Rustico

[Arkhangelsk]

 

 

This is a page from the most recently filled pocket journal. I'll go through the pro's and con's with it after the pictures. And too acknowledge that another member from a year or so ago gave me the idea of making the Aquiline Font an 'everyday hand' and that I practiced it in the journal, I would like like to post a link to that thread

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/215433-aquiline-two-font-identification/

 

 

 

 

 

This is the pocket journal wrapped closed with the tie. Despite that being a theme over the last two journals, I actually prefer them to not have any.

 

 

And the brand, quite literally on the back of the journal. "Rustico, Made in USA"

 

 

 

EDITED TO ADD: This photo is of an entry made with a dip pen quill using Speedball ink. Both the right and left page, and should show the writing on the opposite side of either page, to demonstrate the level of transparency/bleedthrough the paper has.

 

 

So this handy little guy has served as my handy "pocket journal" over the last three months. I kept it in the right back pocket, as it is a hardy journal/notebook. The cover is pure, thick leather. It not only stood up to the, um, large seat, that was pressed down on in during that time, it also softened it up a bit and added some character to it in my opinion.

 

The paper, is good...I'm not an expert on the subject, so I can't give much more of an analysis than that. I used a Pilot G7 gel pen, because frankly it was too small to use with an italic nib. Minimal feathering and a little bleedthrough, not significant. I personally like being able to see a little bit of the writing on the other side, but that's just me.

 

The pro's with this journal were: Tough, durable, archive quality paper (so it says, ivory too, again: Not an expert) and the smell of leather.

 

Cons: Expensive: I'm a big proponent of that you get what you pay for, that being said, almost twenty bucks for a 3x5 inch journal seemed a bit much. That may have been just the store I bought it from, however.

 

Glued Spine: Unlike nearly every other Rustico product, the pages are glued into place with this journal, so it does not lay flat. In fact, you have to struggle with it just to keep it open. You get used to it, I suppose, as I did manage to continue in it for three months.

 

Final Thoughts: Overall, I would recommend this for people who do lot's of outdoorsy style stuff. It took a lickin, and still looks good. It would make a good fishing/hunting/camping journal in my opinion. I also used my Crow/Hawk Speedball quill on it when I was at home, and it took it just as well as the Pilot Ballpoint. You get that great feeling when a dip pen is writing smoothly over the paper with that scratch. I'm not sure what it's called exactly, I just love the feel and sound.

A couple of guys at my work loved the look of it too, and I get them each one as a present for being upstanding dudes. A couple of weeks later, I saw them actually making use of it, and they said they loved it. These guys were not into journaling or penmanship at all, just as regular notebooks. It also comes in three different colors from where I got it from. Brown (pictured), Saddle, and Black.

Edited June 27, 2013 by Arkhangelsk