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This year Lamy is celebrating "50 Years of Lamy Design". They have created several limited edition items and one is the Lamy Notebook and Logo M+ ballpoint gift set. These are already sold out and we have them in stock and available now. Lamy Special Edition Gift Set - Notebook & Logo Ballpoint PensRetail: $25.00

A while back I had seen the journals folks were making on here so I decided to make my own and that turned out pretty well. However now I see the Midori style notebooks that people are making and now I can't resist having one. I want to attempt to make my own though as I always like to try to learn new things and make anything i can on my own as it is more rewarding and feels more personal. I have spent the majority of the day looking up places to get leather for this project but there are so many places and so many types of leather that I figured it might be easier to ask advice from someone that has already made their own. From what I found the Midori Travelers Notebook uses 2.5mm thick leather or 5/6oz. That is all I really have to go of though, so I am hoping someone could let me know where they bought their leather if they made one and what leather to buy. I am on a budget since I went back to school for an IT degree and it doesn't let me work many hours, which is another reason I am trying to make my own as a Midoris notebook cost $40+ and that just is not justifiable to me on my budget. Thanks!

Hi, I really want to jump on the Tomoe River band-wagon, however I can't find a notebook of the size I'd like. I like B5-sized notebooks. I went to SevenSeas, and the only notebook they offer is A5, which is too small for me. Are there any notebooks available that use Tomoe River paper and are close in size to B5? Thanks.

Dear All, I never thought I would review a notebook or any paper for that matter, but this journal changed my mind. From the moment I put the pen to the paper, I was very impressed. Very smooth writing and quite a heavy paper. I'm not going to write the review in the journal because as much as I want to share my thoughts on this, I'm not willing to sacrifice even a page. I'm terribly sorry but I shall be selfish on this matter. I will of course show you a writing sample. I'm using two different pens and two different inks in the pictures, the red ink being Rober Oster Signature Fire Engine Red in a Jinhao 599 with F nib, the black ink being Rober Oster Signature Black in a Pilot Prera M nib. No feathering, no bleed through, some show through but it is minimal. I think that if you were using bolder nibs you may get more show through but unless it's a really wet pen I should think any bleed through would be minimal. As an example, the Pilot Prera with M nib I'm writing with is quite wet but there was no bleed through. Definitely fountain pen friendly, but someone else will have to judge that regarding broader nibs. Unfortunately I don't have any to test it with, my collection being limited thus far to F and M nibs. SPECS: Name: Debden Professional Journal Page Size: 140mm x 203mm Lined: Yes Ruled: No Country of Origin: Singapore Cover: Imitation Leather Pockets: Front for papers, rear to hold notebook itself PENS / INK: Pen/Ink 1: Jinhao 599 F Nib / Robert Oster Signature Fire Engine Red Pen/Ink 2: Pilot Prera M Nib / Robert Oster Signature Black FEATHERING: None BLEED THROUGH: None SHOW THROUGH: Minimal FOUNTAIN PEN FRIENDLY: Yes, at least with my pens. ENJOYABILITY: Very pleasant, smooth paper to write on, feels quite thick and heavy PICTURES: How it looks: http://imgur.com/r5J6jlT.jpg http://imgur.com/Ea634xg.jpg http://i.imgur.com/7asXP4h.jpg Writing Sample: http://i.imgur.com/A297K9Y.jpg http://i.imgur.com/AR4n08y.jpg http://i.imgur.com/dmp3pc8.jpg Any Bleed-through? http://i.imgur.com/PsfKmWi.jpg Nope. Hope that you guys find this useful, have a great day! Cheers!

