I noticed that if you shred just the edges of a thick group of paper, it will get stuck, and only shred about 3/8 inch.

I proceeded to reverse it and looked at the papers.

They were firmly interlaced, with the shredded parts facing opposite directions. I tried to pull the papers apart to shred them, but they resisted quite well.

Extremely well.

It was about as strong, or maybe even stronger, than a staple.

This alone would make an extremely useful way to group temporary document without the use of staples.

BUT!

We could carry it further for more permanent documents by bending and taping the interlaced, semi-shredded edges sticking out.

I have tried it and found that it works very well as far as binding goes.

An easy way to file documents that need to be grouped together without folders.
-- DesertFox, Feb 12 2005

Office Museum's Gallery of Stapleless Staplers http://www.officemu...lery_stapleless.htm
They've been around for a while. The "Paper Welder" in particular uses a method, shown, that is not very dissimilar from shredding the paper edges. [bristolz, Feb 12 2005]

I've noticed this too but its a. a waste of paper and b. trickier than a staple.
-- po, Feb 12 2005


There are paper notchers that do this but usually just to a corner of a document. Staplelessly.
-- bristolz, Feb 12 2005


I used to have a stapler-like fastener called a paper welder. See link...

Wouldn't the shredded surface be too bumpy to use tape? Maybe hot glue would work on the shredded surface.
-- robinism, Feb 12 2005


Origami Wag likes this idea.
-- wagster, Feb 13 2005



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