Why does blunting a nail stop wood splitting?

Why does blunting a nail stop wood splitting?

A sharp nail penetrates the wood by chiseling its way between the fibers, forcing them apart. A blunt nail, too dull to act as a chisel, simply breaks through the fibers as it goes. … That's why dull nails aren't as likely to split wood.

Do nail guns split wood?

Wood splitting is one of the common problems in using a Nail Gun. It's because of the powerful force that the tool applies as it pushes through the nail.

Can you screw into wood without drilling?

You can drive a screw with or without drilling a pilot hole first. … For rough construction, you can usually just power screws into place without drilling a hole. However, for finer woodworking projects, you risk splitting the wood without first drilling holes, especially near the end of a board.