When did they start using screws rather than nails to fix down coffin lids?

They were still using nails at the turn of the century. I suspect when they got away from the pine boxes, they switched to screws because they didn't damage the outside of the lid and were easier to hide.





Coffins are not meant to be opened and shut several times, but it sometimes happens that a sealed coffin must be re-opened before burial. If the deceased has been shipped in it, for instance. They need to confirm identity, open the coffin for a viewing, etc. When they started transporting bodies and using more expensive coffins, they probably went to screws.





It's very likely that Abraham Lincoln's coffin was sealed using screws, but Billy the Kid got nailed.When did they start using screws rather than nails to fix down coffin lids?
They aren't screwed or nailed. They have hinges at either end and they are closed using a crank inserted at the foot end which brings two components together (1 on the top, 1 on the bottom) and then it creates a seal. Not all caskets seal, and some simply click shut and so not seal.When did they start using screws rather than nails to fix down coffin lids?
1920
idk