Not every project goes as well as planned. We would be happy to spend a few minutes answering your questions.
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So you're hammering away and the nail bends...or worse, breaks off. If you are like many the handyman, you try to tap the bent nail upwards so it is straight again. Well, when everything else fails, you have to remove it without damaging the work surface.
The least invasive method is the claw hammer. Be careful to place something, like a piece of wood, under the hammer to protect the work surface from damage. Stick the nail shank into the claw and pull back. If you can't get it to budge, try moving the hammer to the side. This will bend the nail shank, but it may get the nail to move outward...repeat this over and over until the nail pulls out. As a last resort, and only if you don't care about the work surface, try using a cat's claw. This is a small claw that gets hammered into the wood to grab the nail shank. It will chop a hole in your work surface, so only use it if you have to.
If you are still scratching your head or if the nail breaks, try grabbing it with pliers and applying leverage. Instead of pulling the nail straight out, roll the pliers back to pull the shank out at an angle. If that doesn't work, try hammering the nail through to the other side of the work surface. You will have a blemish to fill in, but you can start over with a fresh, straight nail...that is until you bend that one too.
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