Compiled from 7 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The CARL Refill Maker 3.5 (RM-6535N) is a Japanese hole punch that turns your own paper into refills for Micro 5 and Mini 6 ring planners, with 3.5 mm holes. It punches 5 sheets at a time, measures 132 × 73 × 57 mm, weighs 360 g, is made in Japan and won a 2026 Japan Stationery Award.
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The RM-6535N at 1 mm = 2.3 px from CARL's sizes; handle shape drawn by eye.
Product facts
Product
CARL Refill Maker 3.5 mini-planner punch, black (RM-6535N-K)
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Notes on these facts
Made by CARL Office Machines Co., Ltd. (カール事務器株式会社), Japan. Made in Japan: CARL Japan's product page lists 信頼の日本製商品 (a trusted made-in-Japan product) among the Refill Maker 3.5's features. Source. Released: CARL's September 12, 2025 press release launched the Refill Maker 3.5 as RM-6535 from late September 2025. CARL's current page, which carries the 2026 award badge, lists it as RM-6535N with the same specifications.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
RX Japan gave the Refill Maker 3.5 one of three function-category prizes at the 35th Japan Stationery Award, announced June 9, 2026.
CARL Japan lists 3.5 mm holes, a 5-sheet capacity (64 g/m² copy paper) and Micro 5 and Mini 6 layouts.
The punch is W132 × L73 × H57 mm (5.2 × 2.9 × 2.2 in), 38 mm tall with the handle locked, and weighs 360 g.
CARL Japan lists it at ¥6,050 (about US$38) including tax, in black or ivory; a switchable M5/M6 bottom cover costs ¥1,375 (about US$8.70).
CARL calls it a made-in-Japan product; on October 23, 2026 Amazon US listed only its spare bottom cover, not the punch.
What is the CARL Refill Maker 3.5?
It’s a desk punch from CARL, the Tokyo maker of punches and trimmers, that makes refills for the two smallest ring-planner sizes, Micro 5 (M5) and Mini 6 (M6). You slide a cut sheet against the guide, press the handle once, and the sheet comes out with 3.5 mm holes ready for the rings.
CARL says the point is to build a planner from paper you choose, or from templates you download and print, instead of only buying ready-made refills.
What award did the Refill Maker 3.5 win?
A function-category excellence prize (優秀賞) at the 35th Japan Stationery Award, one of 12 winners named by RX Japan on June 9, 2026. RX Japan’s winners page highlights the lever design that punches with light force and the small holes, which leave more of the page for writing.
W132 × L73 × H57 mm (5.2 × 2.9 × 2.2 in); 38 mm (1.5 in) tall locked
Weight
360 g (12.7 oz); 400 g boxed
Colors · codes
Black RM-6535N-K, ivory RM-6535N-I
JAN
4971760101992 (black), 4971760101985 (ivory)
Japan list price
¥6,050 (about US$38) including tax
Made in
Japan
Price band
$$$ ($20–75)
All figures are from CARL Japan’s product page. CARL gives the JAN as its maker code 4971760 plus the order number.
The 3.5 mm hole is less than half the area of CARL's earlier 5.5 mm hole.
Why does the hole size matter?
Mini planners have thin rings, so a 5.5 mm hole lets pages wobble and tear. CARL’s 2025 press release says its earlier Refill Maker, with 5.5 mm holes, was too big for mini sizes and left pages loose on the rings, and that customers had asked for a smaller one.
CARL also says the smaller hole takes up less of the page, which matters on a sheet only a few inches wide. That leaves more room to write near the binding edge.
How do you switch between Micro 5 and Mini 6?
On the original model, Micro 5 is the default and Mini 6 needs the included bottom cover swapped in. CARL’s release says you set the paper against the side guide for M5 and change the bottom cover for M6.
In June 2026 CARL added a bottom cover (PNSB011) that switches between M5 and M6 with a slider, at ¥1,375 (about US$8.70) from late June 2026, for the whole RM-6535 series. CARL doesn’t explain on the pages we read what changed in the RM-6535N.
Which planners does it fit?
Small six-ring and five-ring planners, such as the Mini and Mini 5 binders in our PLOTTER leather binder guide. Check the hole positions against a store-bought refill before punching a stack, since CARL lists layouts, not hole spacings.
For larger Personal or A5 binders, such as the Filofax Original Personal, you need a punch with the bigger standard holes instead.
Can you buy it in the US?
Not from US retailers yet. On October 23, 2026, Amazon US listed CARL’s PNSB011 bottom cover for the Refill Maker 3.5 but not the punch itself; JetPens’ search page didn’t load for us, so we couldn’t check it.
Buy it from a Japanese store that ships abroad or through a proxy service. CARL’s better-known export in the US is its pencil sharpeners, such as the Angel-5 Classic.
Where is the Refill Maker 3.5 made?
In Japan, according to CARL. Its Japanese product page lists 信頼の日本製商品, a trusted made-in-Japan product, among the punch’s features. CARL is a Japanese company based in Katsushika, Tokyo.
Frequently asked questions
What hole size do Mini 6 planners use?
CARL says 3.5 mm is the hole size used by most mini-size planners, and it made the Refill Maker 3.5 because its older 5.5 mm punch left holes too loose on small rings.
Can the Refill Maker 3.5 punch A5 or Personal size refills?
No. CARL Japan lists only Micro 5 (M5) and Mini 6 (M6). CARL's earlier Refill Maker, with 5.5 mm holes, is meant for larger six-hole planners.
How many sheets can the CARL Refill Maker 3.5 punch at once?
Five sheets of 64 g/m² copy paper, about 0.45 mm in total, per CARL Japan. Thicker paper means fewer sheets.
Does the Refill Maker 3.5 do both M5 and M6 holes?
Yes. On the original model you swap in the included Mini 6 bottom cover. Since late June 2026 CARL also sells a bottom cover (PNSB011) that switches between the two with a slider.
Does the Refill Maker 3.5 need a gauge?
No. CARL says you push the paper against the side guide and punch once; there's no gauge to set, unlike its gauge punches.
Can you buy the CARL Refill Maker 3.5 in the US?
Not from a US retailer when we checked on October 23, 2026. Amazon US listed the PNSB011 bottom cover but not the punch, so buy it from a Japanese store that ships abroad or through a proxy service.
Is the CARL Refill Maker 3.5 made in Japan?
Yes. CARL Japan lists made in Japan among its features.
