I was trimming my nails, which grow pretty fast, and the question occurred to me, did the pre-Columbian native Americans, for example, need to trim their nails? Or did their hard scrabble life keep them naturally trimmed?
At what point in history did humans need to start cutting their fingernails?
Possibly always was at least some need, if only to deal with broken nails. Daily wear and tear would, of course, reduce the need for frequent trimming, but nail breaks would still happen and need to be dealt with. Teeth or knife or even a sharp rock at that point.
All the great apes, like chimpanzees, have been observed to at least bite their nails, so some type of rudimentary trimming is very likely to have existed among humans in pre-history. Or even among our pre-human predecessor species.
Never mind. Too much confusion in my head to say anything sensible.
Funny, just an hour ago I also thought about this. Thanks for starting the thread. If I may tack on my own specific question: what utensils were used in the past? Modern nail clippers seem something that could only be produced since a century, so what was used before that?
Which brings up another question, when did we last really need our nails? I must admit I’m fairly ignorant on this. Do chimps need their nails? Out of the hundred of illustrations online about human evolution, they all start with a chimp like creature.
I’m guessing there was some sort of walking-on-all-fours animal that predated them that probably dug or scratched with nails/claws.
Wiki has a decent article:
A healthy fingernail has the function of protecting the distal phalanx, the fingertip, and the surrounding soft tissues from injuries. It also serves to enhance precise delicate movements of the distal digits through counter-pressure exerted on the pulp of the finger.[2] The nail then acts as a counter-force when the end of the finger touches an object, thereby enhancing the sensitivity of the fingertip,[9] although the nail itself has no nerve endings. Finally, the nail functions as a tool enabling a so-called “extended precision grip” (e.g., pulling out a splinter in one’s finger), and certain cutting or scraping actions.
The nail is an unguis, meaning a keratin structure at the end of a digit. Other examples of ungues include the claw, hoof, and talon. The nails of primates and the hooves of running mammals evolved from the claws of earlier animals.[38]
In contrast to nails, claws are typically curved ventrally (downwards in animals) and compressed sideways. They serve a multitude of functions—including climbing, digging, and fighting—and have undergone numerous adaptive changes in different animal taxa. Claws are pointed at their ends and are composed of two layers: a thick, deep layer and a superficial, hardened layer which serves a protective function. The underlying bone is a virtual mold of the overlying horny structure and therefore has the same shape as the claw or nail. Compared to claws, nails are flat, less curved, and do not extend far beyond the tip of the digits. The ends of the nails usually consist only of the “superficial”, hardened layer and are not pointed like claws.[38]
I’ll report for upgrade to FQ.
Back scratches are nice and pleasant. That alone is reason enough to have them. They also help in picking off bugs. And getting deep up inside your nose. Lots of reasons for still having nails.
[Moderating]
Moving to FQ.
Useful for cleaning garlic, too. And in general for scraping various bits of something off various other somethings, or pulling bits of something out of other somethings, when there’s no handier tool within reach.
Related question: why is the “undernail” so sensitive? Stick a needle in your finger and it hurts. Stick one under the nail and you’ll give upon the entire French resistance and tell when and where D-Day is going to be.
I cannot answer your question, but in my personal hygiene routine, I have a built-in reminder on when to trim my fingernails. If I walk barefoot across the kitchen floor and hear my toenails clacking, it’s time to trim.
Almost certainly, a sharp knife. Before that, I would guess that a rough stone would serve as a nail file.
Same kind of thing, but in bronze…
Cracking open pistachio shells. I’m doing that right now and thought ‘hey, I have a contribution to the fingernail thread!’.
I never use nail clippers. Just rip a little off at a time with my other fingers.
I’ve seen videos taken in India of people paying to have their nails trimmed. They always use a knife.
Here’s a you-tube video if you’d care to look
