#2) They Originated in Ancient Egypt. To say nails are an old fastener would be an understatement. Its unknown exactly when nails were first invented, but archeological evidence shows nails were used in Ancient Egypt around 3,400 B.C. Since then, little has changed regarding their design.

When did humans start using nails?

Nails have been used for thousands of years. The first nails were made of wrought-iron. Nails made of bronze were found in ancient Egypt, dating to about 3400 BCE.

When did they start using nails in furniture?

Modern wire, brad or penny nails were introduced around 1890. Screws were occasionally used in early furniture, too.

What did cavemen do with their finger nails?

With all this manual labor, it is believed that the fingernails would have naturally been worn down and chipped away. If the fingernails of these early humans did break or chip, they likely solved the problem as we do today – giving them a nibble and maybe tugging off the occasional irritating hangnail.

When were square nails stopped being used?

Square-head nails were made from the late 1700s until about 1830. Most were machine-cut and finished off by a blacksmith who squared the heads. From 1830 to 1890, cabinetmakers used headless, machine-cut nails that are a tapered, rectangular shape.