# Staple remover poll

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staple-remover-poll/585298>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 13, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staple-remover-poll/585298 "2011-06-13T06:47:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staple-remover-poll/585298/41 "2011-06-15T00:19:58Z")

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You do it from the top. Don’t pull, just squeeze the remover and it will force the legs down as the staple is pulled up, and out of the paper. Many people make the mistake of pulling once the teeth get a grip, which is what rips the paper.

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**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staple-remover-poll/585298/42 "2011-06-15T00:44:57Z")

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> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> You do it from the top. Don’t pull, just squeeze the remover and it will force the legs down as the staple is pulled up, and out of the paper. Many people make the mistake of pulling once the teeth get a grip, which is what rips the paper.

Yes, this. Once you squeeze the remover, it straightens the staple teeth and pulls it out all at once. All in one easy motion. Poking at it from both sides just makes it harder than necessary.

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staple-remover-poll/585298/43 "2011-06-15T00:56:16Z")

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> [@KneadToKnow](#):
>
> I was beginning to wonder if I was the only person here who had encountered both kinds. I kept saying to myself, “what kind of staple remover are you asking about?”

I’ve encountered both kinds, but I’m baffled as how one could use the other kind from the bottom like **CrazyCatLady** says she does. It’s a little flat plate, so what do you do, wedge it under each of the folded staple bits one at a time?

Anyway, it matters not which type of staple remover, because my answer for both is from the top.

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**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staple-remover-poll/585298/44 "2011-06-15T00:59:56Z")

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> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> I’ve encountered both kinds, but I’m baffled as how one could use the other kind from the bottom like **CrazyCatLady** says she does. It’s a little flat plate, so what do you do, wedge it under each of the folded staple bits one at a time?

Yep. Then you come in from the top and slide under the bar and pull it out.

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**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staple-remover-poll/585298/45 "2011-06-15T01:30:49Z")

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From the top.

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