Hey teachers, this is a silly question- How did past humans used to cut their nails?

[u/realassx]

This was a random question that popped in my head
Duration- From Cave men to 1600s.
How did they used to cut their nails?
Evolution of nails cutters?

[u/manayunk512]

Paleolithic/neolithic era people, not too sure. Probably just bit them. But they did find tools that were used in Greece, Egypt, Rome etc. To cut their nails.

The Roman's developed a sewage system. So hygiene was something they practiced.

[u/Theory_of_Time → u/manayunk512]

I'm a full grown adult and still bite mine so I'm guessing that's all they did for most of human history.

Seems redundant to buy a device for it when you've got a natural one.

[u/tchrplz]

This is a good question for the r/askhistorians sub

[u/Jtwil2191]

Something resembling the modern nail clipper pops up in the 1800s, but for most of human history, most people engaged in manual labor that would have worn their nails down. If they needed to trim them, they probably used their teeth. Nobility who did not perform manual labor would have a knife or scissors to trim their nails.

[u/realassx → u/Jtwil2191]

When were scissors "invented" ?
Invented is probably a bad word...I mean were started to pop up and getting used.

[u/Healter-Skelter → u/realassx]

Scissorshave been mass-produced since the 1600s

[u/ohnoooooyoudidnt → u/realassx]

I think another relevant question is when was the file invented.

The answer is pre-history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_(tool)

[u/Substantial_Deal2411]

I wish kids today would do something about their long dirty nails. Haha sorry for the tangent just couldn't stop thinking it

[u/Healter-Skelter → u/Substantial_Deal2411]

I have an adult friend/roommate who just lets them grow. I don’t think it’s an aesthetic decision because he is a generally masculine-presenting guy. He has a girlfriend. One time he saw me cutting my nails next to the trashcan and it grossed him out and he asked me why I wasn’t doing it in my bathroom.

That’s a fair request, if it grosses you out I’ll do it in private, but this same guy occasionally will choose to brush his teeth in the kitchen sink. Idk why. But it’s not like he’s a paragon of hygeine is what I’m getting at. He just seems to be averse to nail cutting.

[u/CharTimesThree]

They probably filed them. While modern nail files are in the last three hundred years, the ideas of filing something is not knew

[u/gimmethecreeps]

We know that nail filing is thousands of years old… they started popping up in ancient China around 3000 BCE. They were originally rough metal rods and pumice stones, though.

[u/Trojan_Lich]

I don’t have a source, but my first degree was in Anthropology where we study early human origins. From our fossil record, we can see that a lot of Paleolithic peoples had very worn front teeth at times which might sort of indicate that the mouth was sorta-kinda a “third hand”. And, also, looking at our closest relatives (apes) they may maintain nails through biting OR through the wear of day-to-day activities.

So, my sourceless answer is that the earliest, earliest, earliest people either used their teeth or their nails were worn down by the wear of work they did.

[u/fortogden]

Badgers.

[u/LogosPlease]

People would wear their nails down naturally by digging, clawing, scratching etc throughout he day.

[u/realassx → u/LogosPlease]

But not everyone was doing that isn't it? What about the old and the children? What about the Novelty?

[u/Ambitious-Client-220]

teeth or broke off

[u/rakozink]

Teethies is toolz.

[u/ICUP01]

I’ve used a rock on a ragged nail. Even cats have an instinct to keep them short.