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  1. I bought the beautiful montblanc notebook (#146). The cover is so luxurious that it'd be a waste to discard it once the notes are done .. Is there a way to repurpose the notebook with Tomoe river paper? I.e. purchase blank/lined TRP and bind the montblanc notebook with it?
  2. Hello, this is my first review of any kind here, I hope it's alright. Redbubble is a website where independent artists can upload their work and have it sold on t-shirts, bags, prints, phone cases, and various other things. You can find both fan-art and original art there. Of interest to me was their spiral notebooks. I wasn't expecting much since this is not a company that specializes in paper and writing products, but a couple of my friends sell art there, so I decided to check them out. The only info given about the notebook's paper was that it's 90gsm and came in a choice of ruled or graph paper. The notebooks are 6" x 8" and have a page with a pocket in the back. This particular cover happens to be fan-art from my favorite manga series. The cover was a slight disappointment. I assumed it would be printed on glossy paper (though in retrospect, I'm not sure why I assumed this), but it's matte. Still, the image is bright, crisp, and clear, so it's not a big disappointment. On to the paper. It is...I'm not sure the technical term. Very thirsty paper. There's some feathering, and the line is consistently dark, no shading to speak of. The paper has a noticeable tooth but does not feel too rough when writing. I actually really like the feel of writing on it, I'm just not fond of the result. And, showthrough/bleedthrough. Lots. You could write on both sides and I think it would still be legible, but I wouldn't want to. Redbubble's notebooks may be of interest to people for the novelty of the cover artwork, but they are not fountain-pen friendly. If you like a piece of artwork that's sold there, probably better to go with a print or one of their other products instead.
  3. Big thanks for everyone in this forum for their suggestions and ideas regarding my Mega Monster Pocket Notebook review. I've now published the first review for the Story Supply Co. Edition 407 Pocket Notebook. I've also built out a main Mega Monster review page to aggregate basic data from all the reviews in this series, and I've put together a spreadsheet that will contain all the specs and performance findings for all notebooks in this series. Of course, there's only one in there right now...I'll be fleshing that out as I publish the other reviews. Here's the review for the Edition 407 Pocket Notebook along with a few pictures. At the bottom are links to the full review, the main Mega Monster page, and the spreadsheet. As this is a work in progress that will likely take me a couple months to complete, I'd love any feedback you have. I want to make this whole thing as useful as possible, so your feedback is really important. Thanks & Enjoy! Story Supply Co – Edition 407 Pocket Notebook Story Supply Co. is a small stationery manufacturer in York, Pennsylvania, founded by Vito Grippi and Gabriel Dunmire. Initially they set out to develop a line of pocket notebooks that were fountain pen friendly and filled some gaps in the larger notebook market. But knowing that there were a million companies already making pocket notebooks, they knew that they needed to do something to really stand out. As their name implies, Story Supply Co. is centered around providing high-quality analog tools that inspire people to tell their stories. In addition to their desire to make great products, they actively seek to support sustainable manufacturing in the U.S. and building better communities through their Story Supply Kit program, where they partner with several non-profit organizations to distribute notebooks and writing instruments to kids in underserved communities with the goal of helping them improve their writing skills and find their voice. Every time you purchase a Story Supply Co. notebook, they provide a writing kit to these organizations. Pretty awesome. There are a few different versions of the Pocket Staple notebook. In this review, I'm taking a look at the Edition 407, which is an homage to the 407 backers that funded the Kickstarter campaign that essentially launched the company. Description: The Edition 407 is a standard "American Pocket" size (3.5" by 5.5") notebook, bound by a pair of staples, and sporting nicely rounded corners.The first thing you notice about the Edition 407 is the beautiful cover. It's a deep, dark cranberry color made from pretty stiff (100#) linen stock. It has that crosshatched pattern found on high-end linen papers that really lends a fair bit of class to the overall look. Beautifully embossed logos adorn both the front and back. Even before I open it, I get the feeling that I'm holding something of great quality. The paper, though, that's where this notebook really shines. It's filled with 48 pages (24 sheets) of smooth, 70# Cougar Natural (cream) paper. And