Oyster/staple knife

Images and text by Garry Harrison,
Head, Circulating Collections Conservation,
Indiana University Libraries Preservation Department

Oyster/staple knife

A rounded, polished steel blade in a pear-shaped wooden handle, this is an excellent tool for removing staples without damaging the paper. Simply pry up both hooks of the staple and then pull it out from the top. These tend to roll off the bench, but this problem is easily overcome by carving or filing a small flat spot or two on the handle.

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