That tiny round hole on your nail clipper is the reason the tool survived more than a century almost unchanged. It wasn’t added for style or manufacturing convenience, but as a built‑in anchor point. Early users could tether their clippers to keychains, watch chains, or hooks so they wouldn’t disappear in pockets, trunks, or shared washrooms where personal items were easily misplaced.

In the late 1800s, indoor plumbing and private bathrooms were rare luxuries, yet grooming still mattered. Designers understood that a tool you can keep close is a tool you’ll actually use. The hole made clippers portable, shareable, and simple to store, turning a small object into a reliable companion. That quiet bit of engineering endured because it worked so well no one dared “improve” it. In the end, a single circle proved that true innovation can be almost invisible.