when they say it's smooth, they mean it. Through a completely unscientific "drawing circles with my finger" exercise, the paper feels noticeably smoother than both Rhodia and Fabriano paper. It's downright silky. I thought this might be an indicator of slow dry times, but that's not the case. All of my fountain pens, including a super wet Platinum medium and a juicy 1.1 stub, passed the 10-second dry test with absolutely no smudging. A great feature I really like is that with a slight bit of bending backward, the notebook will lie mostly flat on a table. Thankfully, you don't have to wreck the spine or cover to do this. The Edition 407 only comes in 5mm Dot Grid ruling, although they do use the same paper in their regular edition, which comes in graph, lined, and blank. The dots are printed in a light gray that's perfectly visible, yet completely unobtrusive. Just looking at the page with the naked eye, the dots look like single dots. But if you look at them under a loupe, you'll see that each dot is actually a pattern of 12 microdots. I imagine this saves them a little bit in ink costs, but it also allows the dots to be really light on the page. Pencil Results: I've heard tell that really smooth paper isn't great for pencil. I always assumed those people smoked shrooms. This paper is wicked smooth, and both my test pencils performed quite well. So this notebook really didn't do anything to change my negative views of these vicious, shroom-smoking rumor-mongers.Palomino Blackwing: I'm not a woodcase pencil person because: sharpening. But damn, the Blackwing writes beautifully on this paper! The graphite goes down nice and dark, and the tip of the pencil feels silky smooth riding along the paper. It feels creamy. Seriously. Creamy. Pencil, by nature, is often toothy and sometimes downright gritty. Not this pencil on this paper, though. Seriously: it's creamy. The only problem with the Blackwing was that it didn't fully erase from the paper. Uni Kuru Toga Mechanical Pencil (0.5): Geez, the Blackwing puts the Kuru Toga to shame. The Kuru Toga isn't as dark and nowhere near as smooth as the Blackwing. It works perfectly fine, though. It put down a nice, fine line that's plenty dark enough to read. And the Kuru Toga almost completely erases off the Edition 407 paper. Ballpoint Results: Ballpoints are dirty things. I really find the ballpoint writing experience to be rather gross. You have to apply pressure for the pen to write, and the ink smells awful once it's on the page. I hope you appreciate the torture I'm putting myself through to bring you this information. The good thing about ballpoints, though, is that they pretty much write on any kind of paper.Uniball Jetstream (0.7): I actually don't hate this pen. It's the smoothest ballpoint I've used, and it puts down a nice, dark line. It works exceptionally well with this notebook. Fisher Space Pen (0.7): This pressurized ballpoint pen is designed to write on any kind of paper, in any gravity, even under water. So I can't say that I'm surprised it worked well on this paper. It's not as smooth as the Jetstream. It feels like the paper grabs the tip of the pen a bit. But the line is fairly consistent and trouble-free. Gel Results: I chose three gel pens for these tests because I wanted to include a super-fine point (0.38 in this instance) and the super wet Sarasa.Uniball Signo 207 Ultra Micro (0.38): This is my go-to pen at work when I'm not using a fountain pen. It's not the smoothest experience on this paper...it seems to have a little of the "grab" that I mentioned with the Fisher Space Pen. But the line is absolutely perfect. Pilot G2 (0.5): Probably the second most popular pen in the word after the Bic Crystal. On the Edition 407 paper, the line is perfectly dark, perfectly crisp, and perfectly consistent. Zebra Sarasa (0.7): These pens are gushers, and really put paper to the test. Extremely smooth to write with and only gives minimal ghosting. In fact, not counting the fountain pens, the Sarasa is easily the wettest pen I used...and the ghosting was less than either rollerball. It did did produce some of the blobby-style feathering (vs. the thin tendrils usually seen), but you've got to look at is under a loupe to see it. Liquid Ink Rollerball Results: Whenever I look at a rollerball pen, I can't help but wonder why they hell they even exist. I know some people love them, but I seriously can't understand why. I've never had a good experience with one. Not on any kind of paper. The best I can say about these pens on the Edition 407 paper is that they're "serviceable." They work.Pilot Precise V5 RT (0.5): Far and away the better of the two rollerballs. The line it puts down is mostly clean, although it did spread a tiny bit for me. Very light ghosting, although not enough to prevent me from using the back side of the page. The Precise V5 also experienced some of the resistance/grabbiness that the Fisher Space Pen did. If you're a fan of this pen, it definitely works well with this paper. Uniball Vision Elite (0.8): Big mushy mess, this one is. I'm biased though...I freaking hate this pen. It did spread a little, and it did feather a little. And this ink is NOT coming out black: it's gray. Still very dark, but not what I'd want from a black pen. Little bit of ghosting, but nothing obtrusive. I will say that the Vision Elite does give a glassy-smooth writing experience. It's a little weird feeling...almost a little greasy...but super smooth. Fountain Pen Results: Okay, here's what you've all been waiting for. We all know that ballpoints and gel inks will be fine. But what about our beloved fountain pens? Read on!