Hi, This is a review of the Fabriano EcoQua A5 Spiral Bound - graph 5mm notebook. See more at http://fabriano.com/en/267/ecoqua http://i.imgur.com/IDSu8Se.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/XNZwtje.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/PWNDPuZ.jpg http://i.imgur.com/OKEvYtY.jpg http://i.imgur.com/drpaYuM.jpg Pros: It has nice paper (85 gsm). The paper is quite smooth, but not as smooth as Clairefontaine. There is minor show-through and no bleed-through. Cons: (Personally, I cannot think of any.) Things to consider: The paper is off-white. The notebooks are available in different binding, sizes, formats, and cover colours. The dry time is from about 20 to 25 seconds. The covers might not be very durable to some people, but I have no problems with it. I bought it from an art store for about $5.00 USD. Amazon has it, but with a higher price. http://www.dickblick.com/products/fabriano-ecoqua-notebooks/ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VSMK4M/ Thank you for reading, Sofia

Hi all: My job is often filled with details I can't remember so I want to get a notebook I can write things down in and hopefully, remember them. I have read good things about the Leuchtturm 1917 in the that is about 5 x 8. I saw them in a store tonight but they are in plastic so I was unable to feel the paper. Any thoughts on this brand of notebook? I tend to write with broad nibs and use Noodlers ink. I do not mind a touch of bleed through but I am hoping it is held to a minimum. Any opinions on this for a notebook to use to jot down ideas and things to get done? If you do not like this one, I would love to hear what you do like in a similar size. Only other things I want in this grail notebook is that it folds flat when I write and it is a soft cover type. Also, as aside, it seem a bit strange to me to write on both sides of the paper. Do most people use both sides? Any help really appreciated. Best to all!

Does anybody know if acid-free paper is used in this Muji notebook, http://www.muji.us/store/stationery/notebooks/high-quality-easy-open-notebook-a5-dot.htm ) The paper is listed as 5% recycled, which would normally suggest not, but I've seen other papers with more recycled content which have nevertheless been acid-free. I've attached a photo of the label for anyone who might read Japanese. Thanks! (In case the website isn't clear, the notebook is 96 sheets, dot grid, cover in the usual brown thin cardboard, white tape on the spine, thread-bound in signatures, item 4549337193741.It's also listed elsewhere as "Muji Thread-Binding Notebook." Apparently there was also an A6 size made at some time, I'm not sure it's still available. There was also one with similar features done in a black cover, but I believe the paper is different.)

Hi notebook lovers and users! Here is my latest video review of 4 of the notebooks from the Repunation series by a Turkish maker called Happily Ever After (and they do make original stuff). Here is the link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQxIF6e_Ffk Hope you like it. John

hey there! Here is a link to my Youtube video about the Nuuna notebook Superstar design. I still have to find a way to post pics here but I will, promise. I really think it is quite FP friendly and though heavy and fairly expensive (around 27 euros here in France) it definitely is a nice support for a bullet journal type of thing! https://youtu.be/ZENgYFsr7gw Have yourself a very nice weekend! john

For the last few years I have been using Ryman Softcover (medium) notebooks for journalling. They come in soft-touch hardback covers in a range of colours, and feature elastic closures, a page marker, a folding pouch at the back, and 192-pages of cream/off-white paper with ruled lines 7mm apart. Their paper is not coated & smooth like Rhodia/Oxford Optik, so is slightly absorbent, but is still reasonably resistant to show-through and feathering, and has not suffered from bleed-through (at least not with my pens, which are all ‘Medium’- or ‘Fine’-nibbed). i.e. my experience of these notebooks is that they are cheap Moleskine clones, and with the bonus that the paper in them is fine for use with fountain pens To clarify, the paper in the ones that I have bought to-date has been fine for use with my fountain pens... All of the Ryman journals that I have bought have had 80gsm paper in them. The last time I nipped in to my local Ryman to buy a new notebook for journalling, I noticed that their paper had been changed to 70gsm paper. I didn't like the sound of that, and so got the staff to look in the stock room to see if they still had any that had the 80gsm paper. I ended up buying the shop's last two notebooks with 80gsm paper. Not in covers of the colour I wanted, but I can live with that as long as the paper is satisfactory. Why am I posting this? Because I am now running out of space in my last remaining notebook, and will need to buy a new one soon. So: I would like to know whether any FPN-ers have used the newer versions of these notebooks with the 70gsm paper. If you have, please will you tell me whether the thinner paper can still cope with fountain pen inks? Or is there now a horrible amount of show-/bleed-through? If your experience is that the 70gsm bleeds through, then I would like to ask you for recommendations for notebooks with paper that does not suffer from ink bleed-through. Preferably with lines that are 7mm (or 8mm) apart. I have previously considered the Rhodia Webnotebook, because I love how the white paper in their No.13 pads handles FP inks. But there is one snag for me - I noticed that the lined version of the ‘webbie’ has lines that are only 5mm apart. I use my journals for Cathartic Ranting, so my handwriting in them is often very messy and quite large. My experience with 5mm separation (in a Leuchtturm 1917 dot grid) is that the amount of space between the marks is not large enough for my Ranty handwriting I have also found the paper in the two Leuchtturm notebooks that I have (one dotted, one lined) to be less FP-friendly than the 80gsm Ryman notebook paper. I found its coating/finish to be too glossy/slippery for FP ink. Admittedly, that was a couple of years ago. Has the paper in the Leuchtturms become more FP-friendly since then? I would appreciate, dear Reader, any advice that you can offer me. Cheers, M.

