# Help me find out what this item of office equipment(?) is used for - **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736 "2017-09-19T16:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/1 "2017-09-19T16:49:40Z")
This has been in my drawer at work for quite some time: [![](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) [![](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) There is a very thin gap between the two pieces of fabric inside, it will hold a piece of paper without it falling out, but not enough thickness of paper to be used to hold several sheets. Looks like it could be used to clean something maybe? It’s slightly flexible but doesn’t pivot so I don’t think it’s a clip of some sort. For thems that don’t know, HMRC is the UK’s equivalent of the IRS. Does anyone know what it would be used for? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/2 "2017-09-19T17:00:34Z")
Total WAG: an ink blotter (for signed signatures on a form)? Sidebar: I thought the UK equivalent of the IRS was the “Inland Revenue,” which is why you have so many tax dodgers on the coast. ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/3 "2017-09-19T17:01:38Z")
I bet it’s a CD cleaner like [this one](http://www.chinatraderonline.com/Business-Gift/CD-Cleaner/Mini-CD-Cleaner-211026836.htm). Especially if it’s about [del]12[/del] [edit: 6] cm long total. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/4 "2017-09-19T17:03:39Z")
> [@Kimble](#): > > I bet it’s a CD cleaner like [this one](http://www.chinatraderonline.com/Business-Gift/CD-Cleaner/Mini-CD-Cleaner-211026836.htm). Especially if it’s about 12 cm long total. I was thinking something like car visor clip, but I bet you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/5 "2017-09-19T17:05:44Z")
Is it 8 to 10 cm long? If so, could it be used to clean compact discs? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/6 "2017-09-19T17:22:39Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Total WAG: an ink blotter (for signed signatures on a form)? Since it does not open up, you could not blot with it. As has been noted, it’s a CD/DVD cleaner, advertising some company’s web site. I wonder how easy it is to clean the fabric once it gets manky. ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/7 "2017-09-20T03:40:43Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Since it does not open up, you could not blot with it. > > As has been noted, it’s a CD/DVD cleaner, advertising some company’s web site. I wonder how easy it is to clean the fabric once it gets manky. HMRC is Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the tax collectors. And there’s 56000 of them! You’ll never escape their clutches. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/8 "2017-09-20T07:48:21Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Sidebar: I thought the UK equivalent of the IRS was the “Inland Revenue,” It was. They reorganised and merged. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/9 "2017-09-21T19:33:46Z")
Another vote for CD cleaner. I got a few back in the day when I went to computer trade shows. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-out-what-this-item-of-office-equipment-is-used-for/796736/10 "2017-09-22T18:37:18Z")
Perhaps some sort of CD cleaner? Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk