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166 Unbelievable Examples Of Things Being Worn Down Over Time
Nothing is immune to the wear and tear of time. From precious childhood teddies to the floors we walk on - the mark of life long-lived is present in everything. Some of the worn-down items on this list might make you wonder, “why didn’t they replace it earlier?!”. But these cool photos represent more than everyday use, and they are living reminders of stories that must have happened over the period of time. If only they could talk…
Check out these captivating before and after images compiled by Bored Panda of worn-out things that all have their tales to tell, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite of all these interesting things! Also, check out our previous post for more!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
How Time Just Flies By
RELATED:
#2
This Whole Brick Wall Which Has Been Shaped By The Sea
#3
In 1995, My Great-Aunt Gave Me A Stuffed Cat. It Was My Absolute Favorite, And Slept With Me Every Night Through My Childhood. When She Passed, We Found Out She Had Bought An Identical Cat And Kept It In Pristine Condition For Two Decades. The Years Of Love Certainly Left Their Mark.
#4
Picture Of The Same Woman Before And After 48 Years
#5
Mother Tombstone In The Old Burying Ground, Wakefield, Ma. Love How The Tree Is Now Hugging Her
#6
Centuries Of Use (La Meauffe, Manche, France)
#7
My Dads Cat Has Been Scratching The Same Leg Of This Bench For The Past Decade
#8
A Bicycle Was Left Chained To A Tree
#9
The Way The Floor Has Faded In Near Perfect Semi-Circles At This Barber Shop
#10
Trinity Abbey In My Home Town, Mid-Cleaning
#11
Six Months Of Buildup In A Pipe Used For A Mineral Pool Spa
#12
My Best Friend From 33 Years Ago And A New Old Stock One My Pop Got For My Baby Son
#14
What Happens When You Peel Off 30 Years Of Graffiti? You Get A Layered Timeline Of 30 Years, Just Like A Tree But Made Out Of Spray Can Paint. That Is The Wall (And Part) I Took It From
#15
Ghosts Of Union Station
#16
My Grandfather's Screwdriver
#17
This Tree Holding Up Stones From A Collapsed Wall
#18
These Sand Bags From 40+ Years Ago Are Now Solid Rock
#19
Each Bottle Is The Same Whiskey Matured In The Cask For One Year More Than The Last
Marcin Barczyński 8 years ago
Judging by the number on one of the bottles, the first bottled is a completely unmatured, freshly distilled spirit. Basically, malt vodka.
#20
A Silver Dollar That My Great Grandfather Carried In His Pocket For 20 Years Until The Day He Passed Away
#21
Veteran Great White
#22
This Light Post Is Outside Of A Popular Music Club In New Orleans. After 40 Years Of Having Band Flyers Stapled To It, There's No More Room
#23
One Pillowcase Has Been Used Nearly Everyday For 40 Years. The Other Has Been In A Closet
#24
The Difference In Shoe Wear Between My Regular Foot And My Prosthetic Foot After A Year
#25
An Old CRT TV Screen That Has Seen A Lot Of Pacman
#26
Bronze Statue Of Iconic Ballerina, Margot Fonteyn, At The Royal Ballet School In London. Ballet Students Touch The Middle Finger For Luck Each Time They Walk Past
#27
Heard You Guys Like Old Stuffed Animal Stories. On The Left Is My First (Now Un)stuffed Animal I️ Received For Christmas 29 Years Ago. On The Right, The New Fraffy My Mom Tracked Down To Give To My 8 Month Old Son For His First Christmas. I️ Can’t Believe He Used To Have Horns!
Mama Panda 8 years ago
It's amazing what a little bit of love will do to our cherished stuffed animal friends <3
#28
This Church In Detroit, Mi Hasn't Been Cleaned Since It Was Built 134 Years Ago. I Always Thought The Stone Was Black
#29
Superstition
#30
My Bedroom Wall Has An Outline From My Dog Sleeping In The Same Spot And Position For Years
#31
Two Cars Left Somewhere In The Woods Of Japan For Years
#32
Buddy At Work Has A Very Worn Out Id Card And It's Kinda The Scariest Thing I've Ever Seen
#33
The Men's Bathroom Door Vs The Women's At My Engineering University
#34
These Trees Are Curved Due To The Constant Airflow From Nearby Exhaust Vents
#35
A Tale Of 2 Teddies - My Sister And I Both Got Them At The Same Time, ~18 Years Ago
#36
My Paint Mixing Stick Got Heavy After 10 Years Of Use So I Cut The End Off
#37
Old Public Piano Has Its Pedal Worn Away From Constant Use
#38
Iron Chef Morimoto's Knives. Top Is A New Knife. Bottom Is After 3 Years Of Use, Sharpening, And Cleaning At His Restaurant
#39
This Tree Grew Through A Fence And Still Has The Markings
#40
I Left This CD Sitting In My Car For Over A Year. The Sun Made This Crazy Design On It
#41
A Gravestone And A Tree Blended Together
Yvonne Stewart 8 years ago
So sad to read the ages of the children and the fact the mother could be the only one still alive in the family....
