Midori Md For My Uses?

[AMlines]

Can you recommend an A4 size FP friendly notebook? I will be using regular inks such as Visconti blue, Namiki blue, and maybe some blue-black ones.

 

I've been using Rhodia A5 for journalling and the My Essentials Clairefontaine A5 for taking notes while reading. I like the white pages of the Rhodia and can't say the same about the yellowish ones of the Clairefontaine. So, I would like white paper, either lined or dot-lined, and the ability to lay the notebook flat while writing.

 

I would like the notebook to be light but also have not less than 180-200 pages. It should also be able to withstand the elements as I plan to have it around for not less than 15 years.

 

I was looking up reviews and the Midori MD seems to be liked by a lot of people. I am not sure how the paper will handle these inks. Also, the notebook seems to be a bit delicate. Am I missing other options that could also be not too expensive?

 

Thanks!

[LyaT]

Midori MD is great. I have been using the A5 books for 6 months. I usually finish one book in three months. Just ordered two more grid ones to replenish my stock.

 

The paper is really great. I have Life Noble, Rhodia 80g and 90g, Black and Red, Muji dot grid, and Tomoe River 52g and 68g. Among all my notebooks, Midori ranks 2nd, only behind the Tomoe River 52g. It is miles better than Rhodia, in resistance to bleeding. Midori never bleed, no matter how wet a ink I put there. I use wet broad pens (Pelikan OBB) with wet inks (Iroshizuku), even Tomoe River 52g occasionally bleeds through (no more than a dot).

 

Why do I place Midori behind TR 52g? Because TR is the best in bringing out shading and sheen of an ink. Midori is really damn good, way better than others I have tried, but it absorbs ink more quickly so the sheen is not as good as TR.

 

Midori makes my inks dry quickly, and the thickness of paper is just right. It is simplistic, no nonsense. I put it in a leather cover, and use it every day for work notes. It is very well made!

 

The only thing I should point out about Midori MD: do not buy the blank version! The line/grid versions are great. They do not have dot grid. There are wax spots on the paper, due to uneven coating, there are not many, but it is annoying. In my limited experience (one book each), the blank version had a lot more wax spots.

 

Hope you will enjoy your Midori MD!

[almoore]

+1 for Midori

 

But I also have Fabriano EcoQua Notebooks which come in a range of sizes and I've found them to be FP friendly; I have the dot grid A4 glue bound but if I remember correctly they also come wire bound and there is a stapled version.

 

Check out Fabriano's web site they have lots of information about the full range, if you're in the UK they also have a boutique store on Marylebone High Street that's worth a visit.

 

Al

[nibtip]

Best tomoe river 52 grs.

Second Midori MD. (they've had new 192 pages doted ones in Japan and now at https://misc-store.com in Holland).

Then Life Tsubame. Uneven quality of coating.

 

I still don't like Rhodia-Clairefontaine. Most of my pen/ink combos seem to drag on this paper. Not all.

Besides the reverse side has less coating resulting in line spread.They are dirt cheap in Europe.

 

New stuff i ordered from Japan that arrived yesterday:

​Yet another Tomoe gawa notebook.

Hobonichi Plain Notebook A5 Size Graph Paper 288 pages about 11$

Although EMS shipping and handling is a sledgehammer blow of 35$ for only 2 notebooks. Not bad for a small 6-700 grammes package. Some people don't fear competition.

https://www.1101.com/store/techo/en/2020/pc/detail_toolstoys/tt_cb19_note/

Edited September 5, 2019 by nibtip

[LyaT]

~nibtip

 

Thanks for the link! Nice to know another shop in Europe with Midori MDs. Amazon still has the best price for A5 line/grid, with free shipping.

 

I am tempted by the leather cover!

[bobje]

The paper cover for Midori notebooks is excellent. It's about $10 or $12.

 

I enjoy MD plain blank paper and use a line grid behind the sheet I'm writing on -- a shitajiki. I have not experienced irregularities in paper surface.

[dumaresq]

I like the white pages of the Rhodia and can't say the same about the yellowish ones of the Clairefontaine. So, I would like white paper, either lined or dot-lined, and the ability to lay the notebook flat while writing.

 

I don't know about the notebooks, but the Midori MD pads I use (the ones with one chamfered corner) are distinctly cream, not white at all.

 

It's my favourite paper

[nibtip]

~nibtip

 

Thanks for the link! Nice to know another shop in Europe with Midori MDs. Amazon still has the best price for A5 line/grid, with free shipping.

 

I am tempted by the leather cover!

 

The basic thick paper Midori MD covers are really nice and sturdy.

[LyaT]

The paper cover for Midori notebooks is excellent. It's about $10 or $12.

 

I enjoy MD plain blank paper and use a line grid behind the sheet I'm writing on -- a shitajiki. I have not experienced irregularities in paper surface.

I must have bought a bad batch! My blank A5 book had wax spots every page. I gave up after ten pages.

[LyaT]

Midori MD is off-white, but not as cream as Tomoe River cream. I like the color, very pleasing to the eyes.

 

Edit: yes the paper covers are nice too, but the leather color is so nicely cream.

Edited September 5, 2019 by LyaT

[AMlines]

Thanks for all the recommendations! Clearly, Midori is quite good as attested by most of you. I like it too, and I'll a lined or dotted one soon.

