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You’ve been using a stapler incorrectly your whole life: Second ‘hidden’ feature in common office gadget leaves millions stunned
- A woman has shared a little-known feature of a common office stapler
- Krista Marie shared a TikTok video that has been viewed 18 million times
- On the clip he pointed to the double function of the small metal plate.
- Others were shocked, while some claim to have known the trick for years.
A little-known feature of a stapler hidden in plain sight has left millions on TikTok speechless.
Krista Marie, known as @kristamarie1982, shared a video titled ‘Can someone explain what the point is?’ and pointed out the dual function of the small piece of metal, the strike plate, on the stapler.
The plate is reversible and can be rotated. The main configuration folds the staples in to firmly hold a stack of papers. However, when flipped over, it folds the legs of the staple out to temporarily ‘fix’ a stack of papers.
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TikToker Krista Marie, known as @kristamarie1982, revealed the dual purpose of the metal plate on a stapler (left). In the clip, she points out the difference in size of two staples once the platen has been flipped (right).
The swivel plate (pictured) changes the length of the staples, with the longer version designed to temporarily ‘clamp’ a stack of papers together
She starts by stapling a sticky note and then pushes the small piece of metal to rotate it.
Krista re-staples the same sticky note to compare the difference in length of the two staples: the second is almost twice the size of the other.
Since then, the video has been viewed a staggering 18.2 million times, with many explaining the feature to those who are still baffled by the board’s purpose.
“The first is for ‘permanent’ staples, while the second is for ‘temporary’ stapling,” he wrote.
Others seemed just as baffled by the lesser-known tidbit.
One woman wrote: “I immediately grabbed my stapler and it worked omg.”
‘I always wondered what the purpose of converting it was,’ wrote one man, another said: ‘I didn’t know this. What?!’
But others criticized Krista for not knowing the “trick” sooner.
“Clearly you haven’t been bored at your workplace often,” one person wrote.
“This might be the most obvious thing in the world,” said another.
A third added: “Wow, I’m surprised people didn’t know that, just the look is self-explanatory.”