14. Even flattening a nail had a right and wrong way to go about it
Nails driven all the way through wood are common, and a common hazard for some. They were driven all the way through because they were too long for the purpose for which they were employed in the first place. Often the error is compounded by an attempt to pound the protruding sharp end of the nail flat into the wood, which usually leaves the point exposed, ready to snag whatever it encounters. Correcting the first error can be accomplished without performing the second, leaving a hidden sharp point ready to rip through clothing or skin. All that is required is another nail, presuming one has a hammer already in hand.
Before hammering the point flat, the second nail, or other round object such as a piece of wire, is laid horizontally beside the offending nail. The latter is then hammered down towards the wire. This causes the point of the nail to curve over the wire, directing it back toward the wood it has already penetrated. Once the guide wire or nail is removed the point of the nail is then driven down into the wood which it buries itself within, no longer exposed in a position from which it can inflict discomfort or damage to the unwary.
