Moleskine Dilemma

[Pjay]

For several years I've been using the Moleskine Folio Professional Notebook (A4) for journalling, and the 100gsm paper has given liberty to write double sided with pretty much any combination of pen and ink.

My wife game me a lovely Oberon design leather cover, with embossed Celtic design, for the smaller Moleskine classic, 5" x 8 1/4", and only 70gsm. I've tried lots of combinations over the last three days, and pretty much every one of them has excessive bleed through, enough to make writing/reading on the reverse quite difficult. So I either write on one side only for the year, or switch back to the Folio with the thicker paper and use the smaller notebooks for another purpose.

 

Anyone successfully using the Moleskine classic double sided? I'd be very keen to hear of any pen/ink combinations that may work.

[Miz Black Crow]

Don't buy Moleskines. Buy C.R. Gibson notebooks instead. Moleskine Classics bleed, feather, and are only usable one-sided due to bleedthrough. CR Gibson notebooks have the same design features (pocket, bookmark, elastic band), cost 1/2 to 1/3rd the cost when they're on sale ($5 at Staples during the holidays; $10 when they're not), etc.They're only available in a fairly-narrowly-lined journal, but if you're okay with that, they're GREAT journals. My review (Journal A). No affiliation, just an exceedingly happy customer.

 

If you have smaller Moleskines you HAVE to use, I'd suggest going for F or XF nibs. I haven't had terrible problems with Noodler's Walnut in an XF Safari, but I've had awful issues with everything else.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Miz Black Crow

[Last Knight]

Heya, PJay! I'm going to have to disagree with Miz Black Crow - I just tested my pens in a classic (small, gridded) Moleskine, and I had very few issues with bleeding or show-through. Yes, you can see the writing on the opposite side, but it's still very useable. The exception to this was Pen & Ink Sketch No-Shellac India Black, and Noodler's Baystate Concord Grape. My highest marks go to Noodler's Heart of Darkness, especially through an extrafine nib (Hero 9296 accounting pen).

 

That said, most of my pens have fairly small nibs - M or finer - and this is an older Moleskine, from a few years back (first entry is June '09, so I had to have purchased it in '07 or '08 - and it may have sat on the shelf a while before that!).

 

This is the second time I've heard C. R. Gibson recommended, and I'm definitely going to have to give them a gander. ^_^

 

Inks tested: Noodler's Heart of Darkness +

Noodler's Zhivago +

Noodler's Eel Blue -

Noodler's Bad Belted Kingfisher +

Pen & Ink Sketch No-Shellac India Black --

Noodler's Baystate Concord Grape -

Noodler's Red-Black +

Private Reserve Velvet Black (cartridge) +

 

Hope this helps!

Edited January 4, 2015 by Last Knight

[JimCouch]

I gave up on Moleskine for fountain pens years ago. Paper seems real variable, sometimes (just) ok, most often terrible. CR Gibson, Clairfontaine, or Rhodia have all been reliable. I have actually had better luck with most no-name journals that I pick up on sale here and there to the Molskine.

[ethernautrix]

Don't buy Moleskines. Buy C.R. Gibson notebooks instead. Moleskine Classics bleed, feather, and are only usable one-sided due to bleedthrough. CR Gibson notebooks have the same design features (pocket, bookmark, elastic band), cost 1/2 to 1/3rd the cost when they're on sale ($5 at Staples during the holidays; $10 when they're not), etc.They're only available in a fairly-narrowly-lined journal, but if you're okay with that, they're GREAT journals. My review (Journal A). No affiliation, just an exceedingly happy customer.

 

If you have smaller Moleskines you HAVE to use, I'd suggest going for F or XF nibs. I haven't had terrible problems with Noodler's Walnut in an XF Safari, but I've had awful issues with everything else.

 

This was my go-to notebook before Tomoe River notebooks were available. I loved the narrow lines of the Gibson notebooks (and Moleskine).

 

I do use the Moleskine pocket-size diary (page per day), but I use EF/F nibs and mostly Noodler's Black, so there's no bleedthrough or feathering.

 

Seems that Faber Castell Stone Grey and Noodler's Walnut work well, too - again, in EF/F. I test the inks on a non-dated page before writing.

[TMac]

I gave up on Moleskines several years ago, based mainly on the many comments on this forum. Was given a beautiful cover for Christmas that is too small for my Leuchtturm. Bought a squared Moleskine Classic. The paper is made in Vietnam and it performs surprisingly well. No show thru using several Noodlers pens and inks, and darker Diamine inks. Nibs have been fines and mediums. The store had ones with paper from China and Vietnam.

[dan in montreal]

I have to agree with Miz Black Crow as well. My main problems with these journals is consistency, or lack thereof. Over the years I've seen very very slight variation in Rhodia pads or Clairefontaine books, a little bit more with Leuchtturm books, but it seems you never quite know what you are in for when you purchase a Moleskine. The other problem I had with them was with crazy feathering (even when the paper quality seemed OK). The Moleskine books I have left over are now only used with wooden pencils.

