woman holding a book
A four-hole punch is an office tool used to punch four separate holes in paper so it can be placed in folders. The distance between each hole is governed by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 838, so each four-hole punch must have the same distance between holes. While this hole punch is not as common as two or three hole punches, the four hole pattern is generally safer. Depending on the model and how it is fed, this hole punch can handle up to 100 sheets with a single hole punch. Some two-hole punches can be used to make the correct four-hole punch, a capability often indicated by a specific symbol on the device.
ISO 838 is a standardization rule that tells hole makers how far apart each hole should be. With a four-hole punch, the two center holes are punched in the middle of a sheet, while the top and bottom holes are 8 centimeters (3.14 inches) apart from the nearest center hole. There are two sizes, intended for 8.5 by 11.69-inch (21 by 29.7-centimeter) sheets and 5.8 by 11.69-inch (14.8 by 21-centimeter) sheets; both are common European sizes but not common in America.
Four-hole devices are not used as often as other punches, such as two- or three-hole tools. Despite this, a four-hole perforated plate has the advantage of being more secure. It’s usually harder for the foil to separate from the paste and it’s also harder to tear off because of the extra holes.
Drillers can have different power sources; the most common is the manual, but there are also electric and motorized devices. On average, a typical four-hole punch can punch through up to 100 sheets at a time. Manual hole punches have the lowest levels of a hole punch, handling between 10 and 40 sheets per hole punch, while electric hole punches typically handle 20 to 60 sheets per hole punch and motorized hole punches deliver up to 100 sheets per hole punch, if not more.
While a four-hole punch is most commonly used to punch four holes in sheets of paper, some two-hole punches can also be used for this. Known as 888 punches, these two-hole punches will have the numbers 888 printed on them somewhere. They come with guides to show the operator exactly how to position the punch and where to punch holes to meet ISO 838 standardized hole measurements.