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My everyday notebooks and pads


inkypete

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There has been a lot of discussion over many threads about notebooks. I have tried many including paying the postage to get the product not available in Australia sent in from (mainly) USA.

 

My summary:

 

Everyday: Clairefontaine notebooks stitched and spiral, anything with Apica written on it, Rhodia pads, Kokuyo (Campus) notebooks and Field Note notebooks. All quality stuff. Field Notes in larger sizes would be sensational.

 

Forget them: Moleskin - paper quality is rubbish.

 

Maybe: Rhodia webnotes - really nice book, but paper doesn't suit all pens.

 

Still to try: Quo Vadis Habana - really keen to try them.

 

So many notebooks, so little time.

Edited by inkypete
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Everyday:

 

moleskine daily planner (this one has *great* paper - if only they were all like this)

clothbound Clairefontaine, as a commonplace book

moleskine blank pocket, everyday catchall for ideas, lists, sketches

moleskine blank large for personal journal (mostly to use my last one up, I'm ready to defect any time)

Rhodia A16 pad - sketches, letter drafts, letters, stuff I don't want to write in my permanent journal and destroy immediately afterwards (!)

small clothbound Clairefontaine, ink tests and records

when school is in session:

 

Mead or Hilroy spiral notebooks

Mead or Hilroy composition books

Apica

 

I've written about my Quo Vadis Habana woes elsewhere, and have ordered another one from the UK with high hopes.

Edited by limesally
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Everyday:

 

moleskine daily planner (this one has *great* paper - if only they were all like this)

clothbound Clairefontaine, as a commonplace book

moleskine blank pocket, everyday catchall for ideas, lists, sketches

moleskine blank large for personal journal (mostly to use my last one up, I'm ready to defect any time)

Rhodia A16 pad - sketches, letter drafts, letters, stuff I don't want to write in my permanent journal and destroy immediately afterwards (!)

small clothbound Clairefontaine, ink tests and records

when school is in session:

 

Mead or Hilroy spiral notebooks

Mead or Hilroy composition books

Apica

 

I've written about my Quo Vadis Habana woes elsewhere, and have ordered another one from the UK with high hopes.

 

 

My very first Moleskin had fabulous paper too - good enough to make me forget the price tag. But from then on all downhill. I believe there are a few Rhodia distributors who are lobbying Rhodia strongly to change the paper in their webnotes back to their typical paper - if they do I will have found my almost perfect notebook. One feature webnotes doesn't have that the Moleskin does is the last few pages perforated for easy removal - I find that feature invaluable.

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Since a package of Field Notes memo books appeared in my mailbox, I've been carrying one of these books every day. Great paper, perfect pocket size, 100% U.S. made.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/accessories/field_notes/field_notes.jpg

 

DISCLAIMER: I like these memo books so well that we are now selling them. (The pen is NOT included. :))

sig.jpg.2d63a57b2eed52a0310c0428310c3731.jpg

 

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I'm in a bit of a deep grove these days. Been working with the moleskine, both the large and the small ruled versions. Would like to go to something with better paper but haven't gotten the right combination yet.

 

I use a medium nib with blue ink and have cursed left handed writing so it looks like one muddy stream on the page. Luckily I have a magic decoder ring and can figure it out.

 

For desktop, I've been using the old RECORD books, which feather terribly and bleed through, but I only use the right-hand side for writing and the left for notes among the spots. Actually works quite well, especially with red ink on the left (happens to be correct for maritime navigation as well, just thought I'd mention that).

Novelist, Pilot

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The Blank Rhodia No 16 is my new favorite thing in the universe. I love it. I'm also looking for a purpose for my Field Notes...they're really cool but I don't have any use for them because that Rhodia is such an all-around performer.

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My everyday notebook for book journaling is a junior circa noteboook (leather foldover), that I'll eventually post the hand written review of. Additionally, I have some Ampad Law ruled notebooks that I have been using for a few years to take class notes in, that are fountain pen friendly.

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My personal journal is a Clairfontaine basic 6X8.

 

Right now I am writing in Moleskine cahiers, basically to try it out. I want something nicer than a Norcomm spiral to encourage me to keep writing. I don't think these are it. I believe I will use up the current cahier and move on to something else.

 

I want to try Strathmore writing paper. If I like it as much as everyone else seems to, I will probably have it bound and drilled into 3-hole writing pads and use that for my stories. I got one of their free sampler packs with a bunch of different finishes and colors.

 

I am also looking at Rhodia writing pads. I have a local source for them, so if they are comparable in price I may just do that.

 

Oh, and I have some of Richard's writing pads with the vintage pens on that I am using for letter writing.

http://www.dragonseptarts.com/images/favicon.gif Dragonsept Arts and Publishing - Free and open culture

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"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." — Rudyard Kipling

"In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act." — George Orwell

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Sick of using blank printing-paper and not satisfied with notebooks, I recently went out and bought three pads. They're 'Quill' brand notepads. A4-sized lined paper. Smooth, strong and seem to put up with fountain pens pretty good. They're the kind of pads where the pages are all glued together at the top on the back of a cardboard backing sheet, and you can just rip the pages off neatly when you're done. Both sides of each page are lined. I'm really liking these pads...wish I bought more. Must do it next week...