(EF) Platinum Preppy with Noodlers Midnight Blue ink: Absolutely perfect performance. No skipping or weird behavior, and the EF nib just glides over the paper. It takes about 3 or 4 seconds for the ink to completely dry. (F) Lamy Safari with Lamy Petrol ink: Another outstanding performer on this paper. Very smooth writing experience with perfect ink flow. Takes about 5 seconds for the ink to completely dry. (M) Platinum Cool with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo ink: The Cool is a really wet medium. I noticed a little bit of spread and feathering on the Edition 407 paper, but it's pretty minor and is really only noticeable through a loupe. Dry time is about 6 or 7 seconds. (0.6) Nemosine Singularity with KWZ Standard Turquoise ink: Tiny bit of feathering, but again, you have to look under a loupe to see it. There's no ghosting at all from this pen, which surprised me. (1.1) Conklin Duragraph with Robert Oster Midnight Sapphire ink: The good news is that the paper shows off the ink's lovely shading quite well. Unfortunately, the broad, wet nib did produce some noticeable spread and feathering. It's not terrible, though. You can still use the back side of the page, as only a few small spots of bleed made it through. Conclusion This is one phenomenal little notebook. It looks great, feels great, and handles pretty much everything. Fountain pen performance is outstanding, although I'd recommend not using extra wet pens if you want to comfortably use both sides of the paper (or if things like minor smudging and spread give you nightmares). I love how smooth the paper is and how fast ink dries on it. You don't find both of those things together very often.And in addition to the Pocket Staple Edition 407 being a great notebook, I really like what the company stands for. I like knowing that by buying these notebooks, I'm supporting several small businesses and helping put writing supplies in the hands of kids that might not otherwise get the opportunity. Links Full ReviewMega Monster Review - Pocket NotebooksSpreadsheet of specs & results Again, keep in mind the main page and spreadsheet are pretty empty now, and will be fleshed out over the next several weeks.
  4. Rosendust

    Noodler's Bernanke Blue Issues?

    Hey everyone! I recently recieved a sample of the ink mentioned in the topic title. As a leftie, I have high hopes for this ink, but as soon as I started writing with it in my pen(a fine nibbed Pilot Metropolitan), I noticed it bled through the paper of the notebook I was using! Has anyone else experienced this? My other question is should I give up in wanting to use this ink? Thanks for any help you can provide, Rosendust!
  5. I recently purchased a "traveler's notebook" (in quotes and not capitalized because it's not Traveler's brand... is there an accepted way to refer to these when they're not made by Midori or Traveler's Company?) that takes 3.5 x 5.5 inch notebooks. I have a Clairefontaine in there (which is spectacular) but I'd REALLY love some dot grid paper. Does anyone have any recommendations for a fountain pen friendly, dot grid, 3.5 x 5.5 inch notebook with a soft cover? Staples vs stitched binding doesn't matter to me but I don't want glue and I'd like it to be relatively small - the Clairefontaine has 48 pages. Thanks in advance paper gurus!
  6. Hi all, new member here. Trying to play by the forum etiquette. I've read through some of the sticky topics but didn't really see my question answered so figured I'd give it a try. If I missed something I'm sorry, please let me know. Now for my question. For work, I currently use Moleskine Cahier XL notebooks. They're perfect in practically every way: soft, kraftlike cover; side bound; lays flat; not too expensive; their size. But, of course, the paper is not very fountain pen friendly. My issue with some alternatives are mainly that they tend to be thicker and hard covered, which writes a bit less easy. They usually don't lie completely flat. Also, they're a bit expensive. The Moleskines cost about €5 a piece and that's about as much as I'd like to spend. So, what could some alternatives be? And what is the English word for a "cahier"? As you might've guessed, English is not my first language. In Dutch, we'd call a notebook like this a schrift. Side bound with a single... bind? not like a regular book which consists of several bundles of bound pages. Hope I'm making sense here. End of ramble. Thanks in advance!
