Testing the Leverage

I climbed atop the oak desk and found a wide steel binder clip resting open beside a notebook. Its tension was formidable, waiting to snap shut at the slightest slip. Rather than stepping around it, I set out to secure the mechanism. I retrieved a hexagonal wooden pencil from nearby, carefully maneuvering it between the folded chrome handles. It took measured pressure to slide the wood into the exact fulcrum, but once seated, the counterweight held firm. The clip remained locked open, safe and motionless.