We were given a box of Liberty Cu 5 Slim XL nails to try and review. While we typically use an E-head nail instead of a city or regular head nail we do occasionally punch a fullered shoe for a city head.
In deciding what nail to use for a particular shoe and foot there are several factors to consider:
- Packaging
- Consistency in size/forging
- Material
- Ease of driving
- Clinching
- Size of nail shank
- Nail fit in shoe
Packaging
As with the rest of Liberty nails these come in a nice plastic box. In this wet climate the plastic holds up much better than cardboard which falls apart due to the humidity we deal with here.
Consistency
As with the other Liberty nails these are very consistent and clean.
Material
This particular nail is in the Cu line so it is a steel nail coated with copper. While the copper coating is designed to be anti-microbial it is certainly not enough to cure anything. The main benefit I see with the copper is the nails don’t rust. In the wet, humid environment I am in, normal nails that are not used often will rust just sitting in the trailer.
Ease of Driving
The smooth finish of these nails combined with the stiffness of the shank made them drive very consistently and easily.
Clinching
While some nails can be too stiff or too soft to have a nice small consistent clinch, these were a nice balance that allowed for a good consistent clinch that was easy to produce.
Size of Shank
As a general rule, I will use a nail with the thinnest shank that I can get away with for a horse. This particular nail has a nice slim shank that will displace very little hoof wall similar to the LX50 that I would typically use.
Nail fit
The head of this nail fit quite nicely in the keg shoes I tried it in and was very easy to punch for in a fullered handmade.
Overall a very nice nail that I would happily use again.