Hi, I am currently a student in college. I would like to share this notebook that I recently bought. This is the MUJI Notebook B5 with 6mm ruling. http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x187/sofia819/IMG_0765.jpg http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x187/sofia819/Front.jpg http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x187/sofia819/Back.jpg http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x187/sofia819/IMG_0766.jpg http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x187/sofia819/IMG_0767.jpg http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x187/sofia819/IMG_0769.jpg Pros: Relatively cheap, about $11-$12 for five notebooks right now. However, I bought it with a cheaper price. Reasonable size for note taking (B5), similar to a composition notebook. No bleed-through, at least I don't see any. Minimal show-through, writing on both sides is possible. Simple design, no logos or markings on the notebook cover. Cons: Some feathering with certain inks. In my case, the Nemosine Singularity with Noodler's La Couleur Royale. The corners of the notebook may bend easily. Things to be aware of: The color and texture of the notebook feel like Fabriano EcoQua, cream colored and with some texture. It's a lined notebook. The drying time depends on the ink and pen. My Pilot Cavalier F dried more slowly than my Pilot 78G B did. This is a bound notebook. It will lay flat as the binding breaks in, or you can just exert some force to make it lay flat. The 6mm ruling could be too narrow for some people. There are only 30 sheets/60 pages in one notebook. I recommend using drier inks with a fine nib, although the Pilot 78G B with Noodler's Kiowa Pecan performed well, but I don't think a broad nib is suitable for such narrow ruling. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I6XY068 I hope you find this useful! Sofia

Hi, This is my first post here though I have been reading a lot of reviews and talks as I was bed stricken the last months. I'm a stationery lover and this is my video review of the X17 which in my opinion is one deal of a notebook since it has both the advantages of the Midori leather notebook and the comfort of your regular A5 notebook. Paper is not very fountain pen friendly but there is no showthrough, it is just that I like my pages smooth. The notebook itself though is gorgeous. Here is the link to the video since I don't know how to put it there : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ehCgOsbO4 I hope you'll like it as much as I did. Also I love the fact that they are a small family size company. John

So my new Chic Sparrow notebook showed up the other day. I'm still waiting on a few more inserts so I can finish arranging it. But overall it's great, I can't believe I waited this long to buy something like this. http://imgur.com/fpngallery/nSIVf

