Quickly Remove Stuck Nails With This Simple Tool Hack

Tough Nails?

Stubborn nail got you stumped? Try this trick for pulling out the toughest nails.

When a nail’s head is just barely sticking out of board, a hammer’s claw has plenty of leverage to pull the nail. But when a nail is partially pulled but still firmly stuck, the hammer’s claw is no longer effective. You can only pull the hammer back so far before it’s reached the end of its leverage/pulling capacity. To regain that leverage, put something solid under the hammer’s head. This sets the hammer back to the beginning of its pulling stroke. A block of wood works best, as it won’t mar the board underneath it, but in a pinch you can use whatever you’ve got, like a screwdriver handle. Here are a few tips to remove a nail stuck in the wood, as well as how to remove a nail without a head.

Hand tools are great, but they’re even better when you use them creatively for things they’re not designed to do. Check out these 16 genius hand tool hacks you need to know.