You could also just hold the metal enclosure away from the base with your hands; just be careful to keep your fingers away from the staples! If the staple doesn’t come out after doing this, it’s time to move on and try to manually remove the jammed staple.
This is also a great time to check that you’re using the right size of staples. If you work in an office with multiple sizes and brands, you may have accidentally loaded it with the wrong size.
This is a good time to clean off the interior of the stapler, too, to keep it free from grime and excessive dust. Use a can of compressed air to blow away dust, or wipe down the entire stapler with a soft, lint-free towel. Avoid using water, as that could cause the stapler to rust.
Don’t use your fingers to try and push the staple up as you’ll most likely hurt yourself. If the staple breaks while you’re removing it, make sure to get all the pieces out so as to not cause more problems.
Push down on the stapler gently, rather than forcefully pounding the top. Excessive force could actually cause jams. Most staplers are built to work with ease and shouldn’t need much force.
Be careful while you do this. If you use too much force, the thin object could slip and scratch you.
Thankfully, most stapler manuals can be found online, so don’t worry if you’ve misplaced yours. Just search online for the brand and model of your stapler.
If you need to staple together more than that maximum-sheet limit, you’ll probably need to look for an industrial stapler. Lots of libraries have these available for their patrons to use.
If your stapler feels loose or jiggles easily when you shake it, chances are something needs to be tightened. If you need to or want to, try taking it apart to really see how everything is working together.
Remember, when you get your new stapler, put the instruction booklet somewhere safe so you can refer to it in the future.
