A machine makes nails having a star-shaped transverse cross-section by sequentially feeding conventional nails into a form roller station defined by a plurality of form rollers that are radially arrayed with respect to a centerline of the nails. Circumferentially spaced notches formed about the periphery of each form roller engage the heads of the conventional nails as the form rollers rotate and pull the nails into forming relation with the form rollers. The notches also prevent formation of the nail heads. A plurality of circumferentially spaced concavities formed in the form rollers prevents forming of the work-hardened points of the nails. The nails are sequentially delivered from a bowl feeder to an indexer that inverts the nails. A pair of rotatably mounted augers transfer the nails from the indexer to a nail-gripping device that holds each nail until its head is engaged by the nail-engaging notch in each of the form rollers. The form rollers are rotated by a gear train that begins with a ring gear rotated by a motor, and the gear train enables adjustment of the rotational phase of the form rollers so that they may be maintained in rotational phase with one another.