Rhodia Webnotebook Alternatives - Suggestions?

[dukkimoon]

Hi FPN friends, first-time poster here. I am looking for an alternative to Rhodia Webnotebooks. I have migrated to the new dot grid Rhodiaramas, and they are quite good. I have tried a number of notebooks, but I haven't found any that I'm 100% happy with. Honestly, my ideal would be a dot grid A5 Journal with a Leuchtterm style hardcover and TOC, BUT ​ with paper similar to Rhodia's dot pads (with that great fully white paper). I like bolder inks with a fair amount of wetness. My current favs are De Atrementis Alexander Hamilton, Diamine's Oxblood, Red Dragon and Blue Black, Robert Oster's Fire & Ice, Green at Night, and Terracotta, and Iroshizuku's Shin-Kai, Yama-budo, and Kon-peki. Also will use J.Herbin's Emerald of Chivor when I am in a stub nib mood. My go-to pens are a collection of 3776 (SF, F, M, , a number of Pilots (74, 823, 92, Falcon, and VP), and the daily carry Kaweco Brass Sport (M). Also have a TWSBI (multiple nibs), Lamy's (2000 (looking to sell), Safaris, and Al Stars). New favorite pickups are the Diplomat Aero (gold F) and a Kanilea (rose gold F). I tend to adjust my pens to allow for some wetness (7/10 or above).

 

What I love about Rhodia is the quality of paper. It has no bleed-through and the ink just flows well over the paper. It's incredibly smooth to write on.

 

What keeps me from being 100% on Rhodia journals: The Webnotebook's cover is pretty thick and not that aesthetically pleasing. The Rhodiarama doesn't really lay flat, which causes me to use one hand to always hold it down. However, the primary request I have is that I wish I could have the white paper from the dot pads in a journal format. I've started to explore more inks with different properties, and they all just POP in my Rhodia dotpad or dotbook due to the very white paper. I'm not 100% sure why they don't use that in journals. Not a game changer, but it would be nice to have a ToC (I use more tabs than the index) and especially page numbers (easier to cross-reference).

 

I would love your thoughts and recommendations! Thanks!

 

Here are others that I've tried (with comments):

• Nuuna Notebook (Large)
  • What I liked: Liked the smaller dot grid format, which allows for better flexibility in designs and larger cursive writing; 120 gsm paper = absolutely no bleed-through; A bit wider than a standard A5, so you have a bit more real estate to play with; 256 pages lasted me a few months
  • Why I didn't keep using it: FEATHERING, which was a real bummer. It was not fountain pen friendly. A bit of research showed that it's not coated like Leuchtterm or Rhodia, so thus the feathering; hard to lay flat and pretty heavy; the thickness of it actually made it hard to fit into standard A5 carrying pouches
• Leuchtterm Hardcover (A5)
  • This is what I used most often every now and then when I want to compare with a Rhodia journal (Webnotebook or new Rhodiarama).
  • What I like: Lays flat, decent paper; ToC and page numbers; no real feathering
  • Why I didn't keep using it why it's not my go-to: what keeps me from making this my go-to is the bleed through and, if I'm saying this correctly, the way it absorbs fountain pen ink. In comparison, Rhodia doesn't have much bleed, and the ink tends to stay where I put it. The Leuchtterm doesn't really totally feather, but it does dissipate a bit; It has a fair amount of feathering and ghosting, especially with wetter and/or darker inks
• Hobinichi
  • What I like: Nice feeling paper
  • Why I didn't keep using it: it's more cream or off-white. It's a no go due to the ghosting on the pages.
• Tomoe River
  • What I like: Great paper and feels good. White color. The thin paper allowed for lots of pages in a thinner form.
  • Why I didn't keep using it: Can't handle the bleed and ghosting. Would be relegated to using only one side.

 

[majorworks]

I'm sorry that I don't really have a notebook recommendation for you, but I just wanted to say "welcome to FPN!" You are going to fit in here like a hand in a glove. Way to hit the ground running!

[dukkimoon]

Thanks, majorworks!

[inkypete]

These are new and I haven't actually held one as yet. But they may be suitable. A4 and A5 ruled, grid and dot. Looking forward to seeing one of these.

 

https://www.notemaker.com.au/clairefontaine-thread-bound-notebook-ruled-a5-tobacco?default=28205

 

By the way, welcome dukkimoon. Greetings from Downunder!

Edited September 26, 2017 by inkypete

[dukkimoon]

These are new and I haven't actually held one as yet. But they may be suitable. A4 and A5 ruled, grid and dot. Looking forward to seeing one of these.

 

https://www.notemaker.com.au/clairefontaine-thread-bound-notebook-ruled-a5-tobacco?default=28205

 

By the way, welcome dukkimoon. Greetings from Downunder!

 

Thanks! And it's great to meet you as well!

 

This looks promising! I see it says ivory, so I'm hoping it's not too similar to the ivory clairfontaine paper in the current Rhodias.

[Ghost Plane]

I’m having good luck with the newer crop of Paperblanks. Some of the white Clairefontaine paper is so coated that it’s no longer acceptable for fountain pens, same problem with Rhodia pads. When Exaclair killed the Habanas with white 90gsm paper, they pretty much killed their best paper.

[gryphon1911]

I'd look into Maruman Mnemosine and Madori. Both have great paper and their notebooks are awesome.

[vjones]

It's interesting how you can never find the exact notebook features you want. I'd love something like a soft cover Leuchtturm 1917 A5 with nice paper. I like all the features, except the paper just doesn't do it for me. I've been using Seven Seas books, but they don't have the table of contents and the page numbering I'd like to have. I like the web notebook, but not the hard cover, and it also doesn't have the TOC or page numbers.

Edited September 27, 2017 by vjones

[inkypete]

I’m having good luck with the newer crop of Paperblanks. Some of the white Clairefontaine paper is so coated that it’s no longer acceptable for fountain pens, same problem with Rhodia pads. When Exaclair killed the Habanas with white 90gsm paper, they pretty much killed their best paper.

The death of the original Habana is my saddest notebook day. Still have a few in the cupboard and rue the day I open my last one.

[stonezebra]

Don't know what happened with this, if anything yet, but you may be interested...

https://quovadisblog.com/2017/08/are-you-interested-in-white-paper-habana-notebooks/

[GranTorino25]

This was suggested above, but I am also recommending Midori MD A5 notebooks (for your needs). They come in a grid style that is a light blue colour, it fades away nicely just like dots do.

 

In terms of the notebook, it comes with a cardboard style cover, with the binding visible, and really quite cheap ($20 AUD). You can then add a cover if you prefer (leather being expensive, but a stronger cardboard cover or vinyl options available for reasonably cheap).

 

The paper- this is why I bought it! I have tried a lot of different papers. For a while I used Tomoe River bound into a notepad, and loved how my pens wrote on it. But it was too thin to be practical! Midori writes in a very similar way, it shows a good colour and will show sheen (a little less than Tomoe, but still noticeable). The paper is a little toothy, it isn't the glass-smooth Tomoe, but it also is really quite pleasant, and adds a nice experience to writing, for me! The paper does only come in cream colour, which I have found can dull some colours a little, but not all that notably!

 

For an example of their range, here is a local site for us Aussies- https://www.bookbindersonline.com.au/collections/midori

 

Below is my currently inked list. First is on Tomoe River A4, then Midori A4 grid (the same paper is used for all their range), and then a shot with both (TR left, MD right)