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Pocket Size Fp-Friendly Notebook Available Online?


akapulko2020

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I'm using a pocket Moleskine as sort of daily bullet journal , and having recently switched to using fountain pens as much as possible , I've found out that the notebook + Preppy Medium are not a good combo at all ..

 

Looking for a notebook of ~ same size (3.5 inch*5.5 inch or 9 cm * 14 cm), preferably hardbound , and not too expensive. Also, needs to be available online as I'll need to have it shipped to me in Israel.

 

Thanks :)

Edited by akapulko2020

"E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business." (Accounting manager, Electric Boat Company)

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Do you prefer blank, lined, dotted or perharps square pages?

 

Rhodia makes very good quality A6 notebooks available in many colours. Some do think the paper is a bit too smooth but some love it. Ciak notebooks take fountain pen ink almost as well and the paper is a bit rougher. Ciak covers are not as hard as Rhodia covers though.

 

There are many nice japanese A6 notebooks (Apica for example) but most of them do not have hard covers. Midori and Mnemosyne probaply make some spiral bound notebooks with hard covers.

 

And some people can't be parted from their Passport sized Traveller's Notebooks. Midori is the original but for example http://www.comb-o.com/ makes quite nice ones also. You can make hard inserts to Travellers notebook to get more rigid covers.

Non notisi signi.

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Less ink/Finer nibs help. To test on your Moleskine flip your Preppy over and write upside down. As I recall the Preppy is not the smoothest nib so may be scratchy or even skip, but can give you a clue. All the notebooks suggested are good. From my experience Midori and Apica Japanese papers are very nice.

 

Look at a site like gouletpens.com for info and reviews on paper/notebooks, also searchs of this forum. Look at the Banditapple brand of refills. The paper is as good if not better than Midori and less expensive. Banditapple is from Korea so you might be able to have better shipping from there vs a US company.

 

I'm quite fond of Field Notes but few of their issues are truly fountain pen friendly-est. Will often switch to ballpoint or UniBall.

 

All I have mentioned are soft covers. I carry the soft cover in any pocket or in a leather flap -Midori style. In the Midori cover style can carry 1-3 refills.

 

I do Bullet Journal in FieldNotes or Midori and use the first notebook/refill as pretty much the traditional BuJo. Monthly tasks, daily, Index, some lists/Collections. For large Collections, notes that may last longer than refill #1 lasts, will put in #2 or #3. Often those #2-3 will be left at home and only carry the slim #1. I have gotten brave and when #1 is filled if a important Collection in it, will clip out and tape in #2-3. I try not to spend much time recopying. --Also have become a huge believer in using my phone/tablet camera to capture important pages of the BuJo. I send them to Evernote (free) or you can use any cloud storage. Camscanner is a good App to capture and send to cloud. There is nothing worse than leaving your BuJo at work/home, dog chew, washing machine eat and need that vital bit of info. I capture important info as soon as I write. It is now in two places and the cloud I can normally get to 24/7.

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I use Evernote for lots of things, also use Any.do for tasks/ reminders but found out that dumping out the to-dos as well as daily run of events (phoned X company talked to Y who promised me Z ) clears my mind better when done on paper :)

Less ink/Finer nibs help. To test on your Moleskine flip your Preppy over and write upside down. As I recall the Preppy is not the smoothest nib so may be scratchy or even skip, but can give you a clue. All the notebooks suggested are good. From my experience Midori and Apica Japanese papers are very nice.

 

Look at a site like gouletpens.com for info and reviews on paper/notebooks, also searchs of this forum. Look at the Banditapple brand of refills. The paper is as good if not better than Midori and less expensive. Banditapple is from Korea so you might be able to have better shipping from there vs a US company.

 

I'm quite fond of Field Notes but few of their issues are truly fountain pen friendly-est. Will often switch to ballpoint or UniBall.

 

All I have mentioned are soft covers. I carry the soft cover in any pocket or in a leather flap -Midori style. In the Midori cover style can carry 1-3 refills.

 

I do Bullet Journal in FieldNotes or Midori and use the first notebook/refill as pretty much the traditional BuJo. Monthly tasks, daily, Index, some lists/Collections. For large Collections, notes that may last longer than refill #1 lasts, will put in #2 or #3. Often those #2-3 will be left at home and only carry the slim #1. I have gotten brave and when #1 is filled if a important Collection in it, will clip out and tape in #2-3. I try not to spend much time recopying. --Also have become a huge believer in using my phone/tablet camera to capture important pages of the BuJo. I send them to Evernote (free) or you can use any cloud storage. Camscanner is a good App to capture and send to cloud. There is nothing worse than leaving your BuJo at work/home, dog chew, washing machine eat and need that vital bit of info. I capture important info as soon as I write. It is now in two places and the cloud I can normally get to 24/7.

