Many people attribute the origin of the phrase “getting down to brass tacks” The phrase is thought to have originated sometime in the 1800s, and was regularly used in newspapers of that era. It was not uncommon for reporters to talk about “getting down to brass tacks”, which is roles of their job . The common reporter relies on sifting through vague information to establish confirmed facts, and this may have led the phrase “brass tacks” to show up quite frequently in their copy.