#42
After Six Rounds Of Chemotherapy, My Mother-In-Law's Nails Look Like Tree Rings
#43
Here Are Some More Worn Steps. Great Wall Of China
#44
Willie Nelson's Guitar "Trigger" After About 45 Years Of Use
#45
Took This Pic On The Angel's Landing Hike At Zion National Park. People Hold On To The Chain As They Climb To The Top Because The Route Is On The Edge Of A Cliff. The Chain Has Worn The Rock Away
#46
Footsteps Used By Children For Years (Donnelly's Hollow, Ireland)
#47
My Hats, Past Present And Future
#48
Foot Holds Deeply Worn Into The Volcanic Rock Along The Trail At Tsankawi, A Popular Hiking Area
Jef Bateman 8 years ago
I'm from White Rock, NM, which is very close to here. We used to call these "Indian ladders" or "Anasazi ladders." I liked to use them when we were hiking, but they are protected as artifacts in many places. Some of them go up very steep inclines and can be dangerous if you aren't accustomed to them. They are only for climbing. Some of the rock paths on straighter sections are worn down over a meter deep, but don't have individual footsteps. They are strangely narrow and hard to walk on, and they used to tell us that the Anasazi walked by keeping one foot in front all the time -- scooting, kind of. I recently talked with an expert who says this is nonsense -- the Anasazi probably had narrow frames.
#49
The Flooring At This Cafe Has Been Worn Down By The Feet Of Customers Over The Years
#50
Pete's Feet - Inside St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Pilgrims Have Been Touching And Kissing The Statue's Feet For Centuries
#51
10 Years In Service. Finally Retired. May The Force Be With You
#52
This Mayan Calendar Has Slowly Dragged The Nail Down The Wall
#53
The Textured Floor Of This Train In Paris I Was On Today Has Been Worn Completley Smooth
#54
A Cinderblock That Washed Up On The Beach After A Bit Of Time Tumbling Around In The Ocean Currents
#55
This Exterior Corner Next To The Front Door Of The Local Bike Shop Shows Significant Wear From The Last 30 Some Years Of Customers Striking It With Their Pedals
#56
This Parking Lot Used To Be Some Sort Of Building. Instead Of Removing The Old Tile Floor, They Simply Paved Over It
#58
This Touchpad Is So Worn Out That You Can See What's Beneath The Paint
#59
Twelve Years Of Everyday Use Vs The Once A Year Leaf
#60
The Marks On The Floor Of This Bathroom Are A Perfect Demonstration Of "The Bro Code."
#61
Customer States He Feels Slipping While Riding
Vlad Horobet 8 years ago
I can not believe the bike actually moves. The gears are completely worn out.
#62
Wife Suggested I Power Wash The Fence. For Some Reason I Was Not Prepared For The Difference
#63
The Bricks On This Wall Are A Different Style And Colour Where An Older Building Was Once Attached
Ashleigh McLean 8 years ago
I saw this in Montreal with my husband who is a stone mason... the silhouette on the bottom wasn't original (just art), but you can see the real outline of the missing building at the top - the chimney outline and tar from the original roof. It's amazing.
#64
My Gf Is A Transcriptionist. All The Letters On Her Keyboard Are Completely Worn Off
#65
Steps Near My House
#66
Today My Grandmother Was Still Using This Cookbook She Received 70 Years Ago From Her Mother
Suzanne Marriott 8 years ago
I have this cookbook! Some recipes are hard to follow because some ingredients are not used much anymore, and can sizes are numbered but not by volume. I have no idea what size a #2 can would be. It was given to me by an aunt who has long since passed.
#67
Shovel My Dad Has Been Using For Snow For ~20 Years
#68
This (Still Working) Garage Key
#69
Baskets Sun Bleached In Correlation With Frequency Of Use
#70
This Root Across The Trail Has Been Polished From Constant Foot Traffic
#71
Wall Gets Worn After Years Of Swiping Cards
#72
Same Towel Design, 16 Years Apart
#73
Hard Working Ballet Dancer Shoes
#74
Same Knobs, 50 Years Apart
Abhijeet Singh 8 years ago
It's so amazing that years of use can actually change the state of that object
#75
A Wall Disappearing Around A Dart Board In A Bar In Copenhagen
#76
My Retired Hiking Poles After ~2000 Miles Vs My New Ones Of The Same Model
#77
Tow Rope Marks. These Are Marks Left From When Canal Barges Were Pulled By Horses, Up To About 100 Years Ago
#78
A Square Fence Post Has Rotted To The Form Of It's Younger Self
#79
This Wall Is Worn Down From Years Of Customers Resting Against It
#80
Book Shelter Bent Down From The Weight Of Old Document Binders
#81
The Seat Belt Warning On This Bus Is Worn, Now The Figure Appears To Have Luscious Locks
#82
The D20s My Dad Bought In 1977 And My Brother Used Through Middle School In The 80's
#83
The Way Toes Have Appeared On My Worn Out Shoes.
