Danish Cord L-Nails, Steel, 13/16 in, Packs of 24 or 100

These are the small L-shaped nails that hold a Danish cord seat together. Each one is steel, 13/16 in long, with a bent loop end. They are driven into the inside face of the seat rails, where they can't be seen from above, and the loops of cord at the ends of each group of warps catch on them. That keeps the warps evenly spaced and holds them tight while the weft is woven across.

A typical chair seat uses 30 to 50 nails. The pack of 24 is for repairs, a small stool, or replacing bent and rusted nails on one or two rails. The pack of 100 covers one to three seats, depending on how many your chairs need.

Tips for setting them:

• On a restoration, mark where each old nail sits before you pull it, and put the new nails in the same places. The warps then group the way the maker intended.
• On a new frame, space them evenly along the inside of the rails, following your seat pattern.
• Drive each nail so its bent end holds the cord loop against the rail and the loop cannot ride off.
• In hard woods, drill a small pilot hole first so the rail does not split.
• Where the space between the rails is tight for a hammer, finish driving with a nail set.

The nails work with laced and unlaced Danish cord in any color. They are not needed for fiber rush or seagrass seats in the rush pattern.

Count before you order. On a restoration, count the old nails or nail holes on all four rails; that is the number you need, plus a few spares for any that bend. On a new seat, your pattern sets the number, and 30 to 50 is typical for a chair seat.

For one seat, the pack of 100 is the safe choice, since 24 nails will not finish most seats. Choose 24 for a small repair or to replace the nails on a single rail. For a set of four or more chairs, count the total and order enough packs of 100 to cover it with some spare.