Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The looped handles are the spring, squeezed to open the jaws. The figure is taken from US Patent and Trademark Office, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a everyday life fact?

Yes. It sits on the Everyday Life shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

A binder clip is one folded strip of steel

The looped handles are the spring, squeezed to open the jaws The clip is stamped from one strip of tempered steel and folded so the jaws meet under tension. Squeezing the two loops bends the spine and opens the mouth, and releasing lets the steel spring back. Louis Baltzley patented the design in 1915, and the loops double as levers so no separate spring is needed. It sits in Mondo's everyday life collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

US Patent and Trademark Office

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Tags: stationery, offices, springs

A binder clip is one folded strip of steel: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The looped handles are the spring, squeezed to open the jaws. The figure is taken from US Patent and Trademark Office, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a everyday life fact?: Yes. It sits on the Everyday Life shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.