#84
The Amount Of Wear On This Disney World Hook
#85
The Way That Everything Except The Letters Has Worn Away/disintegrated On This Notice
#86
Due To Years Of Beaver Damage, This Tree Now Looks Like It Is Melting
#87
Years Of Pointing Has Rubbed Away The "You Are Here" Mark
#88
Locked Vs Unlocked Door Handle At My University
#89
The Key For My Bike Vs. The Spare. The Worn One Still Works
#90
Progression Of Coral Growing On Underwater Woman Sculpture
#91
Only The Left Handle Has Scratches Because Of Wedding Rings
#92
I Bought The Same Wallet Twice In 2006. One I Used For 10 Years, The Other One I Saved Until Today
#93
My Socks Have Worn Down So That They Look Like Sad Faces
#94
My Faded Shirt
Mama Panda 8 years ago
Wow! It's hard to believe it's the same shirt but I can faintly see a few of the tie-dye circles.
#95
The Difference A Decade On Mars Makes
#96
The Way This Bathroom Lock Has Worn The Door Over The Years
Abhijeet Singh 8 years ago
I think how much time it must have taken to make this piece of ... Circle art?
#97
This Area Of Discoloration On The Wall From My Two Cats Rubbing Their Faces/Scent Glands Over The Years
#98
Bicycle Tire After Seven Years And 9,500 Km Versus Its Brand-New Replacement
#99
This Step Into The Clubhouse Of My Local Golf Course
#100
A Pitchfork, Used By A Left-Handed For Over 20 Years
Alissa Merstrand 8 years ago
Weve got two of these at my barn. Lays the best in your hand and since the teeth arent crooked we aint buying new.
#101
I Found Some Well Worn Stairs In An Old Castle In Germany
Troy Currie 8 years ago
Nearly every building stairs in Germany looks like this...most of them are over 200 years old.
#102
Edc Notebook Of A Year Vs New
#103
New Welding Gloves Vs Old Ones
#104
This Tap Has Worn So It Looks Like It Dispenses Cola
#105
The Restaurant I Work At Gave Me A New Apron Today
#106
This Is What Nearly 20 Years Of Nuke Testing Did To A Patch Of Desert In Nevada. Only A Small Fraction Was On The Surface, And Over A Thousand Nuclear Detonations Were Carried Out Altogether
#107
This Tray Only Used To Make Lasagne Is Wellworn
#108
I Used This Mouse For So Long, I Wore A Thumb-Groove Into It
#109
At Some Point In The Early 1900s, This Colorful Sozodont Advertisement Went Up On The Side Of A Stately Building. Sozodont Fell Out Of Favor In The Early 20th Century
DE Ray 8 years ago
In the town I grew up in, there was an add for a "biscuit company" on the side of one of the buildings downtown. I was informed that the term "biscuit" was slang for a prostitute at the time, and the location advertised (torn down a hundred years ago) was a brothel of some repute which the local authorities winked at (likely because they were frequent customers).
#110
Everyone Gets Cheap Gas
Swarf 8 years ago
As they should. Unless your engine is designed for it, buying higher octane gas isn't a "treat" for your car, it's a waste at best and possibly damaging. Higher octane gas combusts at a higher temperature, so unless your engine is built to do that, you're just making it work harder.