  7. sodiumnitrate

    Best A5-Sized Notebook?

    Hi all, I've been sneakily reading the posts on this site for a while, but it's the first time I actually write a post (except for the FB page). I've been looking for the best notebook for journaling and such for some years now, and I figured I would share my experiences and disappointments, and hear about others' thoughts on this. I started using Moleskines (classic, large notebook, hardcover, black) way before I was using fountain pens. I had to switch to something else when I started using FPs due to heavy feathering and bleeding. (And in the case of MB toffee brown, discoloration.) But in terms of design and binding, my favorite ever will be the softcover large notebooks. I also like how they are a little thinner than A5. I then switched to Leuchtturm1917. I like that their pages are numbered, and they hold the ink well and the paper is not excessively smooth (like Rhodias or Clairefontaines). I prefer soft covers, so I'm a little disappointed that they are way thinner than Moleskines. They need to be at least 1.5x thicker. Also, I've found that the paper is not that consistent. Leuchtturm1917 notebooks that I've purchased at different times had papers that react differently to the same pen/ink combination. I've had one that feathers more than it should, and another that had the ink kind of spread on it evenly without feathering -- in addition to a few perfect ones, of course. I tried a bunch of A5 Clairefontaines, too. For me, their paper is superior to both Leuchtturm1917 and Rhodia -- that is if you don't particularly dislike smooth paper. But their binding is just horrible. Forget about laying a staple-bound notebook flat on your desk. I tried "my essential" which has sewn-binding, which does a lot better than the others, but still falls short of both Moleskine and Leuchtturm1917. Their covers are a lot more modest too. I would have loved to see that paper in leather or Moleskine-style cover instead of just craft paper. And then there's Goulet's new Tomoe river notebooks. Everytime I write on Tomoe river paper, I'm amazed by how much ink a paper so thin can hold. I like my pens really really wet, so it'll always be my favorite paper. Goulet's notebooks are staple-bound, and very thin, so I'm not a huge fan of their binding either. I'm also a little disappointed that they only come with the white TR paper and not cream. They are also a bit on the expensive side, with $9 for 48 sheets (96 pages), which is fair I guess, considering 100 sheets come for ~$14. With all these notebooks considered, I think I'll continue using a combination of Leuchtturm1917 and Goulet notebooks. My dream would be TR (or similar quality paper) in Moleskine binding. Perhaps I should learn bookbinding and make my own notebooks using TR paper... What are your thoughts? Have you had similar experiences?
  8. I posted a couple of weeks ago about the Robert Oster ink exclusive that will be a part of the Hippo Noto Kickstarter campaign, because I was lucky enough to get a sample of it to test out. But I'm impatient because I'd really (really) like to try out the notebooks. I go through journals at a fast clip because mine are a way to capture what's going on in my life, the things occupying my brain, any data points I want to take note of, etc. etc. Anyway, I go through paper. Also because I love playing with inks (oh, those colors) and that takes paper. None shows off inks better than Tomoe River, and that's the real beauty of these. Not only will they come in your choice of plain, lined and dot grid, but there are an abundance of pages. I have several projects I would like to start using these for today, but I have to wait until the orders get mailed out during the summer. I would rather not have to be patient... Anyway, I did post the earlier pictures of the ink in action, and have not seen these notebooks, but there are still eight days left to jump in before the campaign closes. I'm not sure if we'll have a chance to order more of these later (i do hope so) but the best way to get your hands on one is to back this campaign at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2016143253/hippo-noto-a-hippo-size-tomoe-paper-notebook?ref=project_share
