Hole Punch History: Who Invented It And How It Completely Changed The World

One of my favourite respite for escapism was to create holes in colourful chart papers using a hole puncher. The tiny circular coloured papers really captivated me and their own aura in my life. I found immense joy in blowing those colourful circular papers and scattering them all around in my room creating a chromatic arena. No only kids and teenagers but adults also hold an inclination towards hole punchers. They also find it quite relaxing makes several holes in a paper using a hole puncher. When I headed towards college then these hole punchers proved to be blessing in disguise for me by keeping my notes intact safely. It proved to be an effective tool in providing a home to our important loose sheets. So here I come up with some crazy facts about hole punchers to add an interesting punch to your lives.

History of Hole Punch

You would be perplexed to know that hole punchers are more than 130 years old which means that they came into picture even before Hitler was born. The origin of hole punchers dates back to 1885 making them 133 years old. Although the exact date for the invention of hole punches are still unknown but the patent of hole punches dates back to 1885.

Interesting facts about hole punch

One of the most intriguing facts about hole punchers is there use is not restricted to paper itself. They are also used for creating a perfect hole in leather also.

As an individual you must be thinking that hole punchers can make only two holes at one go but you will be surprised to know that the hole punchers can make even four holes at a time. You will be left awestruck by knowing this number can go upto eight also. The punchers used in industries are much bigger but work on the same mechanism.

Daddy inventor of hole punch

According to facts and stories, Benjamin Smith was the first person to patent hole puncher in 1885 but naming it conductor’s punch. Later in 1893 Charles Brooke came up with the patent of a paper punch naming it a ticket punch. In the view of ceasing all confusions surrounding hole punchers, Google decided to honour Friedrich Soennecken as the developer of hole punchers. He created a paper punch device in 1886 in Germany.

Celebratory days

There was a surge in the use of hole punchers between 1850 and 1990 because of the railway boom. Obviously there was an increase in the number of sales and patents of the hole punchers because they widely used by the railway conductors during that period.

Building materials

Initially the hole punchers were made up of metal. Then came an era which saw a perfect blend of metals and plastic. The most significant shift in this device is that now they are made up of plastics and appear in much prettier designs.

Various designs of hole punch

Basically the holes in hole punchers are round in shape but these devices now come up with more improvised patterns creating holes in the shape of a flower, heart, square and diamond.

Exceptional existence

During 1937 when the world was shrouded by great depression, photographers were hired to capture the plight of vulnerable farmers. Roy Stryker headed this division. He rejected photos by punching a hole on the negatives. Later some of these photographs popped up on digital platforms with a black hole on them.