Dilettante's Guide to Bonding Trivia Quiz

Answer: Stapler

Sure enough, the first stapler and staples were invented for Louis XV in the 1700s. Each staple carried with it the royal insignia and was a unique alternative to the more traditional sealing wax. The more modern and patented stapler is credited to Mr. George McGill, who developed a small, flexible brass paper fastener in 1866.

Answer: Glue

A glue is an adhesive material that is usually found in a liquid-like form that makes it possible to adhere one item to another. Archaeologists have found adhesives on spears dating from 200,000 BC. Most ancient glues were obtained from natural materials such as sap and tar. Today, most glues are manufactured using a synthetic chemical process.

Answer: Eggs

Egg whites were indeed used in adorning paper parchments with gold leaf. Attaching gold leaf to plaster work was also accomplished using an adhesive created using egg whites.

Answer: Paper-Clip

If you travel to Norway and read a Norwegian encyclopedia, you will discover that Johan Vaaler (1866-1910) is credited with the invention of the paper-clip. While it is true that he did indeed earn German patents for a similar design, the paper clip the world uses today was likely invented in Great Britain, although no one knows exactly whom to credit the design to. Records suggest that the first official patent for a paper clip was awarded to U.S. inventor Samuel B. Fray in 1867.

However, his original purpose for the clip was to attach paper to material.

Answer: Airforce

Speed Tape is a durable, aluminized tape that is used often to repair small holes and imperfections in aircraft. In Vietnam, this type of tape was frequently used to repair helicopter rotor blades that had suffered small arms fire. Speed Tape is also sometimes called 600mph tape or "thousand mile an hour" tape.

Its moniker comes from its ability to withstand extreme wind speeds without losing its adhesive property. Other unique characteristics of speed tape include flame resistance, resistance to moisture, high heat reflectivity, thermal conductiveness, and long-term durability.

Answer: Blu-Tak

Blu-Tak is a reusable putty that is pressure sensitive and allows materials like paper to be bonded to walls and other surfaces. The synthetic rubber compound is a trade secret but can be ingested without harm. It was invented in 1970 by Ralli Bondite researcher Alan Holloway.

Originally, the material was meant to be a sealant, but its failure in that role paved the way for a multimillion dollar alternative in Blu-Tak. In Europe, it is marketed as Patafix, and in South Africa as Prestik. In much of the U.S. and Canada it is called Fun-Tak or Sticky Tack.

Answer: Velcro

Velcro is a bastardization of two French words meaning velvet (velours) and hooks (crochet). The product was invented by Swiss engineer George de Mestral in 1948 when he was intrigued on how burrs in long grass adhered so tightly to his clothes when he was out hiking one day.

The hook-and-loop fastening technology requires two parallel fabric strips, one with tiny hooks and the other with tiny loops. The material formerly used was cotton, but it soon was replaced by nylon and polyester materials.

In space missions, Velcro fasteners are constructed using Teflon loops and polyester hooks.

Answer: Zipper

The humble zipper is by far the most popular of all clothing fasteners on the market today. Found on everything from boots to bras and pants to ponchos, the zipper allows a seamless joining of two edges of fabric. In 1851, Elias Howe (the inventor of the sewing machine) received a patent for a continuous clothing closure device.

However, he did not seriously market his new patent. Forty years later, Whitcomb Judson entered a patent for a clasp locker similar to Howe's invention. Judson started the Universal Fastener Company, but it was one of his designers, Gideon Sundback, who introduced two facing rows of teeth along with a slider.

In 1917, a patent was entered, and in 1923 it got its name "the zipper" when B.F. Goodrich opted to use the new fastener on their rubber boots line.

Answer: Hair Gel

Before the days of hair gel, men would use corn oil and petroleum jelly to slick back their hair. In 1928, Chemico Works of Great Britain developed Brylcream which was the first major haircare product that kicked off the gel revolution. The Chemico Works products were an immediate hit in Europe and quickly spread to the Americas.

In the 1980s, the fashion was to create stiffer-looking hair, so gels became ever more pliable to meet the needs of both men and women.

Answer: Duck-Tape

Duck tape, or DUCT tape, is a scrim-backed, polyethylene-sealed, durable tape that is used for a wide diversity of tasks. It is generally a silver color but can be found in other colors. Revolite, in 1942, originally came up with an adhesive tape that was rubber-based with a duck-cloth backing. The important characteristic of the tape was that it was both durable and water-resistant. Its unique properties made it an instant hit with plumbers, the military, and a wide variety of tradesmen.