  9. Ok, it seems I double-posted this.
  10. Is this notebook a real Moleskine? I found it in a newsagent and was able to get it for AU$2.90 (about US$2.20). It is a sewn 20 sheet, 40 leaf, 80 page Kraft-covered cahier. There is a simple pocket in the back cover. The paper is cream/beige, and after trying it with a number of pens and inks, it seems to be quite well behaved with inks. The pages are a narrow A5, being A5 in length, but almost 1 1/2 centimetres narrower. The notebook I got was plain, unlined, but I was able to print a guide sheet to A5 and then trim the long sides to fit. So far, the inks I have tried it on are — Platinum Pigment Blue, Noodler’s Black, Diamine Sapphire, Diamine Majestic Blue, PR DC SS Blue, Noodler’s Kung Te-Cheng and Noodler’s Heart of Darkness. All seemed to dry reasonably quickly, with almost no bleed-through except for the tiniest bit of spotting. Most inks show a small degree of spreading. At first I thought that it was a fake Moleskine, as all that said it was Moleskine was an indented stamp on the back cover saying ‘Moleskine ®’, and how easy would it be to fake that. However, what made me think it might be genuine was the quality of sewing holding it all together. But, when I checked in my local Officeworks, they had the same chairs, in packs of 3, but at 2 1/2 times the price. Overall, I am very impressed, with both the quality and the price. I will certainly be going back to get some more.
  11. Hi All, First time posting on here. I have recently become fascinated with the fountain pen and paper realm. Curious if anyone has seen my dream notebook? !!WANTED!! B5 Threadbound Hardcover 90+ sheets FP Friendly paper (obvious no?) Dot Grid Multiple ribbons Numbered pages 81 - 100 gsm 10-20 perforated pages If not? How do I find a manufacturer to create this unicorn notebook? I appreciate all your advice in advance. Best, Oscar
  12. Alright, I've got a search challenge related to several practical limitations. I'm a hook handed lefty that has been using ef to med nib fountain pens for everything, but I've recently run into a problem where I can't find notebooks that fit my needs. The following preferences for the notebook are in order of relative necessity. The notebook has to be bound, glued, or otherwise spiral free (because spirals are murder). It has to be either grid or dot graph. Preferably 3 mm-4 mm I'm not opposed to it being a nonstandard graph such as isometric graph, because, why not. I have to be able to fit a regular set of lectures in it. e.g. it needs to hold approx 100 pages of notes and have fp friendly paper. I want it to be somewhere between B5 and A5 although a little bigger or smaller isn't a deal breaker. I prefer it to be a simple cover... nothing too fancy: simple softback or hardback are fine.I usually can find something that meets 2 of these specifications at once, but rarely can I find something that meets 3-4 of them, and I have yet to have found something that meets all 5. I would be deeply impressed if someone found something that met all of these things. May your bandwidth be wide, Alexander O.
  13. sandy101

    Mb 146 Notebooks

    Has anyone tried the new MB146 notebooks at all? Are they any good? I just noticed that the paper is 85 gsm - where I can get 100gsm for a fifth of the price. Is the paper any different than other stuff?
  14. While perusing Badger and Blade yesterday (as it seems a number of us do), I found a running thread with this title and wondered if it could be adapted to FPs. So to break the ice, here's my starter for 10: Pen - Conway Stewart 58 - UK Ink - Pilot - Japan Paper - HP 32lb Letter - US (Yes, I did carry a ream back in hand luggage !) Notebook - Clairefontaine A5 - France Diary - W H Smiths mini leather A6 6-hole refillable - UK Is it a goer?
  15. Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and was hoping you guys could help me out with a new found hobby. I've recently retaken up writing with fountain pens and now I want to jump into the world of binding my own notebooks, it's fun and I get something really nice at the end. I've done a test run of all of the paper I could get my hands on so far and my favorite is the 85 gsm bioprima paper found in the Fabriano EcoQua notebooks, the problem I am having is I dont' know where to get just the paper. The EcoQua notebooks seem to be everywhere online and in local art stores but I can't for the life of me find a US source for the paper itself. The closest I have found was a bookbinding store in the UK known as Shepards but I would really like to avoid paying $30 in shipping to get paper. Does anyone know where I can get my hands on the paper?
