Compiled from 3 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Tools to Liveby Letterpress Machine Dot Notebook is a slim 52-page notebook with a 5 mm dot grid, 105 mm wide and 207 mm tall. The Taipei shop says its paper suits regular and fountain pens and the stamped design does not bleed through. It lists Taiwan as origin and cost NT$165 (about US$5.10) on November 5, 2026.
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Notes on these facts
Made by Tools to Liveby (Taipei). Made in Taiwan: The product page lists the origin as Taiwan. It does not name the printer or paper mill. Source. Price: example listing.
Colors: names per Tools to Liveby (maker's page and lead photo), checked November 5, 2026. The page lists one variant, a green cover; the tint was sampled from the lead photo. The maker mentions store-exclusive editions in Taipei and Kaohsiung that we did not see. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
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
The shop lists the notebook at 10.5 × 20.7 × 0.4 cm, 52 pages, with a 5 × 5 mm dot grid.
It says the paper has excellent ink absorption, works for regular pens and fountain pens, and that the stamped designs won't smudge or bleed through.
The design is inspired by the century-old letterpress machine on show at the shop's Taipei entrance; a twin, the Spiral Staircase Grid Notebook, has a grid and a Kaohsiung story.
The page we read shows a green cover; it does not list other colors or give a paper weight, paper brand or binding type.
Taiwan is the listed origin, and it cost NT$165 (about US$5.10) on November 5, 2026, in our $$ band ($5 to $20).
What is the Tools to Liveby Letterpress Machine Dot Notebook?
It is a slim 52-page notebook with a 5 mm dot grid, designed by a Taipei stationery shop around the old letterpress machine in its doorway. Tools to Liveby says it was born in 2012 in a quiet alley in Taipei, in a shop that “resembles a miniature letterpress studio” with an antique cash register, old wooden drawers filled with lead type and a century-old letterpress machine at the entrance, “our most treasured centerpiece”. The notebook is “inspired by the letterpress machine”. We read its English page on November 5, 2026.
The shop pitches it for writing, drawing or collage, “capturing the extraordinary beauty found in everyday life”, and gives the line “A pencil and a dream can take you anywhere”.
How big is it, and what is the paper like?
It measures 105 × 207 × 4 mm with 52 pages and a 5 × 5 mm dot grid. That makes it a tall, narrow book: about 7 mm taller than A5 and 43 mm narrower. The shop says the paper has “excellent ink absorption, making it ideal for both regular pens and fountain pens” and that stamped designs “won’t smudge or bleed through the pages”.
The shop does not state a paper weight, a paper brand, the binding type, the dot color or whether the pages are numbered, and we have not tested show-through. See our dot grid vs lined vs grid guide for how dots compare with other rulings.
What is the Spiral Staircase Grid Notebook?
It is the twin: the same size and page count with a 5 mm grid instead of dots. The shop says it was inspired by the iron spiral staircase in its second store, which opened in 2013 at the Pier-2 Art Center in Kaohsiung. It is a separate product at the same NT$165 (about US$5.10) price; we did not write it up on its own.
Why is it slim and tall?
A 105 × 207 mm page is a long narrow format, closer to a travel or checklist book than a standard A5. It is the same shape as the shop’s grid twin, so it suits lists, short notes and sketches down a column more than wide diagrams. Open, the spread is 210 mm wide, about the width of an A4 sheet, which leaves room for a two-page layout. The shop does not say whether the cover is soft or hard, so we cannot tell you how it travels in a bag.
Tools to Liveby Letterpress Machine Dot Notebook specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Tools to Liveby (Taipei shop’s own line)
Size
10.5 × 20.7 × 0.4 cm
Pages
52
Ruling
Dot, 5 × 5 mm
Paper
Takes regular and fountain pens, per the shop; weight and brand not stated
Cover
Green on the page we read; store editions exist
Origin
Taiwan
Price band ($$ = $5 to $20)
$$ (NT$165 (about US$5.10), on November 5, 2026)
Who is the Letterpress Machine Dot Notebook for?
It suits Journaling and planning: a small, cheap dot-grid book for quick journaling, sketches and lists. The 52 pages and 5 mm dots are what the maker states; the paper claim covers fountain pens too. At 4 mm thick it is not a long-term journal, and it will fill quickly if you write every day.
Skip it if you need a stated paper weight for fountain pens or a longer notebook. We have not tested the paper. For more options see our best notebooks for bullet journaling.
What does it cost, and where is it made?
NT$165 (about US$5.10) on the maker’s own shop on November 5, 2026, in our $$ band ($5 to $20). The product page lists Taiwan as the origin and does not name the printer or paper source. The shop says some regions are outside its delivery area for this item, so check shipping before ordering from abroad. Prices change; we did not check other sellers.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Letterpress Machine Dot Notebook?
105 mm wide, 207 mm tall and 4 mm thick (10.5 × 20.7 × 0.4 cm), per the maker.
How many pages does it have?
52 pages, per the maker.
What is the dot spacing?
5 × 5 mm, per the maker's page. It does not state the dot color or margins.
Is the paper fountain-pen friendly?
The shop says the paper has excellent ink absorption and suits regular pens and fountain pens, and that stamped designs won't smudge or bleed through. It gives no paper weight or brand, and we have not tested it.
What is the letterpress machine in its name?
The shop says its Taipei store has a century-old letterpress machine at its entrance, its most treasured centerpiece, and that the notebook was inspired by it.
Is there a grid version?
Yes: the Spiral Staircase Grid Notebook has the same size and page count with a 5 mm grid, inspired by the shop's Kaohsiung store. We did not write it up separately.
What colors does it come in?
The page shows a green cover. The maker also mentions store-exclusive editions at its Taipei and Kaohsiung stores that we did not see.
How much does it cost, and where is it made?
NT$165 (about US$5.10) on the maker's own shop on November 5, 2026, in our $$ band. The page lists Taiwan as the origin. Prices change.
