Pants may be a thing of the past in many home offices as social distancing continues, but paperwork persists. El Casco, a century-old Spanish maker of desk accessories such as letter openers, hole punches, and pencil sharpeners, adds a touch of formality to any workspace with its matte black 23-karat M-1 LN stapler ($137). The ka-thunk sound that comes from pressing down on the dome of the hand-polished handle is a perfect sonic counterpoint to clickity laptop keyboards—a satisfyingly solid and mechanical ode to the job at hand.
THE COMPETITION
• Is a stapler still a stapler if it doesn’t use staples? According to Japanese retailer Muji, the answer is yes, at least when it comes to its $8.90 Stapler Without Staples, which can bind as many as four sheets together at a time by punching a hole and folding the chad back.
• The gracefully curved $84 Zenith 520 Gold stapler is available in enameled red or black paint with 23-karat gold details. It can power through 40 sheets of paper at a time, making this design icon from Balma Capoduri & C SpA of Italy more than a mere showpiece.
• Picture a stapler in your mind, and it’s probably the Swingline 747 Business stapler (from $32) that you see. Clean lines and robust construction make this desktop accessory as timeless as it is useful.
THE CASE
The precise construction and reliability of the M-1 LN reflects El Casco’s origins as a firearms maker: The cartridge of its larger M-10 stapler evolved from a gun barrel. And like a revolver, every part of the M-1 can be removed and replaced, be it the slide spring or the circular crimping plate. It comes with a box of refills, holds 50 standard-size staples, and can bind 25 sheets at a time, which is sufficient for most paperwork duties, whether you’re at an actual desk or a makeshift one at your dining room table. $137
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
