Holding it Together – FineWoodworking

To read the full article from which this segment is pulled, click here: Simple Projects for Gifts, Donations, or Craft Shows

To match the simple designs, keep the construction and hardware simple too. Use whatever nails you have on hand. Modify their shape and color to liven things up, or use a nail you might not have considered otherwise.

The Magic of Markers

If you don’t have the time or the ingredients to rust or blacken your hardware, you can use permanent markers. Fitzpatrick and Schwarz have been known to pull out their Sharpie markers and take them to nail heads.

The Soaking Method

You also can turn to Birchwood Casey Super Blue to darken your nails, screws, hinges, etc. Simply dip the clean metal in the liquid until it turns the color you want. Then let it dry, and install.

Pound Nails to Your Will

Large, common nails can be made more interesting by clamping them in a vise, heating them, and hitting them with a hammer to shape them.

A Wealth of Nail Options

Megan Fitzpatrick is the editor and Christopher Schwarz is the publisher at Lost Art Press.

To view the entire article, please click the View PDF button below.

View PDF