Scientists are really out there making electromagnetic vortex cannons and sound waves that only travel in one direction while the general public is still struggling to realize that staplers have a second setting.
To be completely fair, it is easy to miss if you haven’t had an entry-level job in an area that requires a lot of stapling. It’s also no surprise that people may not be aware of the second function of the humble stapler, given that paperwork and printing have (slightly) decreased in recent years, particularly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As well as the normal function on your stapler, which secures a pile of paper fairly securely, you can adjust the metal plate towards the business end of your stapler, resulting in the second feature. On this second setting, the ends of the staples splay outwards, resulting in a more temporary staple that can easily be removed.
The second function has been around quite a while, as they were designed that way, but doesn’t appear to have been noticed by everybody.
“If a temporary fastening is desired, the staple points can be bent outward instead of inward so they may be removed as easily as a pin,” a 1941 issue of Popular Mechanics explains, adding “the base is hinged so it will swing out of the way, permitting the machine to tack the staples straight into boxes or crates for attaching tags and labels.”
Of course, if you’re in an office you probably have access to a staple remover, making the second feature basically redundant.
