Moleskine Weekly Planner: Paper Quality, Or Lack Of..?

[anthonyjpv]

So a couple of months ago, I decided to update my yearly planner for the upcoming academic year. Last year, a limited edition of a weekly Moleskine served me well, and I've used the Large, small and XL ruled notebooks over the last year without a problem. Hadn't dove into full on FPs until somewhat recently, so I hadn't had been on the lookout for feathering and other pitfalls of notebooks. I spotted a nice Red edition of the weekly format I wanted, bought it at a local store (overpriced compared to Amazon, but I like supporting this small shop) put it away and waited until the academic year started.

 

 

 

Well, I'm into second week of school now, and WOW this paper is just AWFUL! I put my TWSBI 540 in B to it, and it wrote so boldly that I had convinced myself I should swap it out for a spare Medium sized nib for Moleskine and academic writing for the year. Probably better suited for note taking anyways.

Just tried it with my Medium and GEEZ it just soaks the ink like a sponge. It almost makes the letters impossible to read. I even started writing in this new one and the normal notebook i use for notes, just to compare. The difference is massive. Feels like I'm writing with a BB in this new planner compared to a F in my old notebook. What gives?!

 

I've read over and over again about FP users complaining about the paper quality, but thought that was only about feathering, bleed through, and similar problems. Never heard of this. I can't even describe it. Probably describe it as increasing my font size. So strange.

 

Question is: Was this something any of you have witnessed or heard of before? Is this a common problem with the inconsistency of quality from Moleskine paper?

Question B: Any other planners suggestions or solutions?

 

Thank you in advance, sorry for the long read.

 

Anthony

 

 

[ArchiMark]

Too bad you didn't read the forum threads and reviews before buying.....

 

Unfortunately, moleskines, while nice designs, aren't generally considered the most fountain pen friendly....

 

You'll see that there's lots of opinions as to what is better...so to each his own....

 

FWIW, I switch earlier this year to Rhodia Webnotebooks and have been quite pleased all in all....

 

[mirosc]

It's common with Moleskines. All over the place here on FPN.

You have to try and find your combination for this book. I, too, have a red weekly planner and I'm happy with Perle Noire and a Pilot Myu 701 and a Waterman's Hundred Year Pen with ESSRI (no flexing of course). Otherwise I'm using felt tip pens in it. It's a pity that the paper is so bad that there's little chance to vary inks and pens a lot, but still I prefer the Moleskine design over its competitors (Leuchtturm 1917,...). So I have to adapt...

[anthonyjpv]

Thanks to both of you for your input.

In fact, because I'll be using different types of pens at school, even pencils, I may stick with this for now.

 

I may just switch to webnotebooks for notepads to avoid getting a dud like this one.

 

Thanks you two!

 

Anthony

[Bo Bo Olson]

Great ball point and gel pen paper.....

 

Some folks that just insist on buying it get by with XXF nibs and super fast drying ink.

 

I was so lucky I read here, in because of the reputation of great paper....back under the original manufacture in the day of Hemingway, I found out it was as stinky as that dead fish.

 

Oxford Optic is a great paper makes good notebooks (I wasn't looking for weekly planners so don't know if they make them. Being retired Friday is always an unannounced shock.), also makes Red and Black which with Oxford paper has returned to a good name. Rhoda, I think makes a planner.

 

Toss the book as a lesson, or go to real skinny nibs and super fast drying inks.

[mirosc]

Great ball point and gel pen paper.....

Indeed. And why shouldn't it be like that? Fountain pens aren't the holy grail for everything.

 

Some folks that just insist on buying it

They don't insist on buying it, they WANT to buy it, because it offers much a better value and practicability for their purposes than any Oxford or Rhodia or Exacompta-Clairefontaine can deliver.

 

Toss the book as a lesson, or go to real skinny nibs and super fast drying inks.

no need for either of that;

I've just tested it: the M-B nib of my Snorkel filled with Parker Quink Red works well, too. No bleedthrough, no showthrough, no feathering, dry-time: about 3 seconds.

1.1mm italic from an Online Newood with Online Brown works well, too: no bleedthrough, no feathering, a little showthrough, dry-time: about 5 seconds.

Too bad that I don't need (and don't want) thick nibs in weekly planner.

 

Don't be afraid to test for yourself.

[Bo Bo Olson]

There is a vast inconsistency of Moleskine; some one gets a good batch, many others get a bad batch.

 

With the vast amount of complaints I read about it on the Com, I'd not buy any.

 

When one wants to write with a fountain pen, today, you have to look for a paper that can take it.

Back in the silver dime days, just about every paper but 1st-3rd grade paper could.

 

Any paper will do ball point...even Moleskine. OP was not complaining about his BP.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Bo Bo Olson

[carlos.q]

I also had this disappointing experience with Moleskine. In my opinion you have two alternatives:

1. Dump the moleskine and get an FP friendly notebook, or

2. Keep the Moleskine and use a pen with a fine or EF nib AND use moleskine-friendly ink. Check out this blog on moleskine friendly inks: http://inkyjournal.blogspot.com/search/label/100%25%20Moleskine-proof%20ink

In my case... I dumped the moleskine! :roflmho:

[anthonyjpv]

Thanks all for your replies.

 

 

 

It's true, I'm not complaining about my BP, or RB..it's randomly ONE moleskine that suddenly SOAKS FP inks.