#111
I've Been Studying From This Textbook For Over A Year, And My Progress Is Clearly Visible
#112
And This Is A Drill Bit Before And After It's Been Used To Drill For Oil
#113
This Fretboard Shows The Amount Of Usage Almost Like A Graph
#114
What Eight Months Of Sharpening Do To A Butcher Knife
#115
This Can Has Been Sitting In That Cup Holder Exposed To Texas Elements For Over Two Years Now
#116
The Top Of This Fence Post Is Used By People To Swing Around A Corner
#117
These Were Once Identical Balls... Over The Years, One's Been Used For "Street Soccer", The Other Sat In A Shed
#118
Door Handles At University Of Michigan Union
#119
I Used This Towel As A Blackout Curtain For 7 Years
#121
So, I Compulsively Spin And Balance My Phone On My Finger. This Is My 2nd Case In 2 Years I've Worn Through
#122
My Mom’s Apron After Years Of Leaning On The Kitchen Counter While She’s Cooking
#123
My Grandfather Has Been Using The Same Knife For Well Over 40 Years
#124
People Physically Touching Their Location On A Map
#125
The Path Of Bowling Balls On This Ball Return Machine
Sandra Karlsson 8 years ago
I guess it’s more common to roll to the left.. I’ve seen it on soooo many machines that returnes 🎳 balls
#126
The 21 Steps At The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier
#127
Tiles That Have Been Worn Back To Concrete At My Local Bp
#128
Holes Cut Into Our Drawers Over The Years Just From Quarters
#129
Several Decades Of My Band Teacher Tapping On His Music Stand With A Wooden Baton Has Caused The Metal To Flatten
#130
My Old Lunch Bag (Modelled After A Traditional Brown Paper Bag), Four Years Old And Used Every Day, Vs A Brand New One I Have Bought Replace It
#131
The Soap From This Dispenser Has Worn Away At This Stone Counter-Top
#132
The Red Ring And Red "Usa" Lettering On My Olympic Cup Have Completely Disintegrated Over Years Of Washing, But The Other Rings Look Brand New
Ged Maybury 8 years ago
Red paint wears out faster than all other colours. Fades the fastest too. I'm not sure of the chemistry.
#133
My Mom's "Cooking Chopsticks" Worn Down Over 10 Years Of Use
#134
My Cousin's Ipad From Playing Too Much Minecraft
#135
Brand New Microbead Pillow Vs. One Used For Over Ten Years
#136
Old Vs New Demo Chisel
#137
Started Carrying 6yrs Ago My First Day Of Undergrad. Can Still Read The Logo But Can't Open Bottles Anymore
#138
This Spoon Worn Down By Years Of Right Handed Eating
#139
This Deck Of Cards From A Board Game Shows A Clear Difference In Usage Between The Draw Pile And The Hand-Cards
#140
The Left Handle Is Worn On The Bottom But The Right Handle Is Worn On Top
#141
The Edge Of My Dog's Tag Has Been Hammered Down By His Collar's Buckle
Fallon Martin 4 years ago
My dogs have the same collar… just something I realized and had no one to tell… :p
#142
Stairs Going Up The Arc De Triomphe In Paris
#143
The Wall Is Worn From People Putting The Pool Cues In The Rack Over The Years
#144
My Dog's Key Ring Has Worn A Notch In His Metal Name Tag Over The Past Ten Years
#145
Identical 15 Year Old Mugs. Right Hand Mug Shows 15 Years Of Dishwasher Wear. Left Hand Mug Has Been Kept In Storage
#146
My Dogs Favorite Toy. Old Vs New
#147
8 Years Of Carrying Pocket Knives Has Worn My Freeworlds Down Quite A Bit
#148
Field Notes, Carried In Various Pockets Every Day For 3.5 Months
#149
Gas Pump Button Is Worn Out By Multiple People Saying No To The Car Wash
#150
The Doors At My Local Burger King. Guess Which One Opens Out
#152
New Watch Strap Next To A Watch Strap Worn Every Day For Four Years
#153
Carpet Turned From Blue To Grey Over A 9 Year Period
Penelope Allingham 8 years ago
Is this an office or an auto repair shop? Trying to work it out.
#154
The Floor In This Forever 21 Dressing Room Is Worn Out Where Everyone Stands
#155
Distressed Dress Form
#156
What 60 Years Of Light Switch Usage Does To The Wallpaper
#158
30 + Years Of This Light Switch Swinging After Being Pulled
#159
My Dads 20 Year Old Knife Vs. New One He Got For Me
Lee from Phoenix 8 years ago
Strange finish on the blade for a new knife. Bellingham is a nice place. If you live there, go see the races at Skagit Speedway. We used to drive up from Seattle a couple times a year.
#160
This Fingerprint Pattern On An Ipad Used Primarily For Sudoku
#161
Where My Skin Has And Has Not Touched The Band Of My Watch Over The Last 2 Years
#162
I've Had This Circuitboard On My Keychain Since 1994
#163
This Counter Lost Its Paint Over Years Of Groceries Being Scanned
#164
Time For New Skates. I’m Running Out Of Steel And This Is The 2nd Set. Heels Held Together With Duct Tape. I Don’t Even Remember When I Bought These, But I’m Sure It Was Over 15 Years Ago
#165
My Worn Shoe Vs My New Shoe Of The Same Model
#166
My Steering Wheel Used To Have The Same Finish All Over
Christopher Houghton 8 years ago
I used to love how the top of the wheel was worn down smooth on my grandpa’s work trucks 🙂
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What do you think ?
Misterscooter 8 years ago
This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down.
Misterscooter 8 years ago
This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down.
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