XI 



Many years ago I advocated driving the nails from the inner side 

 of the wall, and the benefit of this practice has been sustained by the 

 score of yeai's in which I have followed it. There is not so much 

 danger of "pricking" in setting the tip as the full shoe, owing to a 

 greater thickness of the wall in the anterior portion of the foot ; it 

 also gives a more secui'e fastening, as the horn is perforated in place 

 of the layers being divided, and a much lower hold can be taken. A 

 horse-nail is Avedge-sliaped, and when driven parallel with the fibers 

 thei'e mus^ be a tendency to split the layers apart, but if they are 

 perfoi-ated there is no such risk. When the nail-holes are punched 

 close to the edge, the nail has to be driven on a curve. At first the 

 direction is toward the sensitive portion of the foot, and then the 

 bevel at the point throws it outwards. Now it is evident that if the 

 course of the nail approaches the sensitive part of the foot, there is 

 danger, if even it is not wounded at the time of driving. Clinching 

 the nail when it is curved throws a gi-eater strain on the central 

 part, forcing that part to press against the inner horn, and the 

 concussion aggravates the tendency. 



If in place of being driven on a cui've the nail goes straight, the 

 strain caused by clinching and concussion is uniform, and the straight 

 line, at whatever angle, obviates this difiiculty. 



Then it is manifest that if the nail is started from the inside of 

 the wall, and driven at any angle which will bring the point through, 

 it never can get near the sensitive tissues. The nearest point is 

 where it is first started, and this is so far below the quick that there 

 cannot be any danger of wounding. In driving the nails from the 

 inside, it is necessary to give the nail-hole the same slope outwardly, 

 or make the hole large enough to give room for directing the point. 



I prefer the latter plan, and then sink the head of the nail below 

 the surface, which completely fills the opening. A punch is used 

 when the nail-head is level with the shoe to di'ive it home, and a 

 clinching-iron that has a projection which keeps the nail in place 

 when it is riveted. This is when tolerably heavy tips are used ; with 

 lighter and thinner ones the head of a No. 3 nail will fill the counter- 

 sunk hole. Countersinking is preferable to creasing — fullering as 

 some smiths tei-m it — and when the tip is so thin as to let the heads 

 of the nails project they ai-e filed to a level of the tip. 



