I feel like an idiot. Chad Lemke has been blogging about staplers since 2007 and I had no idea. I’ve never met Chad and don’t collect staplers or anything, but when I found his blog the sheer joy hit me like a ton of bricks. The first thing I did was email the Stapler of the Week link to Alex Olch — he’s a stapler lover like myself. The email went something like this. Subject: FUCK. ME. Body: This is why god created the internet. Olch agreed. I imagined him giddy and grinning as he inspected the online treasure-trove of paper connecting goodness.
Not only is Mr. Lemke an earnest and well versed stapler collector, his blog is exactly what you would expect from someone who is fixated with paper organizing devices. Text, coherent and exactly justified in tidy columns with beautiful photography on pristine white backgrounds. Layout simple and uncluttered. The blog is very well done. This discovery renews my sense of pride in Americans. We can obsesses over the most arcane subjects just as well as the Japanese. For that Chad, I salute you. Visit, bookmark and read Stapler of the Week.
All photos from Stapler of the Week.
Comments: 18
Thom
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 12:08 PM:
Lovely. I recently came across this one, with solid gold accents no less, at Lee Valley Tools:
http://tr.im/fsdc
nick
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 1:11 PM:
Excellent post.
Ms. P&C
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 1:16 PM:
Lovely! The images are the perfect way to showcase the compact design, power, and efficiency of these little machines.
I kind of had a deja-vu moment too – thinking of all the old staplers I used to find in my Dad’s desk. The only thing missing here is his bag of stale black licorice…
mike ley
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 1:19 PM:
i’m obsessed with collections, therefore obsessed with this blog.
JP
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 2:12 PM:
Nothing is as upsetting as some tool at the office taking your stapler and not returning it. To them it may just be an office supply item up for grabs, to someone obsessed it is much, much more. It’s like your trusted cubicle side-iron, and an old cronie that’s been through the war with you. It is even art in the purest form of honest, old-time quality, function and design. Keep your F’n hands off my stapler, please.
Drew Bell
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 2:22 PM:
I wanna marry that fat Bostitch with the trigger grip.
Chris
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 2:23 PM:
Awesome posting once again.
We use a pair of very old Neva-Clog “Stapling-Pliers” regularly at Billykirk for loops and keepers. Solidly built in Bridgeport, Conn.
rob
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 3:33 PM:
staplers are important to sneek a peek of on a job interview. If you notice classic swingline 747s, ordering the right supplies is no problem. if you see crap plastic staplers, watchout. the company thinks that saving $20 on a stapler is more important than giving their employees quality tools to make quality work. not the end of the world, but surely a red flag.
jeremy
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 3:58 PM:
I had a 1950’s Bostitch stapler that I grabbed from my grandparents house as a kid. It was shiny silver and had the big flat top. I loved that thing. I need to hunt it down back at my folks house.
Michael Williams
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 4:18 PM:
Rob, your comment is genius.
Is it me or do a lot of these staplers look like whales?
ACL
Steve
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 4:27 PM:
The resemblance of some of these to various sea mammals is uncanny. Someone should embark on a study quicksmart.
I must admit that before this post I had never given a stapler a second glance. I will do from now on. ACL you have picked some beauties whilst opening up my eyes to the wonderful world of paper connecting goodness. Great little post.
Yuko
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 4:36 PM:
i think the colors look like whale colors…
reading this post and comments, i quickly sneaked a peek at my stapler, (whew!) it is a 747.
Ian
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 9:08 PM:
Michael,
That Swingline Speed Stapler does look a lot like a blue whale
christopher
on Feb 11th, 2009
@ 9:12 PM:
i swear, seriously, you are all a little unhinged and also, therefore, my new best friends.
Erik
on Feb 12th, 2009
@ 6:56 AM:
Remember the guy in the film Office Space who kept talking about his stapler? What type of stapler did he have? I can’t remember… A red one, I think… Help me out here!
Tucker
on Feb 12th, 2009
@ 10:41 AM:
Erik,
http://www.redswinglinestapler.com/history.php
Jon G
on Feb 12th, 2009
@ 1:54 PM:
I have a Bostitch Model 85 on my desk. It is a thing of beauty.
Josh
on Feb 22nd, 2009
@ 11:33 AM:
Loving the stapler site – it reminds me of when I found Bob Truby’s site http://www.brandnamepencils.com/ – another beautifully designed tribute to stationary.
Now we need to find a blog devoted to erasers. Anyone?