Fauxdori

[Ccnati]

As the title says, I want a fauxdori, a notebook similar to the midori traveler's notebook (I would prefer passport size) that isn't $50. I am currently using a cheap ($3) at-a-glance planner but like the idea of the midori doubling as a planner/general writing notebook. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

Caleb

[Cryptos]

Good luck with that!

 

I use a full size Midori. After trawling around on the various sites (like Etsy) I noticed that the leather Fauxdoris were not that dissimilar in price, so I sucked in a breath and bought the original. You may find a cheaper option if your looking at non-leather though.

[Ccnati]

Sad... I saw a video on YouTube on how to make your own... I may see how feasible that seems (I'm sure it's cheaper) and go from their... I would really prefer leather or even pleather.

[SallyLyn]

The paper is the most important thing IMO. Check at gouletpens.com for info as believe they carry the banditapple brand of refills for both the Traveler (larger) and Passport size. This is very nice paper and cheaper. Again my opinion, think as good or better than the Midori especially in PP size.

 

If you would be interested in 3.5x5.5" you have the choice of many notebooks/refills. I like FieldNotes but most versions are not superior for fountain pens. Other notebooks can be better. For the 3.5x5.5 size I like the leather covers made by davisleatherworks http://store.davisleatherworks.com/

Nice leather and reasonable prices. He would custom make the Passport size but might not have the metal 'thing' Midori has. Have to ask him.

 

Should you be interested in the Traveler Midori (or even Passport) would suggest looking at pencils.jp They are in Japan and I find their prices on the cover and the real Midori refills quite good. Shipping might take longer. I especially like the thin (128) refill, very good with ink. For fun stuff I like the Kraft refill, Kraft folder and the drawing/sketch refill. The Passport size has less options of paper.

[Cryptos]

Banditapple paper is nowhere near as good as the Midori stuff. As for pricing, there's about a dollar difference. I can get the Midori stuff direct from Japan cheaper than buying it from the Goulet site and cheaper than banditapple.

[TMac]

Ray Blake makes some great notebooks and they are very reasonably priced. His website is mylifeallinoneplace.com.

[Cryptos]

Heh, I used that site, mainly for the templates which I printed out and bound into booklets myself. Good resource though.

[watch_art]

There's a nice lady out of Memphis who makes notebook covers.

http://unwrittenwordblog.blogspot.com/

[angelofmusic81]

I run The Unwritten Word blog--thanks, Shawn, for the mention! I do make the "faux-dori" style notebooks as well as hardcover and coptic stitched books. Message me if you'd like to purchase or if you just want some tips on how to make your own. The Midori-style ones are actually very simple to make. I've done them from leather, vinyl, fabric, felt, and duct tape. It's a fun project, and there's just something about making it yourself that adds a little something extra. I'm planning on doing some tutorials on the blog sometime in the future if I ever find the time.

[hendrixstrat]

I made one last week. Bought a piece of nice brown leather at Michaels for $11 bucks and cut into the size of the larger Midori. The elastic was about $2, and for the inserts I used Moleskine Cahier ($15 for 3) notebooks. I cut them to make them narrow enough to fit the journal. So with one insert, the journal cost around $18 or so, plus around 30 minutes or so of work.

[Ted A]

Let's see a picture, please

[oculogyric]

This may be higher than you want to pay, but I got my extremely well-made faux-dori from zenokleather on Etsy. I paid $45 for a passport size and it's way better than anything I would make myself (I'm crafty, but just not experienced in leather work).

[Last Knight]

I bought a Traveler size, passport size, and pen holder for $42 from Amazon. ZLYC is the name of the maker.

 

I don't know if direct links are discourage on here, but it's literally the second option if you go to Amazon (US) and search "ZLYC." $36.99 plus $7 shipping, so a little pricier than when I purchased.

[arandur]

I bought a Traveler size, passport size, and pen holder for $42 from Amazon. ZLYC is the name of the maker.

 

I don't know if direct links are discourage on here, but it's literally the second option if you go to Amazon (US) and search "ZLYC." $36.99 plus $7 shipping, so a little pricier than when I purchased.

How have you found the ZLYC products to be? I saw the many design options on Amazon from them, but yours is actually the only mention of ZLYC on FPN. How is the quality? I noticed that some Amazon reviews report dye or oil coming off the covers; have you experienced this?

[ailevin]

Assuming you don't want a different customized size, the Midori Passport is $33 on Amazon with one insert (It is free shipping with Amazon Prime). Also, mymaido has it for $39, and they seem to have the lowest prices on inserts of various sorts along with free shipping over $25. Depending on what you want in it, you might do better ordering from them.