"E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business." (Accounting manager, Electric Boat Company)

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I'm using a pocket Moleskine as sort of daily bullet journal , and having recently switched to using fountain pens as much as possible , I've found out that the notebook + Preppy Medium are not a good combo at all ..

 

Looking for a notebook of ~ same size (3.5 inch*5.5 inch or 9 cm * 14 cm), preferably hardbound , and not too expensive. Also, needs to be available online as I'll need to have it shipped to me in Israel.

 

Thanks :)

Have you considered Curnow? (https://www.facebook.com/CurnowBookNLeather)

 

I know they have a standard line and also a custom made line. They ship overseas, too.

 

I bought 3 pocket notbooks for 10 USD + 4,5 shipping costs. It hasn't arrived yet, so I can't tell you about the quality, but I believe that everything they sell is FP friendly.

 

Cheers

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Have you considered Curnow? (https://www.facebook.com/CurnowBookNLeather)

 

I know they have a standard line and also a custom made line. They ship overseas, too.

 

I bought 3 pocket notbooks for ₪40 (10 USD) + 4,5 shipping costs. It hasn't arrived yet, so I can't tell you about the quality, but I believe that everything they sell is FP friendly.

 

Cheers

Thanks, got a response from them on this question in the FPGeeks forum , so waiting for them to reply as to postage costs etc.

"E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business." (Accounting manager, Electric Boat Company)

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All I have mentioned are soft covers. I carry the soft cover in any pocket or in a leather flap -Midori style. In the Midori cover style can carry 1-3 refills.

 

I do Bullet Journal in FieldNotes or Midori and use the first notebook/refill as pretty much the traditional BuJo. Monthly tasks, daily, Index, some lists/Collections. For large Collections, notes that may last longer than refill #1 lasts, will put in #2 or #3. Often those #2-3 will be left at home and only carry the slim #1. I have gotten brave and when #1 is filled if a important Collection in it, will clip out and tape in #2-3. I try not to spend much time recopying. --Also have become a huge believer in using my phone/tablet camera to capture important pages of the BuJo. I send them to Evernote (free) or you can use any cloud storage. Camscanner is a good App to capture and send to cloud. There is nothing worse than leaving your BuJo at work/home, dog chew, washing machine eat and need that vital bit of info. I capture important info as soon as I write. It is now in two places and the cloud I can normally get to 24/7.

Thank you for giving your insight on how you use your Midori. I always love reading how people use them and the best way to integrate analog and digital together. Can I assume you are using the Passport sized Midori?

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Made me laugh! Swear I keep the notebook, fountain pen, pencil, ballpoint/gel pen economy going on my own.

 

I have the Traveler (large) Midori, Passport size and then Field Notes notebooks with or without a Field Note sized leather cover. Love them all. Everything is a trade off.

 

Traveler is nicest to write in. Great paper choices. Has the option if needed to turn 90 degrees and write wider across. Suppose you could do the same and write across the fold but that bothers me. Most always I just write on the narrow pages, but the other is an option. Carrying is harder for me as I no longer carry a purse and though I have, never got into carrying a backpack, messenger bag. If I used a backpack/bag would probably lean to Traveler.

 

Passport size is better to carry but the wider width limits the pockets I can slip in. Still nice paper and options.

 

Today my choice is Field Notes (3.5x5.5). Fits in any pocket, jeans, jacket, hands free. At home will use a nice ballpoint or Uniball for writing. When going out will take a vintage Bullet Pencil with a nice writing nub. The bullet pencil fits in any pocket and doesn't stab me. So many wooden pencils now are beautiful writers, smooth and dark. For me as much pleasure as a nice fountain pen.

 

I choose carry-ability over FP friendly or page size. You will choose differently and your choice may change over time or for a situation.

 

-- Another small carry to ponder is something called a "pocket briefcase". Levenger online sells versions but you can find other brands less expensive. -A leather holder for a few 3x5 cards, usually with a slot to hold a few more. Fits in any pocket, good for quick notes. They also sell a Slim Wallet Writer. It holds a few blank business cards for note taking. You don't have to buy these items but can often repurpose something you have. Being creative flexes your brain.

