Basin Depot 2000 - Nails
Nails represent over 20% of the artifacts recovered at Basin Depot. When you start to think about their usefulness, it really isn't any wonder. Nails such as larger specimens here were used for light framing and affixing siding to buildings. Smaller nails were used to affix cedar shingles to roofs
This collection also features a few specialty items. The large spike to the right features a beveled head and several burrs on each side so that it would be difficult to remove. We suspect it was meant to hold the steel onto a sleigh runner. The large headed nail is a "scupper" type and was likely used to attach the leather to the bellows of a blacksmith. A few tacks round out the collection. Almost all of these are cut nails dating from the mid to late 19th century. Round wire nails are found on later construction and repairs of the 20th century.
