Old Parker - Kalon Nails

Years ago I found some PK Nails that did not have a divot in the center. They were collecting dust at an old family owned lumber yard. That leads me to believe there was a purpose for PK nails before they became a standard for surveying purposes. Did yours have a divot?

James

My dad started using PKs probably in the early 1970s.

If my memory is correct (and it might not be), the early versions did not have the handy dot in the center ƒ?? those were added later (I would guess in the 1980s?).

So if yours has the dot, it wasn't set in 1956...

search this site, there has been discussion on this befoire.

Jim

First saw a PK nail in the early 70s that had a crosshatched head with rifled pattern on the stem.

We used the 3/4in length thru a bottle cap, washer or other spinner primarily to set in concrete.

Super hard and very brittle, too many strikes and the head would come off.

Tap into place and then slam them flush as possible without smashin' you fingertips.

Having a sharp point was a necessity.

Best results using a Hilti 22cal driver.

The first PKs with a dimple on the head that I ever saw were set prior to 1968.?ÿ?ÿIt was on a?ÿBureau of Reclamation dam construction and they were used as references and corners in asphalt.

Buy the book from 1945 and see what they had available at the time 🙂

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1945-Parker-Kalon-Self-Tapping-Screws-Users-Guide-Engineering-Production-Data-/391418042860

?ÿ

1958 - Charles Walker set a P-K nail in a rock for a random traverse point.?ÿ I found it last year.

Charles Walker's field note page:

The P-K nail, this is the best picture I have:

I recall this question being asked some years back. At that time somebody (Kent?) came up with a catalogue/price list for PKs from the 1930's, as I recall.?ÿ

The Parker-Kalon Company?ÿwas formed in 1922 with the merger of the Parker Supply Company?ÿ of New York City and the Kalon Company of Jersey City, NJ.?ÿ The earliest reference I have found was in a 1938 catalog where they show the masonry nails.?ÿ The early nails were never intended to be used for survey nails, but after widespread use by surveyors, the company started making them with the center divot.?ÿ?ÿ I don't think they are being produced anymore.?ÿ Parker-Kalon was absorbed by Emhart Teknologies and then Stanley.

?ÿ

I think the last year they were made was in 2012 or so.

Once about ten years ago, I had set a temp point with a MAG nail to represent a (destroyed) mon position which- after some additional analysis- I determined was off by about 0.06 feet or so. I was also working closely with another surveyor who was working in this exact same area, and I mentioned that it could result in confusion if they set another MAG nail close by. The solution: they would set a P-K nail where they thought the mon should go. The measured distance between them was 0.06 feet. I was wrong.

I still have a couple dozen or more left, including the Texas-sized ones. "If it's P-K it's OK" or something similar was their slogan IIRC.

Interestingly,?ÿ My grandfather retired in 1966 from Parker Kalon and going through pictures today I found a letter from Mr. Kalon thanking him for 32 years in service. I also found large pictures from their Christmas party Dec 14 1934 ..and their 6th annual dinner dance 1940. I am going to check with the Smithsonian and see if they want them. They are in mint condition , just a small tear at the end.?ÿ

https://www.cknj.com/content/parker-kalon-manufacturing-close

I wish Chris-Nick could acquire whatever is left of PK. This would avoid the confusion of mh nails being called pk's. Also, mh stands for ManHole. This is another point of confusion. "Fd. MagHub Nail" is not as easy to type as Fd. PK in C/L.

I'm sort of a stickler. If my plat says "Fd. 3/4" pipe", it should not be actually a 1" pipe. We are surveyors. We measure, document, and provide a historic trail. This trail should not be filled with discrepancies, unless we want our veracity to be questioned.

We sometimes will be dead, gone, or in the nursing home, when this young fancy surveyor retraces our work. If we are reliable surveyors, our work will live on in honor. If we are leaving a trail filled with discrepancies, then we will live on in infamy and dishonor.

Leave a good trail.

Nate

I don't set many things in places where I need a PK nail anymore.

They were absolutely necessary when setting in any road during winter and in concrete anytime.

An engineering firm I worked for would only get the 3/4in PK nails and they were a finger buster whether it went in or not.

Now I drill a hole and put in all or part of a 60d and stamped washer or other adequate from rebar with a cap to round head bolt over a stamped washer.

"Fd. MagHub Nail" ? What?

I'm finding M/H nails, generically called PK nails.

MagHub nails are the replacement for the (now defunct) PK nail.

Nate

Nate,

If we are being precise, the ChrisNik replacement for PK nails is the MagNail.?ÿ MagHubs are more like a 60 penny nail and come in 4", 6" or 8" lengths.?ÿ The MagSpike is a longer thicker version of the MagNail.

I'm not sure I can (or would) use either for anything other than control in the states I'm licensed in.

I use the mag-nails for control in pavement or drilled into concrete.?ÿ I've used mag-spikes for center-line control in subdivisions when I wanted a monument that was easily spotted without a magnetic locator.?ÿ I only use mag-hub-nails for traversing and other semi-temporary control in soil or gravel.

I found some without a duvet yesterday. Are they worth anything?

?ÿ

Posted by: @a-harris

Tap into place and then slam them flush as possible without smashin' you fingertips.

That takes some skill. I can swing a hammer but, Have no idea how many PKs or MAGs I've turned into high-velocity armor-piercing projectiles. There's a lot to that skill.