 

Lots of fun things to do with information gathering.

Enjoy.

Thank you for giving your insight on how you use your Midori. I always love reading how people use them and the best way to integrate analog and digital together. Can I assume you are using the Passport sized Midori?

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I'll second the Leuchtturm notebooks. I love them. FP ink on Rhodia paper doesn't dry fast enough for me. If I'm journaling I don't want to have to stop mid-sentence for 30 seconds to let the ink dry so I can turn the page. I'm not a fan of the Midori paper either, although I love the Midori Traveler style. I have a Fauxdori I got on Etsy that's meant for 3.5x5.5" notebooks, with Field Notes in it. I quite like it.

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eecosystems from Barnes and Noble in the States.

Piccadilly Essential line.

 

The suitability for fountain pen use is a matter of opinion. I don't have issues with either of these products but I only use the recto side of each leaf.

I ride a recumbent, I play go, I use Macintosh so of course I use a fountain pen.

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  • 2 months later...

+1 for Curnow's BackPocket notebook...very FP friendly. I also like Write Notebooks which are also FP friendly. Just google "Write Notebooks".

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This was post yesterday in a companion sub forum on FPN; https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/288344-forest-choice-notebooks-excellent/

 

 

They have hard and soft A6 sized notebooks. ALL 1/2 PRICED. I ordered a bunch on the basis of Keegan's excellent review and accompanying photos.

 

I'm also a big fan of Steve Curnow his notebooks are excellent. usual disclaimers apply, no affiliation, just a very satisfied client.

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I recently test-wrote and compared three 3.5x5.5 notebooks:

  • Leuchtturm 1917, lined
  • Paperblanks reporter, unlined
  • Moleskine reporter, unlined

I was motivated to do so because over the course of successive unlined Moleskine reporter's notebooks I had had better-than-expected results, even compared to the lined version of the same notebook. It was a simple bit of test-writing in each notebook, but I came away with distinct impressions. I hope this helps. (My camera had trouble focusing, and so I used the Goulet Pens bookmark as a focal point.)

 

 

fpn_1428274848__small_notebooks_01.jpg

 

 

First, the Leuchtturm 1917

 

fpn_1428274922__small_notebooks_02.jpg

 

  • ​Some feathering of Aurora Black, J. Herbin 1670 Bleu Ocean, and Noodler's BSB

 

 

And here is the other side of the sheet

 

fpn_1428274985__small_notebooks_03.jpg

 

  • Partial bleed-through of Aurora Black, J. Herbin 1670 Bleu Ocean, Noodler's BSB, and Omas Blue

 

 

And now the Paperblanks

 

fpn_1428275155__small-notebooks-06.jpg

 

  • Some feathering of Aurora Black, J. Herbin 1670 Bleu Ocean, Noodler's BSB, and Sailor Jentle Blue

 

 

Paperblanks, back side

 

fpn_1428275180__small-notebooks-07.jpg

 

  • The photo speaks for itself

 

 

Finally, the Moleskine

 

fpn_1428275061__small_notebooks_04.jpg

 

  • No feathering

 

 

And the back side of the Moleskine sheet

 

fpn_1428275132__small_notebooks_05.jpg

 

  • Partial bleed-through of J. Herbin 1670 Bleu Ocean, greater bleed-through of Noodler's BSB
  • Moderate show-through of the other inks

 

My Conclusions:

  1. The unlined Moleskine reporter's notebook was the most FP-friendly of the group, suffering the least feathering and bleed-through and only moderate show-through.
  2. The lined Leuchtturm 1917 might have other qualities that make it preferable to the Moleskine, but I wouldn't know. This is my first Leuchtturm notebook and I haven't done anything more than test-write on one side of one sheet of paper.
  3. The Paperblanks was the worst performer on all counts.
Edited by Bookman

I love the smell of fountain pen ink in the morning.

 

 

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The paper in Paperblanks notebooks seem to differ between sizes. I have a larger that works perfectly.

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I've had good luck with Paperblanks, but I'll also recommend Metaphys - they're very lightly printed and the paper quality is very good.

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I'm a big fan of Write Ledger (pocket size) notepads. I've always found them to be well designed and good quality. The Write Notepads Co. Newsletter announced today that they are bringing out an updated pocket notepad with even better FP friendly paper. Looking forward to checking the new ones out.

I'm also a big fan of Curnow's BackPocket notebook.

Both very reasonably priced.

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