<div id='ygrps-yiv-1434595202'><html><head><style></style></head><div><font face='Arial' size='2'>In rereading &#39;Instant Boats&#39; I find myself again 
reminded&nbsp;of a gap in my knowledge. While discussing hammers,&nbsp;Payson 
refers to &quot;heavy nails, such as 8-penny board nails to 20-penny spikes&quot; and 
&quot;nails 5- and 6-penny or less&quot;. Okay, what the heck are penny 
nails?</font></div><div><font face='Arial' size='2'></font>&nbsp;</div><div><font face='Arial' size='2'>In defence of my ignorance, let me tell you I am 
the son of a carpenter (no J.C. jokes, please) and&nbsp;can claim carpentry 
skills of my own that are a little beyond basic at least. But I have no idea 
about penny nails. Is this an American thing? While living in Toronto, Vancouver 
and Victoria I have always bought nails by length (in inches and fractions of 
inches) and type (bright common, finishing, galvanized spiral, 
etc.)</font></div><div><font face='Arial' size='2'></font>&nbsp;</div><div><font face='Arial' size='2'>Enlightenment, please.</font></div><div><font face='Arial' size='2'>jce</font></div></html></div>

Penny Nails