I bought the narrow version of the Creme Brulee. I decided on this one over an official Midori Traveller's Notebook because it has more than one elastic band inside, at least according to the pictures. And then I bought a few addons from my favorite place, Goulet Pens.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IzMDZRypqcE/ViQ20CCjxLI/AAAAAAAACag/EETndYJjdRA/s1600/IMG_9214_R.jpg Greetings, FPN fellows! After being away from making journals for a while, I wanted to show you these books that I made some months ago for a FPN friend, LuMa, since I will return to my work space. I am very excited to contact all the members who have patiently waited for me. Finally, I'd like to show you some of my past work that I had not been able to present to you before. Some months ago, LuMa contacted me for a custom order. She originally wanted a journal, but after showing her all the options, she finally decided she wanted five journals! But there was one problem: she wanted all the journals in Tomoe River, but I only had paper for two. For that reason, I sent her samples of three different papers: Fedrigoni, Torreon and Canson. She tested them and decided that the most fountain pen friendly one and the one she preferred was Torreon. She wanted two journals for her that looked the same. She chose a modern Ethiopian style with full black leather. It had 400 sheets, that is, 800 pages, of Tomoe River paper. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jaiRmPN9iGc/ViQ2zIlPtdI/AAAAAAAACaY/Oc82NjTdcK0/s1600/IMG_9213_R.jpg She asked me to put two red bookmarks and a black elastic band. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X2O6QrW1HhA/ViQ2vH733GI/AAAAAAAACaI/x70UgMbFq2k/s1600/IMG_9212_R.jpg She wanted me to engrave her family name, Lucero, on one side of each journal. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9WlT7r_Nq9o/ViQ2u-8XvFI/AAAAAAAACaE/6yYgmF1wq7Y/s1600/IMG_9208_R.jpg For the endpapers, she wanted a Bomoart paper with vintage writing style. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MZ4zXnfU_lk/ViQ2xBts-gI/AAAAAAAACaQ/TGHtzJuxTNY/s1600/IMG_9210_R.jpg By the way, one of these black journals is currently traveling all the world. LuMa had an iniciative where the journal will travel to different FPN members and each of them will fill some pages with their creative expressions. You can see more here. The third of the journals was made for her mother. She wanted the same journal style, but with red leather and black bookmarks. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IzMDZRypqcE/ViQ20CCjxLI/AAAAAAAACag/EETndYJjdRA/s1600/IMG_9214_R.jpg The endpapers were a different Bomoart paper, this one with a music theme. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utElJOzVioo/ViQ23ei89VI/AAAAAAAACao/mp9PeSzP9_o/s1600/IMG_9215_R.jpg For her mother, LuMa wanted a stamp engraved on the center of the journal. Tomoe River is only 52 gsm, however Torreon is 90 gsm. Since this journal also had 400 pages, the final journal was very thick compared to the black ones: almost 10 cm or 4 inches thick! http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JWBFXW-1TW4/ViQ25IsP5zI/AAAAAAAACa4/wsWhJtTS9FU/s1600/IMG_9220_R.jpg The other two journals were for a couple of friends and she chose a completely different style: they were linkstitch. This style has soft leather covers and she chose two different colors: olive green and orange. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7IRTj4InqY/ViQ3Db_59oI/AAAAAAAACbs/nYcmcCc8SD4/s1600/IMG_9232_R.jpg A close up of the engraving of the arabesque. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bSsreKJE94M/ViQ3D5A90mI/AAAAAAAACbw/frBE90qySBU/s1600/IMG_9233_R.jpg The journal opened. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YN8F93CHHo4/ViQ3FNU7yqI/AAAAAAAACb4/bDMn_WEK4FE/s1600/IMG_9235_R.jpg An appreciation of the thickness of the journal. This journal also had 400 pages of Torreon paper and was more than 10 cm or 4 inches in thickness. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RYZiQ0dkve0/ViQ3HuuJgbI/AAAAAAAACcI/rALC82v1slU/s1600/IMG_9238_R.jpg This is the olive green journal. She also chose a black leather strap for the closure and an engraved Celtic cross as decoration. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ezeYNGektj0/ViQ29eL6r5I/AAAAAAAACbM/6ek95Vu30bw/s320/IMG_9224_R.jpg I had never shipped such a big package! I had to use a box that used to keep 5000 sheets, the ones usually bought for offices. It was about 5kg! It felt amazing to carry it to the post office to ship. LuMa received the journals many weeks ago and I am happy to say that she was pleased with them, as her mother and her friends were of their gifts. Pheww, that is all, sorry for the long post. Thank you for reading and if you have any questions, they are always welcome . Have a nice day! Anna J. Bach

My kickstarter project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paperandsuch/simply-plain-journal-sketchbook-for-artists-creati' class='large blue awesome' target='_blank'> Simply Plain notebooks » Ends 21 Oct 2015. Thank you for looking!

