4. The clout is used for nailing iron and other metal work to wood. The head is flat and circular, and the shank round, terminating in a sharp point.

5. Counterclout nails have "countersinks," or conical necks, under their heads, which are required to lie level or flush with the surface of the work; the shanks are round with chisel points. These nails are principally used by smiths and wheelwrights.

6. Fine dog is distinguished from a stouter nail of a similar kind, called strong or weighty dog. Both sorts are used for fastening down strong iron-work, and for many other purposes in which the heads, which are very solid and slightly countersunk, are not required to lie level with the surface of the work. The shanks are round, and terminate in spear points, which are well adapted for piercing and clenching.

7. Kent-hurdle nails have broad and rather thin-rose heads, clean drawn shanks with good spear points, which are very favourable for nailing and clenching the oaken bars of hurdles together. A description called gate nails is somewhat similar.

8. Rose-clench are nails much employed by ship and boat-builders. They are termed clench, because, after being driven through the plank, their ends are bent over by the hammer or clenched. If additional security and neatness be required, a small diamond-shape plate, r, called a rove, is slipped over the point, which is then rivetted down upon it, thereby drawing the planks very closely together. The nail is used extensively for securing the wood-sheathing to ships' sides, for which purpose it is unsurpassed, as the square blunt end punches the hole, which would require to be bored, if a pointed nail were used, owing to the fragile nature of the wood, which is very liable to split. Large quantities of these nails are consumed in the construction of rough boxes, packing-cases, and other coarse works, for which time cannot be spared to bore holes for the nails.

9. Horse nails, employed for attaching the shoe to the hoof. Formerly the nails were made with square heads, but the preference was given to the shape represented, which is also slightly countersunk, to allow the heads to lie in the groove made for them in the shoe.

10. Brads are very useful nails, great in demand for all varieties of light joinery work. The amateur will probably use this class of nails almost to the exclusion of any other; they are little liable to split the wood and hold well.

The best nails are made of wrought iron, of which the toughest description is selected, especially for clench nails. Large quantities of cheap nails are manufactured from cast iron, which is annealed to lessen its brittleness. Malleable cast-iron nails answer very well for numerous coarse purposes, such as nailing up laths for partitions, for securing fruit trees to garden walls, and many similar works in which much strength is not required.

It is not so easy to drive a nail properly as many people imagine. If the head of the nail be not struck fairly in the centre, but obliquely, the shank will either be bent or knocked out of the true position, to which it cannot without some difficulty be again restored. If the wood be hard and the nail long and slender, the liability to bend or cripple the shank is considerable. The best way to avoid this is to bore a hole slightly smaller than the shank is in the middle of its length, if it be taper, and if parallel, a little less than the part immediately above the point. It is evident that if the hole be made as large as the nail, the latter can have little or no hold, and if too small, the relief which it affords is insufficient to avert the danger of either splitting the wood or crippling the nail.

When nailing two pieces of hard wood together, it is only necessary for the nail to fit tightly, or hold in the piece which receives the point, the hole in the wood, which is to be secured being sufficiently large to allow the nail to pass through easily. By this means the labour of driving a large nail is much relieved, and the shank is well supported if the wood be moderately thick. It is unnecessary to bore a hole for the nail in deal and other soft woods, except as a precautionary measure, when there is danger of splitting the material. If several nails are to be driven in a row near the edge or end of a board, as in nailing the sides to the ends of a box, it would be prudent to make small holes, which would probably not only save the wood from splitting, but also direct the nails which might otherwise go astray. Nothing looks worse, or less artistic, than the protruding points of several nails which have broken through the side of the work owing to crooked driving. The thinner the wood of which the box is constructed, the greater is the difficulty of avoiding the disfigurement of projecting points, and increased care must be bestowed in driving the nails straight.

To use the hammer properly, the shaft or handle must be firmly grasped in the right hand, and so near the extremity that only about an inch of the shaft projects below the little finger. If a few very light blows or taps be required, the shaft may be held shorter or nearer the head; but this is not the legitimate way of handling the tool. Before striking a blow the face of the hammer should be rubbed on the floor, or on a board sprinkled with a little powdered chalk, to remove any grease that may adhere to it, which would cause the hammer to glance off the head of the nail. Though the shaft be held near the extremity, the hammer is perfectly under control, and it should be used lightly at first, gradually increasing the force of the blows as the nail sinks into the wood.

If the blows be violent at first, the nail will be bent or sent astray, as at this time it derives Very little support from the wood into which it is being driven. The endeavour should be to increase the force of the blows at intervals, as the nail seems able to bear it, as a too sudden change from light and rapid blows to heavy strokes is almost sure to send the nail astray. The aim should be accurate, and the head of the nail must be struck by the centre of the hammer-face, otherwise it may be spoilt by a blow from the edge, which would also very probably bend the shank. Sometimes the greatest care will fail to ensure the straight driving of the nail. If the nail appear disposed to bend or go astray, it may frequently be restored to its proper .position by a few well-directed and slightly oblique blows, which must be applied on the side of the head furthest from the place which the nail should occupy.