 

I have other Moleskines that take my FPs and inks just fine, this one just seems to be made of tissue paper. That's the best way to describe it. It's litterally soaking up the ink like tissue paper. Feels like its absorbing that much. Nothing to do with feathering or bleed. Unless it's feathering so much that it's expanding the font size to twice the thickness..

 

 

Anyways, next question: I've read all the reviews(feels like all of them anyways) about Habana(new) vs Rhodia Webbie. Is the most commonly accepted option one or the other?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

Anthony

[JefferyS]

I hate to bash Moleskine because they are nice little notebooks. They just don't work with FP. I still buy them as gifts for friends but only because my friends don't use FP and can't understand why I do.

 

For planning/task management, there is nothing better than Omnifocus (Mac). For FP, I love Rhodia in a Circa notebook. If you want to use Moleskine, get a Retro rollerball. Smoothest point on earth.

[anthonyjpv]

I hate to bash Moleskine because they are nice little notebooks. They just don't work with FP. I still buy them as gifts for friends but only because my friends don't use FP and can't understand why I do.

 

For planning/task management, there is nothing better than Omnifocus (Mac). For FP, I love Rhodia in a Circa notebook. If you want to use Moleskine, get a Retro rollerball. Smoothest point on earth.

 

Way ahead of you, I use the Retro 51 Big Shot for class

 

Still sucks that they don't work with FP. What do you use for notebook? Non-planner purposes)

[JefferyS]

Anything Rhodia in junior size. Webbie, notepad, and Rhodia paper in junior sized Circa. If I were a student, I would use 8.5x11 sized paper, but I don't need all of that space now.

 

For note taking, I would buy Double-A paper in letter size with ink jetted Cornell note page lines on it (from Incomptech.com PDF files) in medium gray, medium blue, medium whatever I have most of in the inkjet cartridge.

 

 

 

[anthonyjpv]

Anything Rhodia in junior size. Webbie, notepad, and Rhodia paper in junior sized Circa. If I were a student, I would use 8.5x11 sized paper, but I don't need all of that space now.

 

For note taking, I would buy Double-A paper in letter size with ink jetted Cornell note page lines on it (from Incomptech.com PDF files) in medium gray, medium blue, medium whatever I have most of in the inkjet cartridge.

 

 

 

 

 

Sold. Already using #18 pads, might as well continue the trend. Thanks

[bogiesan]

This is rather like being upset that your digital video camera doesn't have a slot for a tape cassette. You buy tools for their function and design. If you like the Molie planner format (and I certainly do NOT) then you use the appropriate writing instrument for the tool you have chosen. That's probably a ballpoint or gel or roller or mechanical pencial; all of which open vast new and exciting explorations for you. To expect one writing instrument or type of instrument to suit all of your writing needs is, umm, an inidcation of how much fun you have yet to have.

[anthonyjpv]

This is rather like being upset that your digital video camera doesn't have a slot for a tape cassette. You buy tools for their function and design. If you like the Molie planner format (and I certainly do NOT) then you use the appropriate writing instrument for the tool you have chosen. That's probably a ballpoint or gel or roller or mechanical pencial; all of which open vast new and exciting explorations for you. To expect one writing instrument or type of instrument to suit all of your writing needs is, umm, an inidcation of how much fun you have yet to have.

 

You're scaring me.

 

PS: The weekly version( week per 2 pages, no note space ) is actually a good format. The rest are garbage, I agree. Ones like a full page for notes, a whole week on one page..

[inkypete]

Golden Rule of Fountain Pen users: NEVER buy anything branded Moleskin - NEVER!

[wastelanded]

I just picked up the Moleskine 18 month XL agenda, and indeed the paper is like tissue: massive bleedthrough.

 

I took a chance. The Volant notebooks are wonderful for FPs in my experience. But the sketchbooks are like waxed paper, the ink literally beads on the paper.

 

It would have been nice if the agenda paper was thicker, but I'm not binning it: I don't throw money away. It's an excuse to use my old Pentel Kerry.

[inkypete]

I just picked up the Moleskine 18 month XL agenda, and indeed the paper is like tissue: massive bleedthrough.

 

I took a chance. The Volant notebooks are wonderful for FPs in my experience. But the sketchbooks are like waxed paper, the ink literally beads on the paper.

 

It would have been nice if the agenda paper was thicker, but I'm not binning it: I don't throw money away. It's an excuse to use my old Pentel Kerry.

Inconsistency is the problem with Moleskin, even within the one notebook. I had one which had a nice sheet but about 10 pages in it changed back to something akin to a napkin. Love the notebooks and diaries in terms of form but can't trust them ever again.

[wastelanded]

Inconsistency is the problem with Moleskin, even within the one notebook. I had one which had a nice sheet but about 10 pages in it changed back to something akin to a napkin. Love the notebooks and diaries in terms of form but can't trust them ever again.

 

That's terrible. They should take better care of their name (speaking of, I have to say that I'm quite impressed at the people from Paperblanks being on here, and hearing what people say. And that they've improved the quality of their paper!).

[inkypete]

Inconsistency is the problem with Moleskin, even within the one notebook. I had one which had a nice sheet but about 10 pages in it changed back to something akin to a napkin. Love the notebooks and diaries in terms of form but can't trust them ever again.

 

That's terrible. They should take better care of their name (speaking of, I have to say that I'm quite impressed at the people from Paperblanks being on here, and hearing what people say. And that they've improved the quality of their paper!).

I suppose they don't consider FP users to be a big market. I did correspond with the Moleskin folk at one stage and they said they didn't ever claim that the paper is FP friendly, which is true, and offered to send me a replacement. I declined because it would have been the same.