Hi, I am going to build my own Midori-style notebook (to make it a bit wider) and also wanted to make my own inserts. But I'm not sure which paper to use for it. I like the paper in Rhodia Dot Pads, the Leuchtturm paper, that is in the thicker A5 notebooks and Clairefontaine in general. So I like a smooth, FP friendly paper (preferably dotted). So what paper can I buy in bulk (like a pack of 100-500 pages) that has these options? Do I just buy the A4 versions of these notebooks and cut them to my taste? That seems a bit silly to me. I would rather buy a bigger quantity of the paper these company source. I know they usually produce the paper themself and don't sell it separately but is there an option to buy loose sheets of paper that have similar properties? I would also like to have blank paper so I can print them myself. What I found is just cheap printer paper or the really expensive paper where 50 sheets cost about 20 bucks. Especially Clairefontaine Notebooks are great for their price. They are almost the cheapest option in Germany. So if anyone has an idea how to get to this paper? Thanks in advance. Sebastian

We've been wanting to offer notebooks for quite some time now, but we couldn't find a brand with good quality, fountain pen friendly paper that was reasonably priced. On a recent trip to Oregon, we discovered a brand named PENTALIC that meets our requirements. We hope they meet yours! http://blog.peytonstreetpens.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/PTL-016142-2BR-211x300.jpg Here are a few writing samples, showing how the paper performs with both vintage flex and modern wide-and-wet stubs. In our opinion, just the right balance between no-bleeding and a level of absorbency that works well with all the nibs we've tried. http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/writing_sample_grid_closeup.jpghttp://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/misc%20brands/writing_sample_grid.jpg Their Traveler Pocket Journals are available in three sizes, feature heavy 74 lb (120 GSM) paper, and secures with an elastic strap. They come in ruled and grid paper in addition to their plain "sketch" notebooks. Discounted, introductory pricing will end July 31st, so don't delay. 6x4 Inch Grid 6x4 Inch Ruled 6x4 Inch Sketch (Plain) -- Sale price $7.95 8x6 Inch Sketch (Plain) -- Sale price $11.95 4x3 Inch Sketch (Plain) -- Sale price $4.95 Visit our NOTEBOOKS and PAPER category. We're so pleased to be offering the Pentalic fountain-pen-friendly journals, that we are including one of the 4x3 inch mini-journals as a gift with every Ranga or PSP-Ranga pen purchased. (GIVEAWAY ENDS JULY 31, 2015.)

This is a brief review of the 17:18 Series of Bible Journals. Each journal contains a portion of the Bible that allows you to read and write the text guided by the verse numbers. The left page provides room for notes while the right page is for the text. The paper is FP friendly and I have encountered no bleed through. The binding is stitched and does lay flat making it easy to write in. There is one black ribbon marker. Generally there is plently of room for each verse but a few times there was not. The first writing sample below is from a TWSBI 580 1.1 stub, with Noodler's Navajo Turquoise. The second is a fine nib and I think Purple Martin if I recall correctly. Overall a very nice journal for writing out scripture and making notes on the text.

