Such fasteners often cause physical or chemical damage to records and should be removed when appropriate. Fasteners should be removed when records have high intrinsic value or are brittle, or when the fasteners have deteriorated and are causing obvious damage to records. Many metal fasteners rust, causing permanent staining and weakening of paper. Bulky fasteners, such as spring clips, can distort paper records and keep them from lying flat. Weak paper can break when it is flexed against the sharp, rigid edges of slide fasteners, paper clips, and similar devices, which function as cutting edges.
Rubber bands lose their elasticity over time, become hard, and adhere to the surface of paper.
Stainless steel paper clips are the preferred fastener for holding archival records together, if the paper is strong and will not suffer from the pressure of the clip. Paper clips may be positioned at various points along the upper edge of documents, to avoid excess bulk at corners and the lopsided distortion of folders. Non-corrosive, rustproof staples are acceptable in instances when paper records are strong and flexible. They should not be used on records of high intrinsic value or on records that are weak and brittle. Staples create small puncture holes in documents and since staples are removed and replaced periodically for photocopying or other purposes, a large number of holes can result, with the effect of weakening the paper.