The earliest nails were probably made in the Middle East about 5,000 years ago. Metal was heated and then pounded into the desired shape. Making nails by hand, one nail at a time, continued as the method of production until the 1700s. The only slight...

In engineering, woodworking and construction, a nail is a pin-shaped, sharp object of hard metal, typically steel, used as a fastener. Nails for specialised purposes may also be made of stainless steel, brass or aluminium. Nails are typically driven...