This "review" might not be all that useful for most of you, save for the few Norwegians in this forum, as i don´t think this notebook is available anywhere else, but i feel the more information we can gather here the better. So, even though i´m not much of a reviewer, i´ll do a write up of what i have learned about this notebook. I first heard about this notebook about a year or so ago. I sent Biek a mail asking if the paper they used were fountain pen friendly but i got no reply from them. So i more or less forgot about the notebook until i found it in one of the stores were i live, and eventually i had to try it out. http://i.imgur.com/7NksH74l.jpg Facts: -Hand-Stitched -Format: 315 x 190 mm (it is available in smaller versions also) -192 pages -100 gsm paper -Dotgrid or Blank. -Last 16 pages are perforated -pocket on the back cover -a page marker Cost: 280 NOK, about 35 dollars in current exchange rate. I´m currently having some issues with my computer so i can't get my photos uploaded. Frankly, it is not a big loss as my photos were pretty poor. I shall instead direct you to their site so you can se the notebook for yourself: http://www.biek.no/product/biek-1814/ My impression: http://i.imgur.com/ts6CpA2l.jpg First of it looks great. I really like the styling of this notebook. The format is based on the Norwegian constitution and that has a certain appeal in itself, even if it is sort of gimmicky. Not sure how i will like it once i start using it regularly, but for now i´m finding it a refreshing and interesting shape. The paper is smooth and really nice to write on but more suited for fine nibs. Writing with my Lamy Safari 1.1mm was mostly good, just in one spot did i find a very small amount of feathering. My vintage nibs were too wet for this paper and produced quite a bit of feathering. If you mind show through this notebook is probably not for you. Even my fines nibs showed through unfortunately. There are however some small things i don´t like. The perforating of the last 16 pages is crooked. I can clearly see that the perforated line is narrower at the bottom compared to the top. The notebook also has e peculiar smell, a smell of petroleum of sorts. I don´t mind this myself, but it might be an issue for others. This smell has already started to disappear, and i think it will eventually be completely gone. So, even though it has its flaws i must say that i like this notebook so far. I´m surprised by how smooth the paper was, and it is the only paper i have found in local stores that has a dot grid. A big plus for me. Edit: I did finally got some photos to uploade: http://i.imgur.com/LqPnEQQl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/edcjKvzl.jpg Dislaimer: I do not represent BIEK in any way or form, and this post has not been sponsored in any way. I´m just a normal poster here on FPN.

This is a short review of a A5 sized MD notebook. I have also replicated the content with some additional pictures in my blog, as the images are/will be reduced to a small thumbnail after a short-while by the image hosting service. Below is a link to the same: Midori MD Notebook Review After falling in love with my MTN and the entire ecosystem part of it (Some of the ecosystem elements and their use are most eloquently covered by Pavoni in this post.), I wanted to have the same fountain pen friendly paper, sans the panache of an MTN. And it’s closest cousin seemed to be an MD notebook. I went for a A5 sized one, as it was quite readily available. PRESENTATION (6/6) The entire package rests within a polyethylene plastic wrap, and a tracing paper enclosure keeps you happy with the very process of unravelling. There is a bottom band of blue branding wrapped over the notebook, which covers essential product specifications/branding in English and certain things in Japanese. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/MD%20Notebook/md%20004-pres_zpsimpj0jp5.jpg MD ELEMENTS (6/6) The notebook is thread-stitched and a weaved cloth is glued along the outer-spine, perhaps as an embellishment for a classical literary look. You would feel at ease, to write on a MD Notebook, as it remains completely open, thanks to the stitching. Clever! A ribbon/bookmark can be found in the middle, and I feel it is quite well-thought of, in case you choose to mark something essential. The cover is made up of card stock usually meant for business cards, post cards or catalogue covers. On the front, it carries the branding of ‘MD PAPER, Made in Japan’, in a subtly embossed format. As an ecosystem refill, a clear PVC cover is also available for each of the notebook sizes, in case you are planning to use a particular size regularly. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/MD%20Notebook/md%20007_zpspcyizqpy.jpg There are four stickers to label your notebook. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/MD%20Notebook/md%20008_zpsg1cxy2bt.jpg The inside cover has a box of particulars with a bit of MD branding. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/MD%20Notebook/md%20010_zpsqixbbaqv.jpg PHYSICS OF IT (6/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING Quite a compact one with dimensions - L(21 cm) X W (14.8 cm) X H (1.1 cm), it does get a bit wider and shorter, than a standard parker A5 notebook or even an MTN. It has 88 leaves with square grids (of 0.5 cm) on both sides. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/MD%20Notebook/md%20012%20dimension_zpsjuv4kq7z.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (6/6) It cost me a pretty decent USD 9 with some combined shipping from Japan. I ordered it online on Rakuten global. OVERALL PERFORMANCE (5/6) I love the understated looks of the notebook. A Pelikan fine nib glides along the paper with a wet line although it takes around half a minute to dry. I did observe a minute amount of feathering and a decent show-through after writing on the first page. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/MD%20Notebook/md%20015_zps94mvpqqw.jpg Unlike the MTN refill paper, these pages are quite thin and the show-through is visible on the other side of the page. Although from a personal context I feel that you can write on the other side too, but YMMV. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/MD%20Notebook/md%20016_zpsawmj9km7.jpg I hope you enjoyed this short review and it helps with your next notebook purchase. Best, Sonik