  16. I got five notebooks from Massdrop this week, just as I needed to start a new one. The "1951" notebook is a revival of an older product, with a sort of composition book styling only more sophisticated. I like the monochrome cover with an overall fishnet-stocking pattern and a blank cartouche for a title. They're book-bound, with Clairfontaine's brilliant 90-gram paper. I have the A5 size, which I've come to like a lot. The paper is wonderful: very smooth, substantial, with no bleed-through whatsover. I use slightly desaturated inks, so your experience may be different but it works a treat for me. It's right on the edge between absorbent and resistant, so I don't have to blot everything. i also like the purple color of the ruled sheets. The cloth binding is very high-quality, but it prevents the notebook from lying flat, which is an inconvenience to a left-handed writer. Otherwise it's one of the best notebooks I've ever used, and I'm glad I have multiples.
  17. Here is my review of the Galen Leather TN from two Istanbul makers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjiTXZ_ykac
  18. I have been wanting to try out bullet journaling for a while so I went and did some research on which notebook people recommended, the Leuchtturm 1917 hardcover came up constantly. I figured if people were recommending this notebook that it must be good right? (Btw even people using fountain pens were recommending this) So I bought one for $20 (which is a good amount of money for someone in college btw) and couldn't wait to start writing in it. The notebook itself seems great but as soon as I started writing in it I was immediately disappointed in the paper quality. I was getting bleed through and severe ghosting even using my fine tipped fountain pens. So I thought maybe it was just fountain pens, so I tried a needle tip sharpie and that bleed and ghosted like crazy. So then I tried my Retro 51 with the standard black refill and that was just as bad.. I'm really disapointed that I spent so much on this notebook. If I would have known about the Rhodia webnotebooks I would have got one of those instead for sure, I at least know that Rhodia has great paper. So now I'm stuck with a $20 notebook that I can't stand using.. http://i.imgur.com/1G6E7CAl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/U0vwnH2l.jpg http://i.imgur.com/tzixVxrl.jpg\ What notebook would you recommend? The Rhodia Webnotebook seems like a good choice? Are there any others? Thanks
  19. Pretty much anyone in the UK over a certain age will have memories of the classic red covered Silvine exercise books, or the ubiquitous memo book. I'm still fond of the latter now for its fountain pen-friendly paper, if not for its rather flimsy cover, so was interested to come across the recent launch of a high quality re-tread of these old favourites. http://www.silvineoriginals.co.uk/ Lots of sizzle going on there, but what's the steak like? I emailed them to ask after the FP-friendliness and was assured they were "very happy" with fountain pen ink, so naturally I wanted to try one. And of course it had to be a Memo. The Basic @ approximately £0.80 in my local newsagents, comes loose, while the Original @ £4.50 comes shrink-wrapped with a belly band. The Original at 52 pages is marginally thinner than the Basic at 72 pages. The Original includes a bookmark telling you all the joys of the thing you've already bought, which might arguably be more useful if you could read it before you have to unwrap it. But it's a nice thought. A major difference between the two is the binding and cover. The Basic is simply staple bound, and the cover is flimsy in the extreme - I've never had one survive the life of the notebook without help. The Original, on the other hand, has a sturdy textured cover and a sewn binding. A vast improvement, although while the dark blue thread looks good against the red cover, it does look rather ugly when you reach the centre pages inside the notebook. You do have to rather "crack" the cover to get it to lie flat, and once done it's not thus far inclined to want to lie fully closed again. Inside the difference between the Basic on the left, and the Original on the right is obvious; the latter is a creamier, brighter paper, with a more pronounced ruling. Every page is also perforated. The fleck on the line in the middle of the Original's paper is within the paper itself; a quick flick through doesn't immediately flag up any other instances. Both have 7mm ruling. Ruled, blank or blank/squared pages are only available in certain notebook sizes, which is a shame. But the important bit is, naturally, how it faired with FPs. I used a mixture of inks already in pens, and broke out a dip pen so I could test it with the potentially problem inks of Shigure and Apache Sunset. I see no evidence of feathering, spreading, or skipping. The paper has a slight texture to it which I personally prefer, and possibly as a result does not generate any noticeable sheen. No smearing noticed. The reverse of the page shows no signs of bleed through at all, and limited show through. An extremely satisfactory result. As I said, every page is perforated although they seem robustly fixed until folded at the perforation line and torn off. The latter being a very clean tear. All in all, for performance, I was very impressed. Truly a pleasant writing experience that really makes the ink pop most satisfactorily. It's nice to see a company aim to make a quality product and not forget about the paper! As a Brit, it's a pleasure to enjoy a British notebook as a change from seeking out alternatives from France and Japan. I also enjoy the "retro" look and the childhood memories it evokes. However, there are cons. The various notebook sizes are all, as far as I can tell, somewhat idiosyncratic. A6, A5, and A4 are all carefully illusive, and even existing oddities like Field Notes size or Traveler's Notebook are ignored. There's also no options in what ruling (or not) you can have in what size notebook. I would have liked to have tried the Pocket size notebooks, but they're blank and I wanted to see what the ruled paper was like. Finally, the price is pretty high if all you want is a notebook, and not the accompany story. Whether it's too high will, of course, depend on the individual.
