What's Wrong With Journals?

[Ada]

Commercially available journals never have the binding I want and rarely have the paper I want. My ideal journal would be a ring binder the size of (but thinner than) a Miquelrius soft leather journal with a hard cardboard cover like the Moleskines that came in a variety of colors, and had squared paper (I don't like lined paper, and my writing slopes horribly on unlined paper).

[Newjelan]

Dots, white or eggshell, promotes shading, either has a nice cover or fits into leather A4 or A5 cover, not too heavy, show through is OK but bleed through is not. Ideally it lays flat (that's not a deal breaker) but NO spiral binding - major problem for Left handers!

Price needs to be reasonable as I use them for work and go through them quickly, but <$30 is OK.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Newjelan

[AlecG]

My perfect notebook would be made of paper that is

1. ISO 11108 compliant
   (archival quality)
   
2. no bleed through, no show trough,
   
3. smooth to write on, but with some feedback
   
4. around 80gr/m2
   
5. nice white, not the alpine-snow-white or to yellow
   

 

the binding should be:

1. very strong
   
2. hard covered to be able to write anywhere (floppy bindings are a pain to write if you have not table or flat surface around)
   
3. stay closed when closed
   
4. stay open when opened
   
5. papers need to lay flat
   

 

For the paper I found Thesis from Crane's the best. Very expensive to have it shipped to Europe, but worth it for me.

Binding is done by a master bookbinder with a technique that is called "spring back". it litteraly springs open and close and was originally ment for accounting books in offices that lay open all day. Really though binding.

 

Other perfect notebook could be the featherweight paper, floppy binding notebooks from Smythson. Expensive but really a lot of pages (196 leaves!) in an 1/2" thick notebook.

Edited December 16, 2012 by alecgold

[jesse.bo]

My perfect notebook would be made of paper that is

1. ISO 11108 compliant
   (archival quality)
   
2. no bleed through, no show trough,
   
3. smooth to write on, but with some feedback
   
4. around 80gr/m2
   
5. nice white, not the alpine-snow-white or to yellow
   

 

the binding should be:

1. very strong
   
2. hard covered to be able to write anywhere (floppy bindings are a pain to write if you have not table or flat surface around)
   
3. stay closed when closed
   
4. stay open when opened
   
5. papers need to lay flat
   

 

For the paper I found Thesis from Crane's the best. Very expensive to have it shipped to Europe, but worth it for me.

Binding is done by a master bookbinder with a technique that is called "spring back". it litteraly springs open and close and was originally ment for accounting books in offices that lay open all day. Really though binding.

 

Other perfect notebook could be the featherweight paper, floppy binding notebooks from Smythson. Expensive but really a lot of pages (196 leaves!) in an 1/2" thick notebook.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the Crane's paper, I'm not coming up with Thesis paper after a cursory search, can you provide some more details?

[flexnib]

Hello All,

I have been purchasing really nice hand made leather journals on ETSY for a year or so know. I have been using the company DancingGreyStudios. The paper takes all inks, rollerball, fountain pen, etc. No feathering or bleed through.

Here is a link

http://www.etsy.com/shop/DancingGreyStudio

I hope this helps.

Arthur

[Linsolv]

My perfect notebook would be made of paper that is

1. ISO 11108 compliant
   (archival quality)
   
2. no bleed through, no show trough,
   
3. smooth to write on, but with some feedback
   
4. around 80gr/m2
   
5. nice white, not the alpine-snow-white or to yellow
   

 

the binding should be:

1. very strong
   
2. hard covered to be able to write anywhere (floppy bindings are a pain to write if you have not table or flat surface around)
   
3. stay closed when closed
   
4. stay open when opened
   
5. papers need to lay flat
   

 

For the paper I found Thesis from Crane's the best. Very expensive to have it shipped to Europe, but worth it for me.

Binding is done by a master bookbinder with a technique that is called "spring back". it litteraly springs open and close and was originally ment for accounting books in offices that lay open all day. Really though binding.

 

Other perfect notebook could be the featherweight paper, floppy binding notebooks from Smythson. Expensive but really a lot of pages (196 leaves!) in an 1/2" thick notebook.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the Crane's paper, I'm not coming up with Thesis paper after a cursory search, can you provide some more details?

 

According to Crane & Co's web site, it's discontinued.

[AlecG]

 

According to Crane & Co's web site, it's discontinued.

That is quite a disappointment! I can't find it either anymore and I was just saving to buy another 2500 sheets!!! Now what else I have to buy?