I'm looking for a new desk notebook - something small, about 3"x5". It must be able to fold over on itself and have FP friendly paper. I'm using a Circa compact right now but not 100% thrilled with the paper. I've been looking for months and haven't found the "one". Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

Has anyone picked up one of the Levenger Circa Voyager notebooks or seen one in person? http://www.levenger.com/circa-voyager-leather-notebook-13079.aspx I use the Levenger Circa/ Staples Arc system extensively at work, and have really enjoyed the ability to switch around pages in the order that I want while on the fly. This looks almost like they're trying to take a little bit of the vibe of the Midori Traveler system and apply it to their Circa line. Not connected to Levenger or Staples at all... Just wanted to see if anyone had tried one of these since it's a little spendy for something that I might not like. John

Hello! Sorry if this question has been asked before, but I had no luck searching. I'm not even sure such an notebook/journal exists. The best match I could find thus far is the Quo Vadis Habana, but sadly that has an off-white paper. My criteria are: A4 or Letter sizeHardcover, or something in between hard and softLays flat on all pagesWhite paperVery little ghostingLinedBonus criteria: Rounded edgesRubber bandNumbered Pages7mm Lined

Finally, giving in to all my desire, I went for a midori traveler's notebook. This is a regular sized notebook with a brown leather jacket. I have also replicated the content with some additional pictures in my blog, as the images are/will be reduced to a small thumbnail after a short-while by the image hosting service. Below is a link to the same: Midori Traveler’s Notebook Review Lately, along with a fair bit of travel, my focus has shifted towards acquiring various paraphernalia, genetically consistent with the core fountain pen ecosystem, while the pen themselves are in transit . Having used parker notebooks with the usual ivory coloured paper, for my travelogues; I was fascinated by the idea of a notebook enclosed in a traditional manner within a leather jacket. To my limited knowledge and much elation, the Midori Traveler Notebook came out to be much more than that. I came in touch with the Midori brand, when I had got myself an aluminium multiple ruler. As per their website, Midori is a 65-year old Japanese company specializing in paper products and creative design stationery. You may also bump into MD Paper, while searching for quality paper products across Asia. From the perspective of paper, the company also makes stitched notebooks along with the flagship Traveler Notebook. And the core part of the notebook i.e paper manufacturing remains with Midori, Japan. Traveler Notebook comes in two different sizes – Passport & Regular acorss two standard colour variants – black & brown. (Additionally a blue - special edition is being released in April - 2015). The one being reviewed here is a regular sized traveler notebook. PRESENTATION (6/6) One of the enchanting parts of the notebook is the multi-tier packaging. Nothing expensive, but enticingly ‘differentiated’! A polyethylene plastic wrap, diaphanously enclosing a package wrapped in traditional brown paper, increases the excitement for unwrapping the gift. A note on the Traveler’s notebook in traditional Japanese paper, reveals a consistent purpose and description. It does reveal that the brown leather jacket is handmade in Chiangmai, Thailand, whereas the notebook is manufactured in Japan, thus referencing and embellishing quality http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdn%20001_zpsn3bkbpwx.jpg At the backside of the package, rests some information regarding manufacture of the notebook and the leather jacket – from the countries of JAPAN and THAILAND respectively, along with product/bar codes and other compliance details in Japanese script. The brown package is fastened with a reddish-brown elastic band. Opening the package, unveils a notebook enclosed in a white cotton bag. Additionally, one spare elastic band (orange) is provided in a poly-pack. You can also remove the reddish-brown elastic band from the outer enclosure. