wedge shaped nails for garden masonry wall?

[chrisbainbridge]

On gardeners world (sad, I know) last week Monty was putting up bird feeders and seemed to be hanging them against the wall on what looked like a wedge shaped nail driven into the mortar.  Almost looked like a climbing piece of apparatus.  I cannot find what they are but seemed easier than an old fashioned 6 inch nail or a screw.

Any thoughts as to what they could have been or an alternative?

[Ham]

https://www.heritage-store.co.uk/traditional-nails/1030-brad-cut-floor-board-nails.html

These?

There are cheaper versions, this was just the first link

[aidan.f]

Given time they will rust in place and attempting  to remove  will spall out the mortar. I would use plugs and brass/stainless screws which can be easily removed and then hole in mortar pointed back up. Anything heavy, yes I kno not bird feeders, should be fixed into a brick

[Little Jim]

The "nails" with the holes in are called vine eyes- used for fixing wires to walls for vines (no surprise there) and as Aiden says they do damage the mortar if you try and remove them.  The original owners of our house must have bought a large box of them - they were everywhere.  The only real way to get rid of them is to cut them off flush with the wall.  Not ideal as there is still a small piece of steel in the mortar but certainly easier than doing a lot of repointing.

[Basil]

Yes. Vine eyes. I've just used some for my espalier wires.  I believe you can also get a screw in version if you fancy drilling the wall.

[Canardly]

Sound like cut nails/brads to me as above.

[Tim Hall]

Got to iPlayer. Go to 50:17 on the most recent episode of Gardeners world. Looks like a floor board brad to me. I'm fairly sure there's no eye on it.

[chrisbainbridge]

Got to iPlayer. Go to 50:17 on the most recent episode of Gardeners world. Looks like a floor board brad to me. I'm fairly sure there's no eye on it.

Wow.  I did not see an eye in it either.

Once you know the name it is obvious and easy to find!

Thank you

I have gone for the screw in ones as our wall is already rather old, mixed old mortar and new mortar with crumbling brick in places.

[rafletcher]

There are these of course

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DRIVE-HARDENED-STEEL-HAMMER-VINE/dp/B007N8PCDM

[giropaul]

I used to know where in Derby to go for anything like this, but whilst I wasn’t paying attention it’s gone all coffee bar and trendy. Ashbourne is going the same way regrettably.
There used to be an iron mongers by the old cattle market - oh, but that’s the old one that was replaced by the new one that’s been replaced by expensive car showrooms.
There’s a “ Country Store” ( read farm supplies) on the Tutbury to the bottom of Draycott in the Clay road - past the Gypsum mine that’s famous for the biggest non- nuclear explosion ever. Maybe they still do nails by the pound?

[Basil]

Any decent garden centre will stock them.

[pcolbeck]

Maybe they still do nails by the pound?

Yates in Malton (opened in 1845) where you can buy anything from shotgun cartridges to an electric cattle fence, clothes, Airfix kits or a new cooker still sell common nails by weight. Big plastic bins of nails a scoop and brown paper bags. Weigh them yourself.

[giropaul]

Maybe they still do nails by the pound?

Yates in Malton (opened in 1845) where you can buy anything from shotgun cartridges to an electric cattle fence, clothes, Airfix kits or a new cooker still sell common nails by weight. Big plastic bins of nails a scoop and brown paper bags. Weigh them yourself.

Fabulous!