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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: wellington1869 on Fri, 02 July 2010, 16:55:21

Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 02 July 2010, 16:55:21
(http://xman.strictlyhosting.co.uk/lj/paper-needle.jpg)

paper stake? paper pinner downer?  seriously, i actually need to buy one. no idea what its called.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: kishy on Fri, 02 July 2010, 16:56:59
I always get antsy asking stupid questions to store staff when these are on the counters.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 02 July 2010, 17:08:54
seriously I'm always afraid i'll accidentally sit on it

p.s., much google-fu later, its called a "check spindle".
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: Findecanor on Fri, 02 July 2010, 17:28:09
Oh, it's a hand piercer.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 02 July 2010, 17:30:32
Quote from: Findecanor;198839
Oh, it's a hand piercer.


lol.  Stigmata inductor.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: Infinite north on Fri, 02 July 2010, 18:38:58
I could have told you the answer if I read this sooner.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: kishy on Fri, 02 July 2010, 20:05:32
Quote from: wellington1869;198837
cheque spindle


There, fixed that for you.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: didjamatic on Fri, 02 July 2010, 20:11:36
Those things have got to be one of the most dangerous products ever made.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: TexasFlood on Fri, 02 July 2010, 20:38:56
Quote from: wellington1869;198832
Show Image
(http://xman.strictlyhosting.co.uk/lj/paper-needle.jpg)


paper stake? paper pinner downer?  seriously, i actually need to buy one. no idea what its called.

I remember an episode on "Monk" titled "Mr. and Mrs. Monk" (http://monk.wikia.com/wiki/Mr._Monk_and_Mrs._Monk) where a guy gets pushed onto one of those and killed.  So I looked it up and it says "as they struggle, Ellinghouse trips and falls over his desk, fatally stabbing himself on his memo spike".  So "memo spike" apparently, or "desk accessory from hell designed to at least maim if not kill".
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: ricercar on Fri, 02 July 2010, 21:27:12
We always call one of these a "paper spike."
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: Infinite north on Fri, 02 July 2010, 22:10:50
They are a staple in kitchens no matter where you are. when an order goes out it's ticket gets stabbed. this pretty much just makes people liable for their mistakes later on. front of the house vs back of the house fighting fodder right there.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: kriminal on Fri, 02 July 2010, 23:51:45
somebody... invented that ... for the office?? Oo
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sat, 03 July 2010, 01:42:09
interesting.  I'd call it a spike too (and yea, its in nearly every office around here. I always see it in diners and restaurants too, diners especially, right next to the cash register).

so on ebay if you look up 'check spindle' you get the normal cheap ones for $2. If you look up 'paper spike' you get old "vintage" ones from the 50's, lol, selling for like $30. (I like your tastes, ricercar ;)

Not many hits for any of the other terms. even memo spike only had one hit. Of course I was originally searching for 'stake' and 'needle' and 'paper pinner downer' - no hits at all.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: Pixel_Outlaw on Sat, 03 July 2010, 02:08:46
I'm sure they have tactile versions which offer different piercing weights with recoil.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sat, 03 July 2010, 03:03:32
Now this is a memo spike with character.

(http://www.gesticulations.com/public/gallery/Images/fun/mousespike.jpg)

ebay, 'vintage' (1971), $25
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sat, 03 July 2010, 03:08:13
This one looks like it came out of hitler's bunker.

(http://www.gesticulations.com/public/gallery/Images/fun/ironspike.jpg)

Cast iron.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: 002 on Sat, 03 July 2010, 06:11:44
I only ever see these things being used as receipt holders.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: J888www on Sat, 03 July 2010, 07:00:52
Long ago, with difficulty trying to find one of these thingys in a hurry, I made one.
Piece of wood drilled from a board using a hole-saw, straightened metal coat-hanger (cut to required length), made hole in center then inserted the straight piece of metal.
Violá. :happy:
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Sat, 03 July 2010, 07:59:22
I should make one of these with a railroad spike and use it to hold all my rubber dome keyboards.
Title: what do you call one of these things?
Post by: quadibloc on Tue, 06 July 2010, 18:48:10
Given that it is called, among other things, a "cheque spindle", this now answers the age-old question of what else you can do to a punched card that is bad besides folding it and mutilating it.