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdn%20005_zpsvgrigln6.jpgI had also ordered a 64-page refill along with the notebook (Refill#001), which has a simple wrap with a coloured stamp conveying the details of it. DESIGN (6/6) A leather enclosure secured by a single brown elastic band going through a perforation at the back of it, expresses the sense and simplicity part of it. The cover is made from cowhide leather, with an elemental texture and it acquires grace with time. It’s supposed to scratch, acquire colour over time to transform into your signature companion. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdn%20007_zpsbewykgcf.jpg The enclosure carries one single stitched notebook with blank pages (Refill#003). There is a series of two strings running across the notebook and the leather cover through multiple perforations on the it and those are anchored by a small tin clasp placed at the top-left end of the notebook system. The elastic band fastens the notebook while the rather loosely held non-elastic one is meant to be a bookmark. The only embossed mark on the leather jacket is at the botton-left side of the back cover, which states MIDORI & MADE IN THAILAND. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/traveler%20ends_zpsgtncgrzr.jpg So, the primary ecosystem for the traveler notebook consists of two categories of refills – notebook and accessory. Notebook refills come in 64 pages (both sides) across blank (003), lined (001), grid (002), monthly planner (005), lightweight paper (128 pages, 013) and kraft paper (014). Accessorizing your traveler with sticky notes (022) or film album (023) or a pen-holder (015/016) is pretty easy once you purchase the refills and they may be priced between $4 to $10. There are several other inserts that are available for the traveler. You can find a complete list here. The design of the notebook is primarily based upon an Add-On model: base + spares like the Gillette razor-blade model. But again Sony too sells the PlayStation at a loss and makes up for the same with the entire gaming ecosystem. PERFORMANCE (6/6) The enclosing elastic band can be replaced with another by pulling it out from the inside of the back-cover. Adding a notebook is easy, by using one of the spare elastic bands to connect the new notebook with the existing one, which needs securing the band around the spine of both these notebooks. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdn%20014_zps6pujgcto.jpg PHYSICS OF IT (4/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING A very portable one, the dimensions (13 X 21 cm) match closely with the standard parker notebook. However, given the availability of pages (192 in parker) and an absence of a pen-holder, the parker does score some brownie points here. If you are looking for pure table-top writing experience, then parker can be more appealing, given its solid frame. The leather cover does offer a lot of flexibility when you are travelling and it’s meant for traveler. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mdp%20comp_zpswhmmm4aj.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6) The traveler notebook and a 64-page refill cost me around USD 35, with free shipping from Japan. While the price might still be low for a comparative analysis (with other shops), the economic value of the notebook does not do very well against the likes of competition - parker costs less than one-fourth of the same. Then again, you have to purchase refills typically costing anywhere between $4 to $10. That’s midori’s ecosystem for making money. The Add-On model! OVERALL (5/6) The design and vogue part of the traveler is exquisite. And yes, the MD paper is nice, thick and smooth for all your beloved fountain pens. Since, it was another Japanese product, I tested a Sailor Pro Gear Sigma Slim (Medium) with it. And it did run like a dream, laying quite a fine wet line. The thickness and texture of the MD paper makes even a relatively wet ink dry up pretty fast (sailor jentle ink dried within 6 seconds). However, that again comes with an little although unnoticeable bit of feathering, unlike the parker notebooks . However, there is no bleed-through for the paper. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/mtn/mds%20001_zpstbof40zu.jpg It was fun reviewing the Midori Traveler Notebook. Hope you enjoy the review and find it useful. Thanks, Sonik