How to keep from hitting the wrong nail.

Hitting the right nail
Hitting a nail with a hammer seems like an easy thing to do! For a lot of people it is easy to hit the nail, unfortunately it's a finger or thumb nail that they hit.

Even experts can't drive nails correctly all of the time. If you look at carpenter's hands you will probably notice that one or two fingernails are black.

One way to eliminate this condition is to find someone that will hold the nail for you. Good Luck with that!!!
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Usually the first mistake that people using hammers make is that they grip the hammer to tightly. When you do grip the hammer to tightly, this will cause your hand to tire. Then you will loose the control that you need to strike the nail squarely leading to what is known as a ricochet.

When a ricochet happens, it usually bends the nail, or the nail flies off into the wild blue yonder if you are outside. Then you probably have a flat laying out there, or the nail can fly up and strike you in the face or worse the eye. Even if it doesn't stick you, it will certainly hurt when it hits.

If you are new to the hammer and nailing business. I would suggest that you use a pair of pliers to hold the nail. Do not grip the nail tightly with the pliers either. The harder you grip things the less control you are going to have.

But if you are feeling brave, or you don't have a pair of pliers. Then use your thumb and forefinger to hold the nail about two thirds of the way up on the shank of the nail. Do not put your fingers against the surface that you are nailing. This way if you do miss the nail, the finger and thumb will be free to move.

Safety First
Before using any tools, always practice safety first. Always use eye protection. A full face shield is best, never trust glasses that are used for reading and such. These glasses are not safety rated and can shatter if hit. Safety goggles are a lot cheaper than having eye surgery.

When first striking the nail, use light hammer strikes until you get the nail bedded into the wood. Once you have the nail about a third of the way into the wood, then you can remove your fingers out of harms way. Then do not hit the nail full force. Always use controlled strikes, this will increase the chances of successfully driving the nail home with fewer strokes, and you don't take the chance of marring your surface.


Size of the nails
The size of the nail, dictates the size of the hammer usually. Some people when driving finishing nails, like to use combs, which is alright. But I still prefer the pliers method. If the nail is really small then I use a pair of needle nose pliers. When striking the nail, no matter what size it is, remember that if the wood you are nailing is a finished piece of wood, it will show hammer marks a lot easier than just a piece of two by four used for framing.

You can wear a nail apron to hold extra nails, if you are going to be doing a lot of nailing. But be careful when wearing one. Because most likely the nails, and things in the apron will be turned every which way. Some of these nails can be pointed toward you, if you bump into something hard or sit wrong, these nails can and will stab you. Also be careful when putting your hands into the nail apron, as the same thing will happen.

When nailing hardwood
When nailing hardwood, or boards that have knots in them, it can be very difficult to drive a nail, successfully. Always try to find a part of the board that doesn't have a knot to fasten to. But if that is not possible, then I would suggest that you predrill a hole just smaller than the nail that you are using. Also when nailing into hardwood, or knots, it is very easy to split the wood without predrilling the hole first.


When driving nails into hardwood or knotty boards, you might find it handy to dull the nail before driving it into the wood. A dull nail will push the wood out instead of the point pressing the wood back in on itself. You can dull the nail by striking the point several times with a hammer. You can also use a bar of soap to rub on the nail, this will coat the nail and make it slick.

Which hammer should I buy? 
You should buy a hammer that feels the best to you. You don't need to buy the heaviest meanest hammer on the shelf. Tryout several hammers before you make you decision. A lot of the hardware stores will let you test hammers before you buy it. Usually all you have to do is ask.



When driving nails
When you are driving nails into wood, I have found that people want to drive the nail straight as they can. But actually you should be driving the nail in at an angle. This reduces the chance of the nail working itself loose over time. The greater the angle, the more force required to loosen the nail. This holds true for finish wood as well. You just have to be more careful when driving the nail home. In finish woods, I will use a nail set once I have the finish nail most of the way. This will hide the nail and won't mar the finish.

Avoiding OOPS
To avoid oops, when nailing into wood. Especially if it is finished wood, is to use a scrap piece of lumber with a hole drilled into it. Place hole over the nail and against the wood. This way if you miss the nail, or hit it will a glancing blow, You won't leave a half-moon indention in the finished wood, and creating a lot of extra work for yourself. If it is a small nail, you can use a piece cut out of a plastic milk container, drill a hole, or cut a vee into the edge of the plastic to cover the wood around the nail.

Pulling Nails
When pulling nails in lumber, I always use a scrap of lumber under the head of the hammer, or nail puller that I am using to remove the nail. This will spread the pressure out over a large part of the surface, so that I won't mar the finish.
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Jesse's Gardening Tips