 

I am not sure about its longevity, though. It looks a little fragile and may sustain the wear and tear of being put in a bag and used on a daily basis. Of course, I am not taking it out to take fieldnotes in the Sun, but I wonder, still.

 

I've heard about Tomoe River. How can 52 or 68 gsm paper be better for FP than thicker paper? What am I missing here?

[Karmachanic]

What am I missing here?

 

The best fountain pen paper this side of the other side.

[BDarchitect]

I'll add my support for the Midori MD A5 notebooks. Not just that the paper is excellent, or that I like the 7mm line spacing with the heavier line mid page, or the light cream color. I also love the minimal design aesthetic, the cheesecloth binding tape, the very muted logo stamp, and the cataloguing stickers they provide. At about $12/ea it is hard to find a better daily journal for my needs, especially when paired with their simple and durable clear plastic cover, which is a deal at well under $5.

Edited September 6, 2019 by BDarchitect

[AMlines]

I'll add my support for the Midori MD A5 notebooks. Not just that the paper is excellent, or that I like the 7mm line spacing with the heavier line mid page, or the light cream color. I also love the minimal design aesthetic, the cheesecloth binding tape, the very muted logo stamp, and the cataloguing stickers they provide. At about $12/ea it is hard to find a better daily journal for my needs, especially when paired with their simple and durable clear plastic cover, which is a deal at well under $5.

 

Oh, I didn't know they had accessories for their notebook I'll look this up too as I will need to keep the notebook in my backpack and while there will be no rough handling, I do want to ensure that it is kept well.

 

Why does everyone seem to be using the MD A5 size? Actually, I need it to write different kind of notes and much as I like the compact yet spacious A5 size, I feel A4 works better there. I also noticed that stores don't exactly have too many choice when it comes to A4 sizes.

 

But, now that you recommend it for daily use I am definitely ordering one in any size I get. I do want to settle on one good quality paper and use it in the years to come.

[Karmachanic]

Here ya go. Two MD A4 notebooks on this page.

[AMlines]

Here ya go. Two MD A4 notebooks on this page.

 

Thanks.

[BDarchitect]

Here is also a link from JetPens for their cotton paper A4 notebook: https://www.jetpens.com/Midori-MD-Cotton-Notebook-A4-Blank/pd/21573

 

See also their accessories that include covers in paper, plastic, and goatskin.

[XYZZY]

Midori also has a "cotton" paper which is white, not cream. I think it's 20% cotton or something like that, certainly not 100%. They briefly had an A5 notebook in that but I don't think they are made any more. Jetpens shows an A4 notebook, though. I have a pad of this paper with matching envelopes that I picked up at Kinokuniya and I have written a few notes to people on it, but unfortunately I don't remember how nicely the ink behaved. Mostly I enjoyed the texture and color of the paper, which is something nice for a letter because it can be appreciated by anybody regardless of what they know about pens and inks.

 

I'm currently using an MD A5 notebook, my first one. I think it's well made, the paper is nice, but it's a step backward from Tomoe River. I like Leuchtturm for some things, and Midori is better paper than that. I'm not a fan of three cream though.

 

Edit: if not obvious, the Midori Cotton paper is not the same as the regular paper.

Edited September 9, 2019 by XYZZY

[XYZZY]

Why does everyone seem to be using the MD A5 size? Actually, I need it to write different kind of notes and much as I like the compact yet spacious A5 size, I feel A4 works better there. I also noticed that stores don't exactly have too many choice when it comes to A4 sizes.

 

You might also look into B5 notebooks, which will be between A5 and A4.

 

I like A5 for journaling and the kind of notes I might take at work. The pages are great and it makes for a very portable notebook. But I couldn't have done for years of engineering classes on A5 paper. Obviously a lot of this is subjective; B6 and A6 are popular with many people yet I personally find it too cramped.

[AMlines]

You might also look into B5 notebooks, which will be between A5 and A4.

 

I like A5 for journaling and the kind of notes I might take at work. The pages are great and it makes for a very portable notebook. But I couldn't have done for years of engineering classes on A5 paper. Obviously a lot of this is subjective; B6 and A6 are popular with many people yet I personally find it too cramped.

 

Exactly. While my handwriting is medium to small, I do have large hands. I like to have space on the page, otherwise I end up cramping my words.

So, can you make suggestions other than Midori MD for A4 size FP paper? Unfortunately, even the one at Jet Pens is not lined/dot-grid.

 

How about this -

 

https://www.jetpens.com/Maruman-Mnemosyne-N199A-Special-Memo-Notebook-A4-7-mm-Rule/pd/8497#index=1

 

I'll just checked out the B5 size, and it may just work for my purposes. It's about 1.2" wider than my Clairfontaine My Essentials A5 notebook.

 

https://www.jetpens.com/Apica-CD-Notebook-CD15-Semi-B5-6.5-mm-Rule-White/pd/10927#index=1

 

How about this?

 

or, this -

 

https://www.jetpens.com/Kokuyo-Campus-Twin-Ring-Notebook-Semi-B5-6-mm-Rule-Red/pd/10426#index=1

 

or, even the Leuchtturm, which at a 6 mm line spacing would mean that I write skipping one line.

 

https://www.jetpens.com/Leuchtturm1917-Softcover-Composition-Notebook-B5-Azure-Ruled/pd/19224#index=1

Edited September 9, 2019 by AMlines