Spring Tools 32R02-1 Nail Set and Counter Punch, 1 Pack

Product Information

The 4/32-inch tip on the long shaft is flat, so hold it square to the nailhead and strike firmly to avoid a slip off.

in. Automatic Spring Loaded Center Hole Punch - The Home Depot 6 in. Automatic Spring Loaded Center Hole Punch - The Home Depot

They are used for the final few blows onto the exposed heads of finish nails, sinking them beneath the surface without collateral damage to the surrounding wood. On this Japanese tool, the small, anvil-shaped head is actually a second nail set, meant for striking 8d nails in tight spaces. This 6½-inch-long tool has a 5mm (roughly 6/32-inch) tip for sinking big 12d to 20d finish nails or driving chunky flooring nails into antique floorboards. To eliminate the chance of missing the mark, these tools have a hollow shaft that slides over the nail and rests on the wood. When most people think of a nail set, they think of this version from Stanley, with a square head, knurled body, and cupped and chamfered tip.

To use this spring-loaded, “hammerless” nail set, you hold the bottom half in a tight pincer grip and pull the top half away from the nailhead.

Punching Tools | Woodworking Tools | Screwfix

The rough surface of this Japanese tool still shows the hammer blows of the blacksmith who forged it. Nail sets are essential for such jobs as installing decorative molding or face-fastening wood flooring; once a nail is “set,” it only needs a dab of putty to make it disappear.

That leaves one last problem to solve: how to avoid clobbering your hand when you miss the nail set.