††A hole punch is a device for piercing two holes in the edge of a sheet of paper so that it will fit in a standard ring binder or folder. It first appeared in the second half of the 20th century.
Hole punches, that look rather like a pair of pliers, date from a much earlier period. They were used to create holes in leather for making handbags, saddles etc. Similar punches were also used to cancel bus and railway tickets. These punches made a single hole.
