Best Ink For Moleskine?

[hypnostene]

I swore off regular Moleskine notebooks and weekly pocket planners a few years ago. And despite what I'm about to say, I do not recommend their purchase.

 

At the time I swore off Moleskine I had a pair of half-filled hardcover 3.5x5.5 reporter's notebooks, one lined and one unlined. I put them away but kept them. Afterward I test-wrote in them periodically, and I noticed for the first time that the paper in the unlined notebook felt a bit thicker than that in the lined one, which seemed to be the same paper used in the weekly planners. And upon closer inspection I noticed that the unlined one had much less show-through and hardly any bleed-through. And so recently I took a chance and bought another hardcover 3.5x5.5 unlined reporter's notebook. So far the paper has behaved well. I've written on only 10% of the pages, but of what I've consumed, the results are consistent, sheet to sheet: minimal show-through and no bleed-through using three inks—Aurora Black, Platinum Carbon Black, and Sailor Jentle Blue—and Pilot and Waterman F nibs, all on the wettish side.

 

So far, I'm satisfied with this notebook. But I'm not prepared to give Moleskine the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Generally, across the Moleskine line, the paper has been inconsistent for me or consistently bad. For all I know, I've just been lucky with these unlined reporter's notebooks. But I am curious whether anyone has had a similar experience with lined vs. unlined Moleskine hardcover reporter's notebooks.

 

I had a fairly similar experience, although in different notebooks. I found that in a number of their small unlined notebooks I was able to write easily with a 1.1 italic nib using Pelikan's black ink (afair, those were cartridges). I wasn't able to get any decent results from their lined notebooks.

 

All in all I would agree with Bo Bo Olsen's point of view. There are other brands which offer better experience for us fountain pen users.

[sidthecat]

I can't use Moleskines anymore: I find too much bleed-through with all my pens and inks. If you can get your hands on a notebook with slightly heavier paper - Rhodia, Quo Vadis and especially Paperblanks - you'll be happier.

[Randal6393]

One other item that I have noted with Moleskines. When my Noodler's ink starts to bleed through, it's time to add a bit of distilled water to the ink. Say, about 10 %. So by controlling the wetness of my pens, keeping a good, sharp italic nib in the pen, and adjusting the amount of water in the ink, I have been able to write in Moleskines without any bleed-through or feathering.

 

If you feel that that might be too much work and just want to write, then Moleskines are probably a bad buy. Fortunately, there are a lot of notebooks to acquire out there.

 

Best of luck,

[sidthecat]

I'm having better luck with the little Metaphys notebooks; anything with paper heavier than the approximately 71 GSM of Moleskines paper.

[Algester]

who the hell uses moleskines with FPs... seriously... there are better alternatives out there that arent even that expensive Apica seems to be one of these brands but if you so wish to use moleskines your better of using finer points on your nibs like EF or F, EEF probably gives the best results take that what you will... but I also lay off buying moleskines

[The Good Captain]

who the hell uses moleskines with FPs... seriously... there are better alternatives out there that arent even that expensive Apica seems to be one of these brands but if you so wish to use moleskines your better of using finer points on your nibs like EF or F, EEF probably gives the best results take that what you will... but I also lay off buying moleskines

Well, I still am and Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black in fine nibs, is a definite winner. That's just the way it is.

[setriode]

Fine nibs tend to have more 'show through' on the next page. M or FM nibs seem best for me. Salix is ok but tends to fade a little. My home brew of Pelikan 4001 blue, blue-black and black works well in the following ratio: 3.5, 1.5, 1.3 works well enough.

 

Annoyingly, I have one notebook which exhibits feathering in its early pages but not in later pages. So there appears to be inconsistency within the pages of a single notebook.

Edited February 9, 2015 by setriode

[torstar]

Herbin easily.

 

And fine nibs.

 

I can't ask too much of a product that has told me 400 times already it isn't going to handle PR Tanzanite in a BBBB stub.

[amberleadavis]

I just live with the feathering because I decided I wasn't giving up the broad stubs, the wet, supersaturated ink or the crummy notebooks.

[Randal6393]

+ 1 for amberleadavis. You go, girl!

 

I'm so glad you gave up buying Moleskines, algester. Leaves more for the rest of us.

 

Enjoy,

[white_lotus]

who the hell uses moleskines with FPs... seriously... there are better alternatives out there that arent even that expensive Apica seems to be one of these brands but if you so wish to use moleskines your better of using finer points on your nibs like EF or F, EEF probably gives the best results take that what you will... but I also lay off buying moleskines

 

I use Moleskine all the time, and include them in my reviews. Many inks work fine for my note taking and writing. There may be some show through but I can always write on both sides of the paper. I've used a number of OS inks: Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Blue Merle; Visconti brown; MB JFK; Noodlers Beaver and Park Red; Dromgooles Blue Steel. Probably some others that I don't remember. I only use medium and fine nibs.

 

But I'm not doing any kind of fancy writing, just notes for my work logging what I've done, and also notes/writing for a book I imagine I'll actually write someday.

[Algester]

+ 1 for amberleadavis. You go, girl!

 

I'm so glad you gave up buying Moleskines, algester. Leaves more for the rest of us.

 

Enjoy,

nah to me they are just too expensive... I may have been spoiled by cheaper alternatives that works like a big notebook with 200 gsm paper for 10USD...

[amberleadavis]

One of our fellow FPNers admits to "DEFILING" a Moleskine whenever she gets a new ink. All sorts of comments abound.

[alarickc]

I just live with the feathering because I decided I wasn't giving up the broad stubs, the wet, supersaturated ink or the crummy notebooks.

You could try out a Leuchtturm 1917. Same sizes, same features, same or lower price, and much fp-friendlier paper.

[Algester]

You could try out a Leuchtturm 1917. Same sizes, same features, same or lower price, and much fp-friendlier paper.

they are about the same if not more expensive... but eh...

[torstar]

they are about the same if not more expensive... but eh...

 

 

Only Moleskin and Montblanc are 0% protected against the slander of people on here, not sure just why.

 

:bunny01: :bunny01:

[amberleadavis]

You could try out a Leuchtturm 1917. Same sizes, same features, same or lower price, and much fp-friendlier paper.

 

 

Moleskines are ubiquitous. They satisfy my desire for instant gratification. Also, if it works on a moleskin, it is going to work on any other paper I come across.

[torstar]

 

 

Moleskines are ubiquitous. They satisfy my desire for instant gratification. Also, if it works on a moleskin, it is going to work on any other paper I come across.

 

Again you crystallize my thoughts perfectly.

[Randal6393]

 

 

Only Moleskin and Montblanc are 0% protected against the slander of people on here, not sure just why.

 

:bunny01: :bunny01:

Both are successful, almost the defined standard for certain cirles. Both also have flaws that make for an easy attack. Need more be said?

[alarickc]

 

 

Moleskines are ubiquitous. They satisfy my desire for instant gratification. Also, if it works on a moleskin, it is going to work on any other paper I come across.

Fair enough. I guess I've never been tempted to partake in Moleskines myself since I both hate feathering and Portland has easy availability of Rhodia and such.