Pole Barn Nails Break, not Bend

[Tom Black]

The following will be in next week's Log but I needed to report that I found "pole barn nails" in the hardware store last week and when I went to bend one it bent only about 1-inch and then SNAPPED (They are only 1/8" thick and 6" long).  It sounded like a low-level gunshot!  The reason why I wanted steelbenders to know this is a matter of safety; I've never had steel break this way before and it came as quite a shock.  Usually when I break steel it becomes very soft after quite a few bends back and forth and then it just falls apart, and is not dangerous at all.  The way the pole barn nail broke could be dangerous.  I'll break some more next week and let everyone know if they break consistently.  I spoke with a materials scientist on this and he said that if I had bent it slower that it might not have broken so quickly.

I wasn't going to post the picture of the big nail because I think I can do better next week, but I changed my mind because of everyone's been so encouraging; thanks.  I also want to mention that the screwdriver I bought was deceptive, I could flex it maybe 1/2 inch, but it would not bend!  Tool steel, go figure.  After I tried the screwdriver, and bent all the other steel in the picture (and the pole barn nail, not shown) I bent the big nail.  The carriage bolts are surprising easy to bend/break.  When I try this again I'll bend one warm-up nail and go right to the 12-inch nail, I think I can do better.

http://www.bigsteel.iwarp.com/cgi-bin/i/Pi...daysVictims.JPG

[Guest Cap]

Tom this may not apply but Ive been bending some smaller nails 16 and 20d only, however some had a "ribbing" (lines going around it like the broken nail).  When I tried to bend them they usually snapped, however I noticed one of yours broke and the other bent.  Have you bent any other ribbed nails, if so do they usually break or bend?  

[BarBender]

I have broken metal objects that I expected would bend. Apparently, some metals and alloys are just too brittle for bending. Bending the object slowly usually allows a slightly greater bending range before it breaks. Aluminum is notorious for breaking. I am surprised that a nail would break on an initial bending attempt.

[Tom Black]

Cap,

 The pole barn nails have the ribbing you mentioned.  They go around the nail in circles.  The broken objects in my picture are bolts (I think made of Zinc), and what you see are the threads (This might be hard to see in the picture).  They did not break in the same way, I had to go back and forth to make them break, the pole barn nails broke instantly.  They are hard, but brittle, a common feature for some type of steel (I believe it is called Martensite sp?) and is a function of how quickly the nail was cooled when made.  

[Guest Cap]

Thanks for the feedback, gonna try some more bending tonight after my COC's hopefully it'll go lighter on the tendons in my upper arm than the last two workouts. Has anyone else had pain in their bicep tendons due to bending?

[Guest Aptdwler]

I had to this point failed to bend one of my pole barn nails. I tried a non-hand method and it broke.

I have had similar experiences using screwdrivers as pry bars. They usually snap.

Has anyone found 60penny nails at a major hardware store?

[Guest JD79]

Yo Aptdwler,

Mr. Black finds his at Lowes and Ace Hardware I beleive.  I on the other hand live in a small town and go to a small town store.  They had 60d there.  Try calling around.  A more expensive alternative is to order the Bag of Nails from Ironmind.  Good luck.

JD

[Guest Danjo]

Tom,

Your 12 inch nail looks extremely formidable. I have some that I got from Home Depot that are galvanized and look less stout than the one you show in terms of girth, perhaps just an illusion. I can't even kink it a little. I did, however, go back and bend another 60d to 1 3/4 off center. Progress, but still a ways to go.