Leuchtturm 1917 Medium Softcover Review

[tawanda]

Sorry, should have clarified, I got my Leuch from Amazon, not from Brian.

[Inkysloth]

Update, updated.

 

The woman at Leuchtturm has sent me an A4 Master dot-grid notebook, a 2014 diary, and two pen loops!

The down side, the paper in the Master notebook is still not very good despite its heavier grade. I've just checked it with 13 different pens, with 9 different inks. Most feather and there are patches of bleedthrough on the reverse.

 

Hey ho!

[K. Cakes]

I love Leuchtturm journals. I've had a total of 7 in different sizes and have yet to experience any with poor or varying quality paper. I do use mainly fine and extra fines, but even my occasional stubs and cursive italics have played well with the paper. I use one as my ink testing journal and have found only a few inks that didn't play well, all of which happened to be of one brand that I don't much like or happen to use in my other notebooks. So I wonder if its not nib size that's impacting behavior but certain inks that just don't play well.

[Nomex]

I just purchased a Hardcover Pocket Dot Grid and I did an ink test this morning...I'm not too happy with my results: The pens used were Noodler's Ahab, Creaper, Waterman Phileas, TWSBI 580, Lamy Safari, Al-Star, and Sheaffer No-Nonsense (80's Calligraphy set)

 

The inks used were: BSB - Nib Creaper, Black Swan/Aus Roses - Ahab, Apache Sunset - Ahab, Antietam - Ahab, Lexington Grey - Creaper, Noodler's Yellow - Creaper, Diamine Jade Green - Creeper, #41 Brown - Creaper, Golden Brown, Ahab, Cayenne - Ahab, X-Feather-Ahab, Privatre Reserve Sepia - Sheaffer N/N, X-Feather - Waterman Phileas, BSB - Preppy, Bernake Black - Creaper, BSB - TWSBI 580 (F?), Edelstein Onyx - Lamy Safari (M), Diamine Blue Black - Lamy Al-Star (F), #41 Brown - Creaper, X-Feather - Ahab. I draw/sketch with my pens, hence the abundance of Ahabs and Creapers. The 580 and Lamy's were a friend's.

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2817/8784715440_06aa6b934e_z.jpg

And now the back:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8394/8778132937_f4a6c46117_z.jpg

 

I am not sure if I got some older stock, but I did purchase this book at Dromgoole's and it was the last one. I love everything about this book except the paper. I guess I'll go number my own pages and make my own Table of Contents.

 

So far the book that is winning my journal shootout is the cloth-bound Clairefontaine book. It takes my all the inks I own including Bay State Blue and X-feather without bleeding, which is funny, because I don't get the same performance with a Rhodia Webbie, even thought the papers are supposed to be 90gsm CF paper.

 

My ideal journal will be A6 in size, hard cover, white paper, have dot grid (or blank), back pocket, ToC, numbered, and be able to handle BSB and X-Feather without bleeding. The ToC and numbering I can DIY, I suppose with a proper leather cover I can deal with a soft cover. I'm currently reviewing some Stillman Birn paper samples as well. I love my flex, so I throw down some wet lines while I write. I need to write with some blotter / shielding beneath my hand or my will deposit oils onto the paper that will resist the take-up of ink. Maybe I just need to make a writing glove.

 

I may resort to making my own journals...

Edited May 22, 2013 by Nomex

[Anne-Sophie]

I am a notepad or loose leaf person, but when I was in primary and secondary school, I was required to use notebooks.

 

I think, the ones that were provided, as exercises notebooks, were generic.

 

But, when I was required to buy a bulky notebook, supposed to last the entire year for one class, I bought the classic Clairefontaine with the famous, colorful and glossy cardboard cover.

 

This was, and still is, "the fountain pen friendly notebook".

 

 

Alternatively, a trip to a local printer, a couple of hours choosing paper sample (I know this is going to be chore for this subforum crowd) (sic), and a couple of days or weeks testing all pen and ink combo in the house, (don't deny it, I know you'll do it) and one can have a notebook made at the printer with the perfect paper, the perfect (lines, grids, dots, plain) notebook(s) in no time.

 

It won't save time but is sure to save money on disappointing notebook.

 

 

 

When you happen to meet with a notebook that is not up to par for us, finicky fountain pen users, after carefully removing the used pages, please give it away to ballpoints, rollerballs, pencils, markers or even crayon users.

 

I am certain that friends and family members will be grateful to get free medium to enable their children creative expression, which doesn't involve the walls, the fridge or important papers.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Anne-Sophie

[gmax]

I agree with everything said in the OP. Rohrer & Klingner Salix is the only ink I've found to work in these notebooks. Their claims that the paper is "ink proof" are just not borne out in practice.

[The Good Captain]

I'm still getting great results from this paper and almost all my inks, whatever the make. the only bit of bleed comes from Prime of the Commons but based on our parliamentary history, they are a miserable lot of bleeders anyway.