As long as there have been staplers, there have been staple removers. The first stapler is widely thought to have been owned by Louis XV of France, who used the new-fangled device to fasten court documents with metal staples bearing the royal insignia. Re
Choose a staple remover. There are lots of different mechanisms that you can use to loosen staples and remove them from paper, some super-simple and some a bit more complex. Depending on how much paper you've got to remove, you might find one or the other
Spring-activated staple removers are the most simple and cheap mechanisms for removing staples. Basically, these are little claws that you can use to pinch open the back clasps of the staple to free it up and remove it. You can get these at most office su
"Office-style" staple removers are more complex, but just as simple to use and more ergonomic. Featuring a scissors-like design, these staple removers allow you to position the end over the staple claps, then pull the trigger to activate and loosen the st
Your fingers are also perfectly effective at getting a few staples out of paper. If you've got a big stack, though, it might not be worth the aggravation, and would be better to get a staple remover. Use a small penny, nail clippers, the end of a pen, or
Place paper upside-down and examine the staple. The back of the staples should form two prongs that will need to be straightened out to remove them without tearing the paper too much. Expose the side of the staple with the prongs and position it facing up
Use the staple remover to lift the prongs. Position the staple remover over the prongs of the staple and pinch the staple open. This won't remove it entirely, but it should help to straighten the two prongs that were holding it in place. Doing this should
Flip over the paper and remove the staple. After you've loosened the teeth, you should be able to wiggle the staple free. You can use your fingers, or use the teeth of the staple remover to grab the staple and pull it free.
If it catches some, be careful
Discard old staples. Keep your staples in a clean pile while you're working, especially if you've got a big pile of papers to go through, and then dispose of them properly. Stepping on a loose staple, or getting one caught on your finger can be a painful