# The Origin of the Fingernail Clipper

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-fingernail-clipper/189481>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 18, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-fingernail-clipper/189481 "2003-07-18T22:25:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shiva418](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Shiva418](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva418)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-fingernail-clipper/189481/1 "2003-07-18T22:25:00Z")

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I’ve tried googling this, but my efforts produced nothing of note. So, do any of you dopers know anything obout the inventor of the common desing for nail clippers? Also, was there at one time a patent on this device?

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**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-fingernail-clipper/189481/2 "2003-07-18T22:32:50Z")

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There are many patents for various types of nail clippers to be had from [this page](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=nail+clipper&FIELD1=&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=ptxt).

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-fingernail-clipper/189481/3 "2003-07-18T22:38:48Z")

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There is a picture of such a device and a patent issued to J.D. Wright in 1905. That can be found over at the Patent Office website. UNfortunately, you can’t search the _text_ that far back, just images. Frustrating.

I don’t mean to imply that he was the inventor, nor that was the date. JUst trying to give you some help.

I believe that is the earliest that they have for “nail clipper.” You might also use “nail cutter” in searches.