I assume that "those days" refers to the 1700s, since you seem to be fixated on that, but nails were being manufactured by the 1800s and mass produced by the 1

I assume that "those days" refers to the 1700s, since you seem to be fixated on that, but nails were being manufactured by the 1800s and mass produced by the 1900s, and certainly didn't require "big business" to be affordable. Merry Christmas, or whatever.