masonry nails

Richard wrote in news:48a02691-07db-4301-b946- snipped-for-privacy@g17g2000prg.googlegroups.com:
dunno - have you tried running a "spark test" on one of them?

Yeah, learn to spark test, danggit. :)
Don't tell me you are a "blacksmith" and don't know how to spark test? ;)
Anyway... you know they are made from the cheapest stuff the factory can get away with, since it's a "one time use" product.
If it were dark out (best to spark test in the dark:) I'd go double check it for you but the way I remember it, they vary from about 1050 to 1075.
File = 1.22% carbon (some are higher) cold chisel and hoof rasp = ~1080 (Enderes brand = 1078:) Schrade Old Timer knife blade = 1095 Ordinary nail = 1010 to 1020.
All you need are "known samples" ...the rest is easy. :)
A good guess after spark testing beats the heck out of a wild-ass guess with no testing?
Alvin in AZ

Hi Alvin, long time no talk to. I did a sparkem test. Look alot like L-6(band saw steel) more sparks that O-1, but I'm very knowledgeable about all this high teck stuff. I is a woodworker (or that is what I tell people). I just grind out a few knives for woodcarvers and wood butchers like me. These chiny masonry nails seem to hold a good edge on the small chisels that I make from them.