DeWalt Pin Nail, Chisel Point, 1-1/2 in, 23 ga, 2000 pk

Why I reached for these pins

On delicate trim, fasteners should disappear. That’s the whole promise of a 23‑gauge pin, and it’s why I’ve been running DeWalt’s 1‑1/2 in 23‑ga headless pins for a mix of shop builds and onsite trim—think tiny cove and bead, miter returns on crown, light apron details, and glass stops. At this length, you’re squarely in “long pin” territory, which can be fussy in hardwoods. I wanted to see how cleanly they drive, how often they deflect, and how well they play with a few different pinners.

Build and packaging

The strips arrived straight and cleanly collated, with no obvious burrs. The coating is the typical interior-grade resin that helps with both driving and grip; it’s not a corrosion coating and shouldn’t be treated as such. I like that the strips aren’t overly gummy—some pins leave residue on the nose of a pinner. After a couple thousand shots, I didn’t notice buildup that affected depth or alignment.

You get 2,000 per box, which is a practical quantity for trim carpentry. A few strips were slightly offset at the ends (common with long pins), but they still loaded and fed without issue in most of my guns.

Performance and driving

I ran these pins through three pinners: a newer DeWalt pneumatic, a Grex, and an older compact cordless I keep for punch lists. In pine and poplar, they drove consistently flush at 80–90 PSI (pneumatic) or a mid-depth setting (cordless). In hard maple and white oak, I bumped pressure/settings slightly to keep them from sitting proud. Across softwood, MDF, and hardwood face frames, line-of-sight holes were reliably hairline and easy to disappear.

The chisel point helps reduce splitting at edges, and I noticed fewer micro-splits on skinny returns than I often see with flat-ground points. That said, any 1‑1/2 in headless pin can wander. When shooting close to an edge in brittle hardwoods, I still got occasional exit wounds. That’s the physics of a long, thin shank—orienting the chisel relative to the grain helps, and a slight angle into the substrate improved my odds.

Material behavior and visibility

• Softwoods/MDF: Excellent. Clean entry, minimal fuzzing in primed MDF, and essentially invisible holes once painted.
  
• Poplar/maple: Good, with the usual caveat about edge distances.
  
• Oak/ash: Good, but increase test shots to account for density; deflection risk rises with length.
  
• Veneered plywood: Good, though I prefer to pin through solid lipping when possible.

Under paint, I rarely fill 23‑ga holes unless the piece will see lots of reflected light. On clear finishes, the pins are still nearly invisible, but in raking light you can catch a whisper of a slit. If you’re fussy, a quick burnish or a dot of wax stick makes it disappear.

Holding power and best uses

Headless pins don’t hold like brads; they’re more like a third hand for glue-ups. These DeWalt pins shine where you want to tack something in perfect place without visible evidence. I used them to lock in tiny crown returns while the glue set, pin backband details on a mantle, and fasten delicate ogee to a small keepsake box. On shoe molding or casing where mechanical hold matters, I still step up to 18‑ga brads. But for small moldings and returns, these pins have just enough bite to keep parts from creeping while adhesive cures.

The coating seems to add a touch of friction—pinch tests on scrap showed slightly better pull resistance than bright pins I’ve used—but temper expectations. They’re interior pins, not a structural fastener.

Compatibility and feeding

Compatibility with 23‑ga pinners can be finicky. In my DeWalt and Grex, these pins fed flawlessly. In my older cordless pinner (a compact model known to be choosy), 1‑1/2 in strips didn’t always seat happily; the follower spring felt near its limit, and I had a few instances where the magazine wouldn’t catch the strip until I reduced the count. Once seated, driving was fine, but the fit was tighter than with that brand’s own fasteners.

Two takeaways:
- Check your pinner’s max length and pin diameter tolerance. “23‑ga” can vary slightly in actual wire diameter and collation thickness.

- Load a couple strips before you’re on the job to confirm fit and feed.

I logged one minor jam across the test batch—a bent pin near the end of a strip. Clearing it took seconds, and I didn’t see recurring defects.

Length considerations

At 1‑1/2 in, these pins open up projects where shorter pins run out of runway. They’re excellent for tacking profiles into thicker substrates or bridging through a thin trim into a solid backer. My rule of thumb: aim for at least 3/4 in of embedment into the substrate. On delicate stock, don’t be afraid to step down in length to 1 or 1‑3/16 in if you’re flirting with an edge; the reduced deflection often outweighs the benefit of the extra length.

Surface quality and finishing

The nose imprint is minimal, and the lack of a head means no crescent around the hole. After priming, holes vanish with no filler in most cases. On stained work, I orient the gun to keep the chisel aligned with the grain; this leaves a slit that mimics the grain line and becomes almost imperceptible after topcoat. If you accidentally get a shiny ring (rare with these), a Scotch-Brite knockdown fixes it.

Durability and corrosion

The coated finish is for interior use; kitchens, living spaces, and dry baths are fine. I would not use them where moisture is a factor or for exterior trim—choose stainless or a specifically rated finish for that. After a few weeks in a humid shop, I didn’t see any oxidation on exposed strips, which speaks to decent handling and packaging, but I wouldn’t store them open on a jobsite.

Value and quantity

A 2,000‑count box feels right for finish work: enough to load multiple guns and still have a backup sleeve. Strip integrity remained good through the box; I didn’t run into the crumbly collation that can plague bargain pins. While 23‑ga pins aren’t expensive consumables, a bad batch can waste time. These were predictably consistent, which is the real savings.

Tips for best results

• Test-shoot into offcuts of the actual material and adjust depth/pressure before you touch the workpiece.
  
• Angle the gun slightly to increase friction and reduce blowout risk on long pins.
  
• Keep your hand clear of the exit path; long 23‑ga pins can wander.
  
• For glass stops or ultra-delicate trim, pair the pins with a fast-set adhesive so the pin acts as a clamp, not the sole hold.
  
• If your pinner is magazine-sensitive, load fewer strips at once or mix a shorter strip on top to ease spring tension.

Limitations

• Not suitable for exterior or high-moisture environments.
  
• Holding power is limited by design; they’re for alignment and light duty, not structural fastening.
  
• Compatibility can vary by brand and model of pinner, particularly at the 1‑1/2 in length.

Recommendation

I recommend these DeWalt 23‑ga 1‑1/2 in pins for fine interior finishing where invisibility and clean driving matter. They’ve been reliable across several pinners, leave exceptionally discreet entry points, and offer the extra reach that tricky returns and thicker moldings sometimes demand. My only cautions: confirm your pinner’s compatibility with this length and keep their role in perspective—they’re a glue assistant, not a substitute for brads where holding strength is required. If your tool plays nicely with them, you’ll get consistent results and tidy, professional surfaces with minimal touch-up.