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This hand-forged strake nail is short and chisel shaped, with a narrow cutting edge, driven against the drain without any preliminary holes. This nail came from the wheelwright's shop at Writtle, where straked wagon wheels were made up until the 1920s. A strake is an iron 'shoe' which is nailed over the junction of two felloes on a wheel; this was gradually replaced with 'hoop tyres', which covered the rim of a wheel with one continuous hoop of iron.

1 strake nail; metal; good condition

Object negative number 35/2413, Printed Report – 'A note on some nineteenth century waggon fittings obtained from Messers. Wallace and Sons, Wheelwrights, Writtle, Central Essex, and presented to the Museum of English Rural life on 28th September 1953. [explaining strakes, strake nails, floater rail stays and hind bridge stays. Also about types of paint used on them.]'

Writtle