[indigoskye]

The poll doesn't really include/address *my* main complaints -- I want something that has lots of pages (when you write 3 pages a day, you want something that you're not filling up in a short amount of time and having to go buy another one every time you turn around). And I'm less concerned with the paper weight/thickness and color as I am that most companies think lined paper = "journal" but *unlined* paper = "sketchbook" (apparently they think their customers are incapable of writing a straight line of text without having it go sloping off at an angle if there aren't printed lines -- or even dots -- for them to follow; and the lines are often so far apart that when I write small I can squeeze two lines of writing in....).

I want a moderately fat (over 200 pages if at all possible), reasonably sized (5" x 7"/6" x 8") journal, that is relatively inexpensive (< $20 US), isn't going to fall apart if I look at it cross-wise, opens flat, and has unlined pages that take a variety of FP inks moderately well (smooth, but not so slick that it takes an eternity for ink to dry; and not so cheap that I get a lot of show-through or feathering).

I know, I know -- I don't want much, do I?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I want to second Ruth's ideas. This is the sort of journal I would like as well. That would be perfect for one of the uses I have for writing journals.

[daTomoT]

My requirements for a journal are simple yet possibly hard to achieve.

 

• Lies Flat

• 90GSM Paper, Off White

• Lined Faintly, Preferably Grey

• Soft Leather Cover (Rhodia Webbie)

• Does not scuff or mark too easily.

• Can use both sides of the paper

 

At the moment I use a Rhodia Webbie. It's brilliant, but doesn't quite lie flat.

[jesse.bo]

My requirements for a journal are simple yet possibly hard to achieve.

 

• Lies Flat

• 90GSM Paper, Off White

• Lined Faintly, Preferably Grey

• Soft Leather Cover (Rhodia Webbie)

• Does not scuff or mark too easily.

• Can use both sides of the paper

 

At the moment I use a Rhodia Webbie. It's brilliant, but doesn't quite lie flat.

Spuds like a challenge! I'm game.

[mAnuscript69]

My requirements for a journal are simple yet possibly hard to achieve.

 

• Lies Flat

• 90GSM Paper, Off White

• Lined Faintly, Preferably Grey

• Soft Leather Cover (Rhodia Webbie)

• Does not scuff or mark too easily.

• Can use both sides of the paper

 

At the moment I use a Rhodia Webbie. It's brilliant, but doesn't quite lie flat.

Your closest bet would be the new Quo Vadis Habanas.

Edited December 18, 2012 by mAnuscript69

[NedC]

I'm reasonably pleased with the Leuchtturm 1917 A5 journals for writing use and the Fabriano Classic Artist's Journals for sketching and writing but I would really like the Fabriano laid paper in single colour journals with a choice of the white, the buff and perhaps a grey or ivory shade too and with a leatherette—not real leather but a nice leatherette like the Leuchtturms, the Rhodia Web Notebooks have covers that are too thick. I'd also like the option of cloth covers like the pocket sized Leuchtturms. Multiple, subdued, colour choices for the covers would be welcome.

[Mr Rob]

With journals, it seems to come down to a question of which flaws I can live with and which ones I can't. I've used a couple of Habanas and they are great, but I'm probably not going to be buying any more expensive journals. This may sound like ordering a BLT in a five-star restaurant, but I'll probably just use a cheap Staples Eco-Easy (sugar cane bagasse) notebook. Why?

 

1. It's cheap. With a $20-30 journal, I feel...inhibited...as if I have to get the wording perfect before committing it to the expensive journal. With a cheap notebook, I can just write and write and not worry too much that I'm wasting precious paper or ruining the journal. If I don't like what I've written...rrriiippp!

 

2. The paper is FP friendly, abeit thin. I can really only write on one side, but see #1.

 

3. It lies flat. Not only that, but I can fold it all the way back, so I can write on a single sheet. This eliminates the problem of my hand falling off the edge of the book as I'm writing, which is one of the most irritating things about using a quality leather-bound journal.

[StrangerT]

I'm reasonably pleased with the Leuchtturm 1917 A5 journals for writing use and the Fabriano Classic Artist's Journals for sketching and writing but I would really like the Fabriano laid paper in single colour journals with a choice of the white, the buff and perhaps a grey or ivory shade too and with a leatherette—not real leather but a nice leatherette like the Leuchtturms, the Rhodia Web Notebooks have covers that are too thick. I'd also like the option of cloth covers like the pocket sized Leuchtturms. Multiple, subdued, colour choices for the covers would be welcome.

 

I don't have Leuchtturm (but will be getting one soon) but the main complaint seems to be it not being thick enough that you can use both sides. And perhaps quality control issue where one batch might be better than the other. I'll be using either fine or xxf (pilot penmanship) so I'm hoping that ghosting won't be an issue for me.

