stapler

A stapler is a fastening tool used to join sheets of paper or other thin materials by driving metal staples through the material and bending the ends to secure the sheets. Desktop and handheld models are widely used in offices, schools, and packaging operations. Variants include manual (hand- operated), electric (powered by electricity), and pneumatic (air‑powered) staplers, with sizes ranging from small office devices to heavy‑duty models that bind thick stacks.

A typical stapler contains a magazine that holds a strip of staples, a driver blade, a spring, and an anvil that shapes the staple ends. When activated, the driver drives a staple through the stack and the anvil bends the legs inward or outward to clinch the staple. Many models offer features such as depth adjustment, jam clearance levers, and anti-slip bases. Staples are supplied in strips and come in different crown widths and leg lengths to suit different materials.

Staples are generally made of steel, sometimes with a zinc or other coating to resist corrosion. Common office staples are sized by crown width and leg length (for example, 1/4 inch crown with 1/4–1/2 inch legs), though exact sizes vary by manufacturer. Using the wrong size can cause jams or failed clinching.

The concept of stapling dates to the 18th–19th centuries, with early designs evolving into mass-produced devices in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Today staplers are ubiquitous in offices but are also used in upholstery, manufacturing, and packaging settings for temporary or semi-permanent binding.