 

Since you already have them though I agree with everyone who suggests you only use them with very fine nibs.

 

I've switched to Leuchtturm, but those Gibson books look nice! Unfortunately, they don't seem to be available in my neck of the woods.

[max dog]

I've had very good results with Monblanc Pemanent Blue ink on Moleskine paper. Zero bleed through even with a Medium wet nib.

[Pjay]

Thanks for the helpful replies. I'm using very fine nibs: Mottinshaw custom grind to Pelikan M800 EF, a Centennial Duofold with #80 needlepoint, a Platinum President EF that is extra fine, and have tried a very wide range of inks without success. My conclusion is to write single sided only (I did mean show through of course, there is no issue with bleed through), as I have stocked up on these notebooks. I've also put aside a supply of the Leuchtturm1917 equivalent to the Moleskine Classic - I suspect the paper is better, but unfortunately the dimensions are just different enough to prevent use in the lovely Oberon Design cover.

I saw another thread about hoarding, guilty as charged! :>)

[Pjay]

Here's a pic of the notebooks i used for a little experiment...

L-R Moleskine Classic, Leuchtterm1917, Office Works no name, Aldi no name

http://members.dodo.com.au/~scribe55/notebooks.jpg

 

and then the writing samples with showthrough - the cheapest notebook is the best! $2.... However, the Leuchtterm1917 is pretty good! Top to bottom samples are Moleskine Classic, Leuchtterm1917, Office Works no name, Aldi no name

http://members.dodo.com.au/~scribe55/samples.jpg

Edited January 4, 2015 by Pjay

[max dog]

I've been using Moleskine for several years now for work exclusively. I have a library of a couple dozen Moleskine notebooks with all my work notes stretching back to 2007. I just love the form factor of the Moleskine, so I put up with "show through" with various Monblanc, Pelikan,Waterman, Sheaffer blue and blue black dry inks. For the first time with the MB Permanent blue that I started using recently, there is no "showthrough" at all. It's as well behaved as ballpoint on Moleskine paper. I use Montblanc EF and M nibs which are wet writers so should work well with your EF nibs.

 

Just something to consider, ie MB Permanent Blue, if you plan on continuing to use Moleskine.

 

Nice pens BTW, especially that Parker!

Edited January 4, 2015 by max dog

[The Good Captain]

I've had varied results from Moleskine but still use them and just put up with whatever happens. However, Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black is THE ink for best results, particularly with a F or EF/XF nib.

[erpe]

...Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black is THE ink for best results...

 

That is my experience too, with some Chinese mediums, Preppy's and Watermen. In addition to this, Rohrer & Klinger Salix works ok in most F and M nibs too.Nevertheless, I decided to leave Moleskin as well. In the Dutch cheapo store "Action", they sell the same pocket sized notebooklets as the Moleskine Cahier/Volant with 80 gsm paper for € 0.69 per 3. These accept almost any ink in any pen I tried on them with the exception of Diamine which is more 'wet' than most inks. So, these are my 'go to' for notes on the road at the moment.

[Tanzanite]

The only combination that has worked for me on the worst Moleskine is a Parker 25 with F nib and Parker Quink Blue ink.

I also do have older Moleskines and the Snoopy edition that works with any pen and ink.

[Tanzanite]

Perhaps I should add that I never use B or wider nibs.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Tanzanite

[FountainPages]

Personally, I love Apica notebooks. Even their cheapies ar very FP friendly...Look to Goulet's for them.

[3l3phant]

Sorry for the what I'm sure is a set of silly, new-guy questions (and hope that I'm not hijacking the thread but it seems to be related), but I'm looking for a daily use notebook for work (notes during meetings, etc) and I keep reading back-and-forth on moleskin in terms of feathering and bleed through. In general if it bleeds through is that only an issue in terms of also using the back of the page? I really haven't settled on a daily use pen yet, but I've found that EF nibs work best and that I'm enjoying Noodler's black waterproof ink (but not married to it). I'm looking to buy a cover for whatever journal I get so obviously want to figure out which journal will work best before buying the cover Is moleskine really hit-or-miss? Should I go straight to C.R. Gibson or Apica?

[Tanzanite]

I have bought a new Moleskine now and no pen and ink works in that one. It is only good for pencils. In my last some worked fine. In those I bought several years ago ALL my pens and inks worked perfectly.

If you are ok with only using one side of the paper you can probably use the EF nib. Unfortunately I have never used your ink so I can not advice you on it.

[3l3phant]

Thanks Tanzanite. Looks like maybe I should just check out some of the other options and skip Moleskine.

[bardharlock]

Thanks Tanzanite. Looks like maybe I should just check out some of the other options and skip Moleskine.

That would certainly be my suggestion. I gave up on Moleskine several years ago after finding paper quality varied wildly from one purchase to the next. I moved to Piccadilly notebooks for a while and found them extremely satisfactory, but they seem to no longer offer the ability to order direct from them. Depending on your preferred format and size as well as your budget, you can get notebooks that will work for you. I highly recommend the Paper and Pen Paraphernalia Review section. Hit the index and run wild!