Blog Topics
Salvage Bent Nails
Posted by Shira Beth
Jan 25, 2010
Sometimes carpentry projects don't go as smoothly as you'd like and you end up with a bunch of bent nails. Before tossing them into the garbage, try to straighten them out. All you need is a small hammer, a pair of pliers or vice grips and a sturdy, flat board of wood (the softer the wood, the better). The most-bent nails are easiest to straighten, so start there. Hold the pointy end of the nail with the pliers and place the nail horizontally on your work surface, bent corner up. Lightly hammer the head of the nail into the wood to give you a good grip. While still holding onto the pointed end with your pliers, tap the bent part until you create a straight nail. If your nails are only slightly bent, there's another straightening method that might work for you. Take a piece of scrap wood and hammer the slightly bent nail into the wood until just before the bend. Tap the bend from the side until the nail is in line with the hammered-in part. Pull the nail straight out of the wood, and it should be almost as good as new (because it was bent, it will be a little weaker than it was originally).