 

Pretty cheap, $2.50 for a 100-sheet writing-pad. I bought 300 sheets'-worth.

http://www.throughouthistory.com/ - My Blog on History & Antiques

 

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The quest for the perfect notebook seems to be an endless one for me!!

 

I use a plain, A4, hardbacked Clairefontaine at work and attract a lot of positive comments about the quality of the paper.

 

However, I also like to have a notebook with me at all times to jot down ideas, incidents, general notes to self, as well as being a sort of journal and memory book. For this purpose I have been using large plain Moleskines, purely because I love the fact that the pages lie flat and there is a pocket at the back, which I find extremely useful. I also find the elastic enclosure and bookmark really handy. However, as we all know, the quality of the paper is appalling, as well as being ivory, when personally I would prefer bright white.

 

My 'dream' notebook would therefore be the size and shape of a Moleskine, with features such as back pocket and enclosure, but would have Clairefontaine paper. If Rhodia decide to upgrade the paper they use in their WebNoteBooks, as well as producing a plain version, then I might be tempted.

 

I came across some Ciak notebooks a few weeks ago, so have some to try when I finish my current Moleskine, but they are a full A5 size.

@leoniethomas18

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I like to switch between different notebooks. This helps to keep the writing experience fresh and interesting.

 

Apica CD-11s. Love 'em!

 

Kokoyu Black Ice notebooks. Bright, white paper that really likes fine-nibbed Lamy pens.

 

Rhodia Reverse Books. 21x21cm grid paper that's great for doodles or mind maps.

 

Whitelines A5 coil-bound. My current favorite and champion. Looks amazing using all kinds of different pens and inks.

 

Moleskine Large Reporter's notebooks. I recently filled my first one of these, which was an epic task. My experience with my first Moleskine product was positive, but I know from reading other folks on the forums that your writing experience may vary.

 

For me, paper is about variety. I like to find a handful of favorites, and then mix it up depending on what I'm working on, where I'm working, and so on. It's all about personal taste, as well as how much you're looking to spend on your paper.

 

 

Cheers,

A.J.

 

In an infinite universe, everything must exist.

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For journaling I use the basic lined journal from Barnes and Noble. It's $4.95 for a lot of pages and the size is just right. Also, comes in colors other than black.

 

For work and note taking I use a standard college ruled Mead notebook. I can get them free from work.

:happycloud9:

 

Cathy L. Carter

 

Live. Love. Write.

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I use basic ruled Moleskines. What's wrong with the paper?

 

Those black stitched Clairefontaine notebooks look attractive, but 6 x 8 is too large for my pockets. If the company made one in a size identical to the Moleskine, I'd try it.

 

A lot of people on the boards have had inconsistent performance from Moleskine.

 

I have only bought once (a 3 pack of cahiers) and I have definitely had 3 different "grades" of paper in this one cahier. They range from bleeding and feather to nearly perfect. I like the performance on the good paper, but for that kind of cash I would like to be able to count on it being good all the time.

http://www.dragonseptarts.com/images/favicon.gif Dragonsept Arts and Publishing - Free and open culture

My Public Key: F1BC60E6

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." — Rudyard Kipling

"In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act." — George Orwell

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I use basic ruled Moleskines. What's wrong with the paper?

 

Those black stitched Clairefontaine notebooks look attractive, but 6 x 8 is too large for my pockets. If the company made one in a size identical to the Moleskine, I'd try it.

 

After having 3 or 4 Moleskin I am an "absolutely never again" person. The paper variation is remarkable. They feather and bleed way too much for an expensive notebook. Clairefontaine, Rhodia and Field Notes use fabulous paper.

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Since a package of Field Notes memo books appeared in my mailbox, I've been carrying one of these books every day. Great paper, perfect pocket size, 100% U.S. made.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/accessories/field_notes/field_notes.jpg

 

DISCLAIMER: I like these memo books so well that we are now selling them. (The pen is NOT included. :))

 

These books look interesting, are they available from any UK suppliers yet?

 

David

Edited by david6
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My day to day book (in my briefcase and on my desk) is a Black n'Red A4 casebound. I've been using a small shirtpocket Clairefontaine wirebound, and I'll probably switch to a Rhodia No. 11 for a universal capture tool.

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Clairefontaine and Rhodia are butter smooth but I cannot justify the price for every day use.

 

I use Ampad recyled pads in letter and 5x8 size, good enough for everyday use and takes to

my medium and bold nibs fairly well.

 

 

Is it fair for an intelligent and family oriented mammal to be separated from his/her family and spend his/her life starved in a concrete jail?

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I make my own notebooks. That way, I get the paper I want. I make them large enough to mostly fill a shirt pocket and leave room for a pen in the right corner.

 

For historical reenactments, I made a black suede cover with a tie string in the center. Inside, I use laid paper from Eaton Private Stock. The paper has a bit of tooth to it, so it gives a little more control for hand-held note taking. No bleeding or feathering.

 

For everyday note taking, I tooled a heavy leather cover and fill it with Wausau Royal Cotton stationery paper. No bleed, no feather.

 

The notebooks have single signatures of 16 folded sheets, giving 64 pages. A simple saddle stitch holds the signature to the cover. When a notebook is full, I make a new signature and stitch it to the cover in place of the old one. The old one is held together by a single stitch in the center. Its fly leaf gets the dates spanned by the notes inside. The whole procedure takes about fifteen minutes.

 

Paddler

 

 

Can a calculator understand a cash register?

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