 

 

With journals, it seems to come down to a question of which flaws I can live with and which ones I can't. I've used a couple of Habanas and they are great, but I'm probably not going to be buying any more expensive journals. This may sound like ordering a BLT in a five-star restaurant, but I'll probably just use a cheap Staples Eco-Easy (sugar cane bagasse) notebook. Why?

 

1. It's cheap. With a $20-30 journal, I feel...inhibited...as if I have to get the wording perfect before committing it to the expensive journal. With a cheap notebook, I can just write and write and not worry too much that I'm wasting precious paper or ruining the journal. If I don't like what I've written...rrriiippp!

 

2. The paper is FP friendly, abeit thin. I can really only write on one side, but see #1.

 

3. It lies flat. Not only that, but I can fold it all the way back, so I can write on a single sheet. This eliminates the problem of my hand falling off the edge of the book as I'm writing, which is one of the most irritating things about using a quality leather-bound journal.

 

Do you carry your Staples notebooks with you? Ones I've seen are all wirebound and I'm not too fond of them for carrying around as wires get bent, papers don't flip, etc. I have a couple of them and they don't venture outside of my desk/bed.

 

It's very thin indeed but ghosting isn't so bad that I can write both sides using italic nibs. But I have a feeling that the ink I use is a rather dry ink so there's that.

[Mags]

Journals

 

I am fussy and continue to look for a perfect journal. I attend far too many meetings and take copious handwritten notes. I tend to use a fountain pen too slow my handwriting down and to reduce writing fatigue.

 

Also I am a southpaw....so too wet an ink or slow drying or paper that is not saturating and I have a smudge ink blot and a mess all over my hand...

 

For me the paper should be semi smooth and not a glass finish that takes a wetter medium or broad ink line of 0.7 to maybe 1.2 mm in width. Feathering is evil and a porous paper that ruins my formed letters is not at all worth using. I prefer a wide margin pre printed on the right Page and that wide margin on the right side of the left Page. All so my hand is not contorting more as I use my left hand.

 

Paper colour should be an eggshell or light cream and no bleached out pure white sketch pad looking paper stock.

 

Size for a normal business use journal should be A4.

 

All pages except the index pages should be perforated to allow for removal so they can be typed later preferably by my EA.

 

I really want a journal to last for a longer period of time and a three hour meeting can often have me taking 5-10 pages of single spaced notes. As a result my journals should be 196 or more pages. My journal should have a leather outer cover with two fountain pen friendly loops. Fountain Pen barrels are thicker and the loops on many portfolios are Bic pen friendly.....ewwwww.

 

I like rich darkly saturated inks which go on wet and dry fast. So my paper has too avoid ghosting and bleeding through. The paper should be acid free and archival quality as some of my meetings from a decade ago still pop up in court and these darn journals can be brought in as evidence.

 

I also want a small perforated tear away at the top right corner of every Page as I do not like the ribbon. A one Page insert with sticker labels for separating out 5 Page blocks for critical to do's, projects and file numbers for later retrieval of cross referenced electronic documents for me is a must have. I like 5 pages of graph paper at the back for setting up a graph, and for Gantt charts on projects.

 

The covers should be more than heavy stock cardboard and durable though thin to fit securely in to the flaps of the journal cover. Also that journal cover needs a spot for one usb key and about 10 -15 calling cards. At the back of every journal those moleskine like envelopes (just one).

 

Well that is my want list in the ultimate journal. Priced at about 29.99 if you can get 250 - 300 pages bound to lie flat when the book is opened and no coils or rings or circa/Levenger discs to rub my left hand writing on the right side of the journal.

 

I would pay $60-125 for the reusable leather cover in a distressed brown or patent leather black.

 

Who knows where I can find my dream journal?

 

Mags

Edited December 19, 2012 by Mags

[Mr Rob]

Do you carry your Staples notebooks with you? Ones I've seen are all wirebound and I'm not too fond of them for carrying around as wires get bent, papers don't flip, etc. I have a couple of them and they don't venture outside of my desk/bed.

 

It's very thin indeed but ghosting isn't so bad that I can write both sides using italic nibs. But I have a feeling that the ink I use is a rather dry ink so there's that.

 

I sometimes carry one in a zippered 3-ring binder that has pockets for loose papers (a Mead Platinum Pro I bought several years ago). I prefer the 6x9 notebook. As for carrying it loose, normally I don't. I usually carry the notebook along with some looseleaf paper and several pens in the 3-ring binder. It's a little bulky, but I like having everything I need in one place. Obviously, the Staples notebook wouldn't be the best choice if I needed something to fit in my pocket for jotting quick notes or to carry around by itself exposed to normal handling and abuse.

[jesse.bo]

I'm getting a lot of good info. Thanks keep it up. This will provide a nice leap forward for my upcoming journals.

