Davey & Co. Rove Punch/Rove Iron

Rove Sets are used when fastening two pieces of wood - typically boat planking - with copper nails and roves - tight-fitting convex washers.

The roove punch, itself, is like a large nail set with a deep countersunk hole at one end to accept the point of a copper nail and the convex side of a rove. The rove set is used to push the rove firmly against the wood plank being fastened, while the head end of the nail is held in place by a large hammer. The nail is then cut and peened into a mushroom shape to form a rivet - so it can't loosen or back out.