Author Topic: Brass tacks with a square shank... Age?  (Read 5963 times)

Offline Rick Sheets

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Brass tacks with a square shank... Age?
« on: March 29, 2012, 03:57:03 PM »
Howdy All,

I noticed on an old southern horn that the low dome brass tacks have a square-tapered shank that seems to be made of brass as well.

Is the type of shank an indicator of age, if so do we have a range of age?

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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Brass tacks with a square shank... Age?
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2012, 04:32:46 PM »
Rick,
  If I am not mistaken square shanked solid Brass tacks have been around for a long time, maybe Renaissance time frame.
 Here is a link to some info that I saved on them, scroll down a bit.

  http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/205571/


  Tim C.

Offline Chuck Burrows

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Re: Brass tacks with a square shank... Age?
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2012, 07:04:38 PM »
That first Anonymous posting was me folks - as noted square shank tacks were used exclusively intil sometime around the early 1870's maybe late 1860's. After that you get a mix of both the square shanks and the iron/steel shank tacks.

The Trunkshoppe is still the only source I know for proper square shank tacks (ebay and other places sometimes sell old originals). Two caveats - they are bronze not brass, but it's a good yellow bronze that looks appropriate. Second they are VERY soft so care must be taken in pre-drilling, and by using either a concave headed setter or a concave "anvil" or the head will flatten out completely when peening the shank.
Tandy leather cap headed rivet tools work fine for the 7-8mm sizes which come cloeset to the early 1/4-5/16" headed tacks whihc were the most widely used size. The only other thing is they are much more expensive in comparison to iron shanks. I give my customers the choice but when doing something like a tack belt (I've used from 200-600 tacks on some belts) the cost can go way up real fast.
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I took the one less traveled by,
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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Brass tacks with a square shank... Age?
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2012, 08:36:11 PM »
 I saw Chuck in the next post but did't make the connection. That is good reasearch material.

  Thanks, Tim C.

JoeG

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Re: Brass tacks with a square shank... Age?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2012, 06:20:15 AM »
This is another source for Brass shank tacks
I have ordered from them yet
« Last Edit: March 31, 2012, 01:45:09 PM by Dr. Tim-Boone »

Offline Chuck Burrows

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Re: Brass tacks with a square shank... Age?
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2012, 06:35:00 PM »
Joe - would you please offer us the other source? Van Dyke's offers some, but they are not "right" - the shank is way to large.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2012, 06:35:21 PM by Chuck Burrows »
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

JoeG

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Re: Brass tacks with a square shank... Age?
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2012, 07:32:47 PM »