Can I harden nail sets to make machinists tools?

Liam Ryan

Liam Ryan

Joined
Sep 26, 2005
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I am taking machining this fall in college, and due to a mixup I didn't get my tool list until today. I need a few basic hand tools like a hacksaw for the first bit until I can order the rest from a shop.

Anyway, I need a scriber, a center punch and witness (prick) punch, but you can't get these at Wal Mart or Kent, but I did see a 3 piece nail set for cheap and I thought Hmmm?
They are for unhardened nails, made by Stanley, but could I just grind these to the different angles I need, then heat with a torch and quench? Will they be too brittle and need to be tempered? Or maybe not need to be heated at all. (the grinding may work harden them) Not a big deal as the instructor said he has extras of everything but I figure it would be something fun to do in the shop on the first day, making my own tools.
 
Maybe I should have dropped this into the general forum? I just saw "questions" while scrolling down.
 
Nail sets are supposed to be slightly harder than nails and soft enough not to break when hammered, nails are pretty soft though. I would just try grinding the nail sets without overheating them and see what happens. You'll know after the first trial use of the center punch if the steel's too soft! Hardening them further may or may not work, depending on what alloy they are, and you would have to temper them, really hard steel is not a good material for a struck tool.

I'm surprised Walmart didn't have a scriber, but a really big sewing needle stuck in a bit of dowel should work and I've seen big needles in the craft section of my local Walmarts
 
Something that I have found to be surprisingly good for punches is the cheap screwdriver bits. I have bought cheap punch set that flatten every time I try to punch a piece of HR steel but the sharpened up robertson bit has never blinked at anything I've punched with it.
 
At first I thought you meant to harden nails to make machinist tools. :rolleyes:

I think what you're talking about will work okay. If you don't overheat them while grinding I expect the HT will probably be okay.

Grinding them isn't going to work harden them.

They may be case hardened. If so, you'll be out of luck.

If you do overheat them while grinding, or if they're too soft you can try to re-heat treat them. Heat the tip with a torch until a bright red - dull orange and quench in water. Bake in your oven at 450 to temper it back some.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
At first I thought you meant to harden nails to make machinist tools. :rolleyes:

I think what you're talking about will work okay. If you don't overheat them while grinding I expect the HT will probably be okay.

Grinding them isn't going to work harden them.

They may be case hardened. If so, you'll be out of luck.

If you do overheat them while grinding, or if they're too soft you can try to re-heat treat them. Heat the tip with a torch until a bright red - dull orange and quench in water. Bake in your oven at 450 to temper it back some.
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Thanks for the tips guys. I think I am going to try Nathans advice. The instructor seemed to think it was a good idea, but he wasn't sure if it would work out either.
Next shop day I will try grinding them, we just had a safety tour and project discussion.
 
You could use kasenite to harden your nails. I knew of an engraver that would make his gravers from nails and use the kasenite to harden them. They may not last as long as a proper tool but they will due in a pinch.
 
I've used the kasenit Chuck talks about to make scribes and picks from mild
steel wire with great results. While not heat treated tool steel, small tools made from
this work great for a lot of little projects around the shop.
Ken.
 
If a piece of tig welding tungsten would make you a scribe I would stick a piece in a envelope and send it.
 
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