A stapler works as a lever that drives a bent metal staple through a stack of sheets.

The longer version

Pressing a stapler drives a long handle down onto a small area at the front. That lever multiplies the force from your hand, so the staple's legs punch through a stack that would resist a direct push. A curved guide then turns the legs inward as they strike the metal anvil, completing the fold in the same single motion.

The anvil is often mounted on a rotating base so you can choose whether the legs fold inward or outward, the latter being easier to undo. The same multiplication of force explains why staplers stall past a certain sheet count: the frame cannot deliver more, and pressing with a whole hand mostly bends the machine instead.

Where this entry sits

Odd Little Things looks at the ordinary objects people touch every day and the small mechanisms and histories hiding inside them. Buttons, zips, pencils, mirrors, stairs, stamps, packaging, and road signs all get their turn. The full list sits on the Odd Little Things page, where every entry is listed in order.