document updated 12 years ago, on May 18, 2011
My earlobe piercings are 16ga, which is larger than most women's earrings. As my piercing won't be fully healed for several years, I need to keep the full size in there if I want to maintain the hole at that size.
My plan: Buy normal earrings, break off the part where it's glued onto the post, and glue it onto new posts that are 16ga.
But — where do I find 16 gauge posts??
- SUCCESS! Some nail brads are sold with explicit gauge measurements. Meijer in particular sells ones that are 16ga, 17ga, and 18ga, and with relatively smooth shafts. Yay!
- how smiths form nail heads
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- COTS nails
- yes, there are 16 gauge nails available, but I think they're mostly "L" shaped nails, meant for nail guns
- the smallest size nail you can get from hardware stores is 12 or 14 gauge, I think? (size "2D" is the smallest, and it's ~12-14ga)