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Forever Object: The Staple-Less Oceanus Brass Stapler(core77.com)
17 points by surprisetalk 6 days ago | 13 comments
  • edwcross2 days ago

    Warning: this website froze my Firefox and I had to kill it. It started running at 100% CPU and then my browser stopped responding. I tried closing the tab but it kept running.

    • xtiansimona day ago |parent

      Core77 has the worst site, and it’s been like that for years. I guess they did a redesign 20 years ago, and it just limps along. I don’t know what their finances are like, but it’s clearly not going into the site.

      Otherwise the content is legit design news.

    • kurtoid2 days ago |parent

      In my case, it looks like a memory issue - my ram and swap both filled up after opening the site

  • cvcbdd2 days ago

    This is not novel. They’ve had stapleless staplers for many years.

    • Animats2 days ago |parent

      Yes. Here's one on Amazon.[1]

      I used to be into antique office equipment for my steampunk telegraph office. I knew about those. We had a Bates stapler which took in a roll of brass wire and made its own staples instead, though. Those are available on eBay if you want one.

      [1] https://www.amazon.com/Stapleless-Harinacs-Handheld-Portable...

      • tomcam2 days ago |parent

        Um... we need to hear more about the steampunk telegraph office

        • Animats2 days ago |parent

          I've posted this before, but whatever. [1]

          Steampunk was fun while it lasted. This video was made in 2014.

          Attendees could text messages via SMS to the system which drove the Teletype machine. Messages were printed and delivered by the messengers. We had antique desk accessories - a Bates sequential number stamp from the 1890s, the stapler that made its own staples from brass wire, and lots of rubber stamps. You can see those briefly on the desk.

          We did this at five or six cons. The guy and girl shown were drama students, refugees from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. As experienced actors, they could bring all this off with more style than usually seen at cons. They're married now, by the way. Good people.

          We gave it up when COVID hit.

          [1] https://vimeo.com/124065314

          • tomcam2 days ago |parent

            Amazing. Thank you very much

    • NetMageSCW2 days ago |parent

      But the point is something well made, designed to last. I’ve already replaced my first plastic one when a small drop to carpet stopped it from working properly, and my second one isn’t very smooth out of the box.

      It looks like the campaign is closed now though.

      • MengerSponge2 days ago |parent

        Aside from the fact that it's recyclable, nothing here indicates that the design is any good, or that it will last any longer than a $15 plastic and steel equivalent. Why brass? And more specifically: why that particular brass alloy? Same vibes as https://craighill.co/ style design: mostly vibes and a the smallest twist of mechanical insight.

        "We CNC'd a public domain mechanism out of a billet of brass and you'll buy it for $100"

        • jerlam2 days ago |parent

          The number of sheets this item claims to staple (five) is hidden in the FAQ and not in the campaign page, a sign that it's not really a product intended for actual use. The campaign page does talk a lot about boats though.

    • MengerSponge2 days ago |parent

      Thirty seconds on Google Patents found a 1989 device that lapsed in 2016. I expected to see a patent from the early 1900's, so color me surprised!

      https://patents.google.com/patent/US5024643A/en

  • nbk_20002 days ago

    Years back i was enamored with this concept and sought out various staple-less stapler solutions. Most were realistically only good for binding 3-5 sheets. My use cases required more, so i moved on. But I still admire them as lovely bits of engineering.