Perforation holes on a pair of coil stamps

A perforation is a hole made by puncturing a surface. However, the term frequently refers to the practice of creating a long series of holes so that paper can be torn more easily along a given line. Postage stamps are one common application of this, where small round holes are cut in lines to create individual pieces (see postage stamp separation). Since the creation of perforation devices in the 1840s and 1850s, it has seen use in several areas. It is common for notebooks and legal pads to have perforations making it easier to tear out individual pages. Perforations on stamps are rather large, on the order of a millimeter, in comparison with other perforated materials often have smaller holes. Film stock is perforated to allow it to be moved precise distances at a time continuously. Screwcaps on glass or plastic bottles are sealed with a ring at the bottom of the cap attached by perforation. Twisting the cap has the effect of rupturing the perforation and indicating that the original seal has been broken. A perforation in the context of oil wells, refers to a hole punched in the casing or liner of an oil well to connect it to the reservoir. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x565, 190 KB) United States 2c coil stamp of 1954, scanned September 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamp separation Coil stamp User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Philately ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x565, 190 KB) United States 2c coil stamp of 1954, scanned September 2005 by User:Stan Shebs File links The following pages link to this file: Postage stamp separation Coil stamp User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Philately ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Hole punch. ... For other uses, see Paper (disambiguation). ... A selection of Hong Kong postage stamps A postage stamp is evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services. ... This pair of coil stamps clearly shows the pattern of perforation holes; also, on the left side of the pair, the stamp was torn, while on the right the perforations were cut with scissors or knife. ... // First use of general anesthesia in an operation, by Crawford Long The first electrical telegraph sent by Samuel Morse on May 24, 1844 from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.. First signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) on February 6, 1840 at Waitangi, Northland New Zealand. ... // Production of steel revolutionized by invention of the Bessemer process Benjamin Silliman fractionates petroleum by distillation for the first time First transatlantic telegraph cable laid First safety elevator installed by Elisha Otis Railroads begin to supplant canals in the United States as a primary means of transporting goods. ... A spiral-bound notebook with pen A notebook (also notepad, writing pad, legal pad etc. ... A spiral-bound notebook A notebook (also notepad, writing pad, etc. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter), symbol mm is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... Film stock is the term for photographic film on which films are recorded. ... A screwcap is a type of closure that is gaining increasing support as an alternative to cork for sealing wine bottles. ...

In todays cases, perforation is used in ways to separate loose leaf (or even a form of graph paper from a ringed binder). A fine perforation next to the rings allows the page to be separated from the book with no confetti. Generally used to describe a piece of notebook paper that is not connected to a spiral notebook. ... For other uses, see Confetti (disambiguation). ...

See also

• Film perforations
• Postage stamp separation