Jump to content

A4 Size Diary Recommendation ?


Pen Nut

Recommended Posts

For a few years now I have been using the Black n' Red A4 week to view diary and have been more than pleased with it. The 90gsm Optik paper is a joy for the type of pens & inks that I normally use.

 

Last year I was having trouble locating my usual Black n' Red diary for 2014 so I contacted Oxford directly only to be told that due to the massive fall in demand for this product they had ceased production.

 

Damn & blast ! Anyway I got a normal A4 desk diary and to be honest it was/is rubbish.

 

So as 2015 approaches I would like any recommendations for a good quality diary with the following must haves:

 

A4 / Legal size

Week To View when opened

Paper to 90 gsm or near as poss.

 

I have been given a Moleskine Large softbound 2014 - 2015 but to be honest its more a note book than diary as when opened one side is just a sheet of lined paper leaving not so much diary on the facing page. Oh and the paper is, well not great at best.

 

Any links would be appreciated especially from those in the UK / Europe.

 

Thanks

 

 

A wise man once said    " the best revenge is wealth "   but a wiser man answered back    " the best revenge is happiness "

 

The true definition of madness - Doing the same thing everyday and expecting different results......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 7
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Pen Nut

    2

  • Plume145

    2

  • View from the Loft

    1

  • da vinci

    1

Will be watching this with interest, as I'm also on the hunt. Need something that will cope with my pens better than the company issue Niceday cheapie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest, it sounds like other than the nice paper, your other requirements are pretty modest: the paper size is super easy to come by, and the layout you need is nothing exotic or complex, just a spread split into seven chunks, rinse-repeat x52 for the weeks of the year.

 

So I say: you're a FP writer, so write it! Just spend a peaceful autumn afternoon using your favorite pens and your best penmanship to prepare the diary yourself on a plain A4 notebook with paper you love: create the sections for the days and write out the days and dates. That way you get total freedom to focus on just the other requirements - paper, binding, and size - that you can't create yourself. Saves you having to settle for less on those aspects just to get the right layout :)

 

Because of the simplicity of your preferred layout, all you need to do the job is a couple of basic measurement and drafting tools (and I mean basic, as in what you don't already have, the nearest supermarket probably does in their school supplies aisle): ruler for the measurements and for the straight edge, and set square for neat right angles, maybe a pencil and eraser. And of course, a whole bunch of pens in a variety of nib sizes, and plenty of inks!

 

It's really ridic easy! If you're keen but don't know how to get started, I could rustle up a quick how-to, let me know ;)

I'm not affiliated with ANY of the brands/retailers/shops/ebay sellers/whatever I mention or recommend. If that ever changes, I will let you know :)

 

Looking for a cheap Pilot VP/Capless - willing to put up with lots of cosmetic damage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pen Nut pop down to your local staples (available in the UK) nd have a look at the ARC system.

 

Not for everyone I appreciate, however the standard paper is good for FP's. Even better you can buy yourself a ream of decent paper (sorry cannot link right now but I am sure there have been some threads on here) and print off your own templates from somewhere like DIY Planner.

 

I am a big Hobonichi fan otherwise I would be using either my A4 or A5 sized ARCs :)

 

I think Quo Vadis might do an A4 diary but I am not sure/ have never used one.

Edited by da vinci
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm trying to convert to US sizes.. have been considering this:http://www.leuchtturm1917.com/en/content/weekly-planner-amp-notebook

Not entirely sure if this page format is what you're seeking, but it appears to be slightly a step above the Rhodia weekly with notes page (?) which I enjoyed before the last year changes.

The Rhodia was leaps above the dismal feathering Molekine.

There are other formats in the above link.

 

If others have had recently/current experiences with this paper and planner style, please do share.

Hope this aids a bit with direction. It's disconcerting when a product that is cozy-comfy, fits your needs, for a period of years, suddenly changes, and frankly misses the mark.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi All,

new to this forum and this has been my main issue for coming here - have resigned myself to good quality photo copy paper and printing my own form an online template.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the input on this.

 

Pen 2 Paper you mentioned Leuchtturm so I did view what they had. The Mastersize was the preferred dimensions but when looking closely it is the same layout as the large sized Moleskine ie the right hand page is a sheet of lined note paper leaving vey little space on the facing page for diary entries. Rhodia has sparked my interest so I will be looking at what they have to offer.

 

Da Vinci you point towards Staples and I will pop into my local branch to see what ARC products the stock. Hobonichi & Quo Vadis are also mentioned so something else for me to look into as well.

 

Now then Plume 145 you suggest making my own and, being honest, at first I thought it was a non starter but you know what? I think this maybe the way to go. I am ‘always’ messing with my pens and inks so why not combine this into a small project. Black n Red still do their A4 lined note pad using the 90gsm Optik paper I like so the rest is down to me. Great suggestion and thanks for that.

 

Oh and also suggested was using Microsoft Outlook. When you go to your inbox there is a box in the lower left hand corner, if you click on Calender then click on Week you could print off from there and bind these printed sheets to suit you.

 

Wouldnt it be so much easier if we settle for low grade recycled pulp grade paper :)

A wise man once said    " the best revenge is wealth "   but a wiser man answered back    " the best revenge is happiness "

 

The true definition of madness - Doing the same thing everyday and expecting different results......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's the spirit!! I promise, it's easy enough to be fun but DIY enough to give you that satisfying feeling of accomplishment with a dash of empowerment that comes from making your own on an item you use everyday. To use a furniture making analogy, it's like putting together your own flat-pack furniture after hauling it home yourself, rather than making it out of bare tree trunks or something :P

 

To spare yourself some frustration and reduce the possibility of any scruffiness in the end result, use pencil for the separation at least for the first few rounds (even if you want to go over it in pen eventually), and remember the adage, 'measure twice, cut once' (or in this case, 'draw once'!) I don't know how you plan your time, but you might even be able to get away with doing only half the year in full, and leaving the rest for later.

I'm not affiliated with ANY of the brands/retailers/shops/ebay sellers/whatever I mention or recommend. If that ever changes, I will let you know :)

 

Looking for a cheap Pilot VP/Capless - willing to put up with lots of cosmetic damage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...