  20. Hi everyone, after almost 2 years I'm going back to school, and for the first I have to properly ask myself: which paper would be best to use for daily use. I prefer to use wirebound notebooks, so I can organise the individual sheets into the right folders after class. Naturally I have to consider which pens and inks to use, too, but we all know how the paper affects things such as dry time, etc., too. So ideally I'd like to get a ring wired notebook, that isn't too smooth as ink tends to take its time to dry (which is what I experienced with Rhodia a lot). On the other hand I'd like to avoid feathering and bleed through as much as possible. I quite like Rhodia's dotted paper, though, due its subtleness and clean look, and it helps, of course, to write fairly neatly. Anyone's got any suggestions? I'd be very grateful.
  21. I'm currently taking a couple of college classes, and the poor quality notebook paper has been frustrating. I called Goulet Pens to see if they have the 8.5 x 11 inch notebook paper or know of any, and they said no and recommended I post here. So can anyone help me? I just want narrow-ruled notebook paper that's fountain pen friendly. Current paper I'm using is scratchy and bleeds through to the other side unless I use an extra-fine nib (which is scratchy and unpleasant to use on the paper). Any recommendations? Thanks much in advance for your help! Liora
  22. This is just a quick assessment based on only having the notebook a few days. I purchased a Tul leather notebook from Office Depot after being disappointed with a low-end Levenger (Sliver) notebook that was more expensive (too flimsy). I checked ahead of time and the spacing on the discs was the same so I can use my Levenger punch when needed. The paper feels, to the touch, like it would be cheap and rough and tend to bleed but it is not and it does not. In the picture you can see a few inks and their nibs. If you look closely you can see some ghosting from the other side. That is the Emeraude de Chivor from that very wet Binder .9mm Oblique. None of the other nibs-ink combos did that, including the Violet Vote which is usually a wet ink on most of my papers. The paper isn’t Exaclair smooth but it is quite comfortable to write on and suits my needs for speed writing (just enough tooth to give me control, not so much as to feel scratchy). Definitely worth trying if you want to look into a Levenger Circa alternative. And, if you just must have Circa (Circa Rhodia) paper, and already have a punch, then at least you know their disc system matches at the 8.5 x 11 size. (No. I’m not really back.)
  23. Dear community, I like writing my journal. Until now I use different notebooks - different sizes, different paper, etc. Since a few weeks I'm not sure if I would like to do this in this way in the future. I've got the imagination of a bookshelf full of journals - all the same back. How beautiful will this look! But on the other hand... What about testing all the notebooks? And which notebook should I use? Maybe I can change every year - but use the same size. And I like systems - like Midori, RoterFaden etc. - for EDC. But I don't like writing my journal in these thin inserts... But I love leather! And it's not really comfortable for me to write in my Midori/Fauxdori with different inserts for a longer time in bed or on the couch. The next question: Do you use always the same fountain pen? Or maybe always the same ink? I just wanted to ask, how do you journal? Do you use the same size of notebooks? Or do you only use Leuchtturms/LIFE/Moleskines... maybe in different colors? Do you use only one ink color? Or one fountain pen? Or...? Thanks a lot Julia
  24. Rhodia is now officially available in India. Rhodia products are available on flipkart.com and amazon.in Alternatively, you can also contact us at info@abhimanintl.in directly for placing an order or to inquire for bulk/ corporate orders. Regards, AbhimanIntl
  25. Here's a place to compile our finds for notebooks, composition notebooks, filler papers, folders, labels, etc. that are fountain pen friendly as well as inks and starter pens. Please describe your find, brand, where made, price, and where you found it.





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