[Judybug]

Yesterday I purchased a C. R. Gibson journal from Barnes & Noble - with fear and trembling because you never can be sure what the paper will be like. I just tested it out with a bunch of different pens and inks. The paper is great! It must be about 24# or 28# paper. Very smooth. No feathering and hardly any bleed through at all. The paper has a pale blue swirly design which obscures the occasional slight bleed through. This journal has a hard cover with fountain pens, old letters, post cards, stamps, postmarks, etc. in the design. It is spiral bound. It was $14.99 at B & N. Paper size is 10 in. by 7 in. Cover is slightly larger. I'm pleased! It's always nice when you play journal roulette and win!

I wonder if all C. R. Gibson journals are this good? Has anyone else tried them?

Judybug

This post has been edited by Judybug: 18 March 2007 - 12:15 PM

[Margana]

Is this the journal you purchased? The paper sounds both attractive and practical.

[penartist]

Overall, I like the Moleskine journals, but the paper is not always fountain pen friendly. The Moleskines work well with Montblanc ball points and rollerballs.

I may have found an alternative for a small Moleskine. This is "MARKINGS" from C.R. Gibson.

This is a small journal approx 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" black bonded leather 192 pages; narrow ruling, ribbon marker, elastic band closure, storage pocket and lays flat when you open it. Sound familiar? The paper has a smooth texture, but there is some strike through with fountain pens unless you use fast drying ink and a fine point.
Price at Staples was $6.99. At least the price is lower. Our local Staples store has a large selection of C.R.Gibson journals and they appear to be of quality material. I may have to try one or two more.

A more fountain pen friendly journal I am currently using is a "Skull and Bones" edition by Graphic Image at Barnes and Noble for $19.95. Strike through has not been a problem and the paper is a real pleaure to write on. This is a journal that is supposed to survive for several hundred years. If this journal had the storage pocket and an elastic band closure...it would be perfect.

My .02

Bob

[Blackhill]

Judybug,

I bought that same journal from Barnes and Noble and I agree, it is very nice paper. I really enjoy writing in mine.



penartist,

Thanks for the recommendation on the "Markings" journals. I'll seek them out.


Cheers,
Laura

[scottsawyer1]

Hi Judy et al,

I am a new user, although I have been using fountain style and/or dip pens for about the last 20 years. My grandmother raised me and disliked rollers or ballpoints immensely.

I, like you, wanted to find a nice journal, and my wife found this simple black leather number from Target. I found that the paper had a wonderful feel, and held ink nicely. Now, I have a Moleskine Reporter style that I carry daily, and love it, but found that I love my Markings by C.R. Gibson just as much!! It's day's end compliment to my Waterman fountain, well, that and some hot beverage of choice...

I write every day, either in my job as a paralegal for the Navy, as a history undergraduate, or as an aspiring author.

Cheers,

Scott

[donwinn]

I have a CR Gibsons Markings journal in an approx 5 x 7 size, tan leather, loop closure, which I got at Walmart. The front pages are very fp friendly, but I discovered, oddly enough, that the back pages are not!! I was testing several pens, to take a digital photo of different pens and inks, for posting on fpn, and the reaction was very different on the back pages than on the front.

I was doing it in the back, because I had already started using the journal for notetaking at a bible conference, and did not want writing samples in the middle of my journal notes, but would have no problem with samples at the end.

Donnie

[ExcaliburZ]

Markings by C.R. Gibson (C.S. GIbson) is a line of notebooks that are a cheaper alternative to Moleskine with a larger range of choices. I purchase one of the small pocket notebooks. Essentially the same size and shape as a Moleskine. The cover is faux leather on cardboard and is studier then the Moleskine. The paper quality is good, no feathering or bleed through, though ink does not get absorbed as fast as it does with Moleskine so it does need a few seconds to dry. I had no problems with different pens or inks, all having much the same result. There is noticeable show through but it does not interfere with reading words on the back pages. This notebook is in the 6 dollar area and sold at Staples, Target and the such. It fits easily into a blazer pocket. There is a cheaper version with thinner paper that is no good for FP. I would not use for daily or heavy writing but is good for brainstorming, notes and travel information. Here is another review http://meredictum.wordpress.com/2007/07/18...ings-notebooks/.

[BBailey]

Overall, I like the Moleskine journals, but the paper is not always fountain pen friendly. The Moleskines work well with Montblanc ball points and rollerballs.

I may have found an alternative for a small Moleskine. This is "MARKINGS" from C.R. Gibson.

This is a small journal approx 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" black bonded leather 192 pages; narrow ruling, ribbon marker, elastic band closure, storage pocket and lays flat when you open it. Sound familiar? The paper has a smooth texture, but there is some strike through with fountain pens unless you use fast drying ink and a fine point.
Price at Staples was $6.99. At least the price is lower. Our local Staples store has a large selection of C.R.Gibson journals and they appear to be of quality material. I may have to try one or two more.

A more fountain pen friendly journal I am currently using is a "Skull and Bones" edition by Graphic Image at Barnes and Noble for $19.95. Strike through has not been a problem and the paper is a real pleaure to write on. This is a journal that is supposed to survive for several hundred years. If this journal had the storage pocket and an elastic band closure...it would be perfect.

My .02

Bob

I'm constantly puzzled by the 'problems' people say they have using fountain pens with Moleskine journals. I use Moleskines daily with fountain pens and don't have the feathering issue many seem to encounter.

[ExcaliburZ]

Another blog review I have come across Black Cover- The Moleskine Knock-Off: The Markings Notebook.

[ethernautrix]

Another blog review I have come across Black Cover- The Moleskine Knock-Off: The Markings Notebook.

I enjoyed the review, even though none of factors the reviewer listed as negatives has ever bothered me. I use the Markings Moleskine-lookalike notebook (the larger size -- but also the pocket size) most out of any other kind or brand.

[wpblaw]

Another blog review I have come across Black Cover- The Moleskine Knock-Off: The Markings Notebook.

I enjoyed the review, even though none of factors the reviewer listed as negatives has ever bothered me. I use the Markings Moleskine-lookalike notebook (the larger size -- but also the pocket size) most out of any other kind or brand.

I'm looking for a new journal and considered these but wanted the scoop from FPN first. Seemed nice. Then I read the review referenced above and, frankly, I'm with ethernautrix on this one. The journal is awfully nice, especially for the price, and the reviewer's points seem nit-picky AT BEST. Lip too long? Header and footer too generous? Cover is only 80% leather and stitching is for aesthetic value only (and it makes it look great, btw)...just an odd review. I'm looking forward to testing out the paper but knowing that ethernautrix uses blackity black blackerton and likes these journals is endorsement enough for me.

[Ryan Stewart]

I'll second the wonderful paper quality of the Markings journal. I picked one up today, and the paper appears to be identical in quality, texture, and thickness to Moleskine's. However, the writing experience is much better - no bleedthrough or feathering. I'm using a Pelikan M-405 with medium stub nib and Waterman's Havana Brown. Normally, this combination would be a disaster in a Moleskine, but Markings paper seems much better behaved. My poor experiences with Moleskine have led me, like many, to love the journal itself and hate the paper. Markings bridges that gap nicely.

Ryan