[Plume145]

unfortunately I would have had to say 'other' on all three questions so I decided not to participate in the poll but to write here instead. If doing the poll will help you get more useable results, just say the word and I'll fill it out :-)

 

Okay, first question, it's sort of all four of the problems you raised, plus feathering (is it feathering=bleed through? If so, sorry). Re paper being both too thick AND too thin, it's that if it's too thin it affects longevity especially when i want to glue stuff in or tear out the page and take it with me, and if it's too thick it's a bit awkward.

 

Second question, binding: I'm a little twitchy, I like a binding that gives me lots of freedom. My ideal binding lets me use the Thing as a notebook when I want, but still lets me cleanly tear out a page to store it somewhere else or take it with me (eg shopping list, an address that I'm only using once so it's not worth cluttering up my smartphone's contacts list). I HAVE had real-life examples of this: one is the Notes refill in the Midori Traveller's notebook - Passport size (which however doesn't rock my world otherwise) and the other is some of the Kokuyo Campus notebooks (A6 and the like). I also prefer it if it lays flat, but not very exacting about that; it doesn't have to lie flat on its own, I can use my left hand, and I don't mind if it is only a 150 degree angle instead of 180.

 

third question, aesthetics:

color: BIG cream paper fan. Cream, ivory, etc - anything but white and even most labelled 'off-white' are too white for me. So again Kokuyo campus, also moleskine and some paperblanks (color-wise only).

Showy vs understated, decorated vs plain, etc: I don't oppose decorations on principle, I just have to like them. So Hello Kitty, no, snoopy or garfield, yes, busy florals no, steampunk yes (for example). But if in doubt, I go with plain, just a solid color - I feel like I can decorate that myself, even though I finish it before getting a good idea AND time to implement it more often than not :-) Whatever it is, I HATE hate hate brand logos - the more obvious the brand logo, the more it annoys me. My worse is em-/debossed brand logos that are also big - impossible to conceal by the above solution of decorating the notebook.

 

And another question which I don't think was included but maybe it's of use: format. I prefer plain, no lines, not squares or anything else. Just total freeform. Like with the binding, for me not being restricted to one way of doing things is very important. Dots are a compromise I can live with, but at no smaller than 1.5cm intervals, and they should be quite pale (they should disappear completely under an F nib with darkish ink). If that is not to be, lines are the next best thing, but very very finely drawn (again think Kokuyo campus) and should not go all the way up and down.

 

Overall, the Kokuyo notebooks are very close to my perfect one, at least if they are still the same; last time I found them was many years ago and I only just realized that jetpens stock them (the order should be here any day ). So it's possible I've already 'met' my perfect journal! In which case I wish you the best of luck finding yours :-)

Edited December 22, 2012 by Plume145

[Nibwitz]

Being on the lookout for 'the perfect' journal, I've tried TENEUES Coolnotes and the Leuchtturm1917, both in A5 size.

The Coolnotes is very good, but it bleeds through to easy. (Pelikan M200 F with 4001 ink)

 

The Leuchtturm is smaller (about 1 cm both ways) than the Coolnotes; too small for me. Paper is better than that of the Coolnotes; it has no bleed through, but still has a tiny bit of feathering, like the Coolnotes has too.

The cover of the Leuchtturm is not very 'premium' looking or feeling. Coolnotes wins here; much better put together.

 

Inside; the unique feature of Coolnotes is that one page is blanc, the other is lined with a generous 9mm space in between, a subtile dotted lining. Very nice, and this leaves the possibility to draw on the blanc page while write at the other.

No other notebook is provided with that combination.

 

Points for Leuchtturm; perforated last pages, 8 I believe, so that's easy to tear-off.

 

Summarising, my favorite notebook is equipped with the following:

 

1. No bleed-through; (but not to heavy and shiny paper as well)

2. hard cover, not flexible, quality finish, cover that sticks out a bit compared to the pages.

3. pocket at the backside/inside

4. perforated last pages

5. lies flat when opened

6. Ideal size about 22cm X 16cm, not smaller

7. Elastic closing cord

8. choice between blanc, dotted, lined, and a combination of these.

9. paper not too white nor too yellow

10. Lining not too narrowly spaced (at least 7mm)

 

I doubt if I will find a notebook like this, unless I will design it myself...

[mmkoenecke]

I agree with what many others have said on the journal issues front. A friend bought me a beautiful leather bound notebook with handmade paper in it that looked gorgeous. However, I wrote in large letters and used only one side of each page (partially out of necessity) so I could use the journal up more quickly. To me, being able to write well with my fountain pens in a journal is much more important than its looks. And its very difficult to find all of these qualities in something that is not too pricey!