belt in less than one day. ....It frequently happened, that my weaving proved serviceable to the family, as I often sold a belt for a day’s work, or making a hundred nails. So that although a boy, I could exchange my labour for that of a full grown person, for an equal length of time." Spence Spence, Thanks. It seems to me that can be read that he sold a belt for (in trade) making 100 nails and not necessarily it took a day to make 100 nails? Gus |
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coot
City-dweller
Posts: 156
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Post by coot on Sept 15, 2023 18:47:13 GMT -7
Having watched blacksmiths at several sites making nails (from square rod) as a demonstration, I find 100 nails a day as extremely low and 2000-4000 very hard to see without some form of mechanical aids (such as a water powered trip hammer). As a very amateur blacksmith with no training in nails, I think that I could make 200 in a day.
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