 

I am new to Midori having had my Passport size for a few weeks. I like the form factor, and after some fiddling I like the system for putting gadgets and paper inserts into it. I am less thrilled with the paper, so I've started making my own inserts from Tomoe River and Rhodia dot pad paper. I'm not all that "crafty," but there are good tutorials online, and my total investment in tools so far is only about $10 at Michael's for a beading awl, some tapestry needles, and what looks to be a lifetime supply of bead stringing thread. I practiced making a few trial inserts with cheap paper, just to get the hang of it, but it was not difficult to figure out. It doesn't take much time to make a couple inserts, and it's actually quite satisfying, not to mention to enjoyment of writing on my favorite paper.

 

I guess you could say I went with true-dori but faux-inserts.

[arandur]

Assuming you don't want a different customized size, the Midori Passport is $33 on Amazon with one insert (It is free shipping with Amazon Prime). Also, mymaido has it for $39, and they seem to have the lowest prices on inserts of various sorts along with free shipping over $25. Depending on what you want in it, you might do better ordering from them.

They do seem to have pretty good prices, even on the standard size!

 

Good call on the Tomoe River inserts.

[arandur]

Just received this fauxdori set in the mail: http://www.amazon.com/ZLYC-Handmade-Refillable-Travelers-Journals/dp/B00ME26WYU/ref=sr_1_10?

I will report back on how it work out after a week or so.

[arandur]

Just received this fauxdori set in the mail: http://www.amazon.com/ZLYC-Handmade-Refillable-Travelers-Journals/dp/B00ME26WYU/ref=sr_1_10?

I will report back on how it work out after a week or so.

First impressions and some details:

• Has the same initial chemical smell as the Midori. Hopefully this will go away in a couple of days.
• The elastic is much thicker than standard Midori elastic, which is not a bad thing, but it does prove to be tight. The thickness of the elastic is more like that of a hair elastic.
• Dimensions are the same for both the standard and passport Midoris.
• The standard-size notebook came with a combination pouch + card-holder. Handy addition.
• While the advertisement said "randomly-selected inserts," both sizes came with the same inserts: two blank and one calendar.

[Last Knight]

Ah, jeez, I forgot all about this thread and I haven't been on here in weeks. Sorry, man!

 

I'm glad you seem to be enjoying your ZLYC; I use mine semi-regularly, and rather like it. As an aside, though, the inserts really are random; all three of my traveler inserts were blank, all three of my passport were lined. I'm not sure what their rubric is for selecting inserts, but... *shrugs* Their shipping is ridiculous for getting replacement fillers, too.

[arandur]

I run The Unwritten Word blog--thanks, Shawn, for the mention! I do make the "faux-dori" style notebooks as well as hardcover and coptic stitched books. Message me if you'd like to purchase or if you just want some tips on how to make your own. The Midori-style ones are actually very simple to make. I've done them from leather, vinyl, fabric, felt, and duct tape. It's a fun project, and there's just something about making it yourself that adds a little something extra. I'm planning on doing some tutorials on the blog sometime in the future if I ever find the time.

I would love to see a tutorial on the duct tape fauxdori!

 

Just received this fauxdori set in the mail: http://www.amazon.com/ZLYC-Handmade-Refillable-Travelers-Journals/dp/B00ME26WYU/ref=sr_1_10?

I will report back on how it work out after a week or so.

Okay, here is an update on how the fauxdori to which I linked has worked, thus far. (See the last quote in this post for my first impressions.)

• The chemical smell has gone away, thankfully, leaving just the leather aroma.
• Thicker elastic has not been a bad thing, thus far, on the cover. We will see how it does on the edges after a matter of time.
• However, thicker elastic inside (holding the books in place) can sometimes be a bit of a pain, as it just adds thickness to the book itself. Thus far, it has not been something that causes a lot of issues, especially given that I use a line guide and only write on one side, so it has not conflicted with holding pages down for writing.
• The paper is very fountain pen friendly. While not as onion paper-thin as Tomoe River or as thin as the Midori refills, it has less show-through than the lined Midori refill I have been using.
• Definitely worth the purchase, especially given that they make them in a couple of colors, which Midori does not (green and red, I believe). And those are just the fauxdori sizes. ZLYC does make a few other colors and styles in varying sizes.

 

 

First impressions and some details:

• Has the same initial chemical smell as the Midori. Hopefully this will go away in a couple of days.
• The elastic is much thicker than standard Midori elastic, which is not a bad thing, but it does prove to be tight. The thickness of the elastic is more like that of a hair elastic.
• Dimensions are the same for both the standard and passport Midoris.
• The standard-size notebook came with a combination pouch + card-holder. Handy addition.
• While the advertisement said "randomly-selected inserts," both sizes came with the same inserts: two blank and one calendar.