Missing Filofax Review?

[dogpoet]

Hi. I'm a bit surprised that there doesn't seem to be a review of the new Filofax refillable notebooks in here. I know that Filofax paper is hardly the Rhodia stuff, but it does look like a very nice format, even for those who are still mourning the Flex line. I'd be interested to see if what looks like a potential sticking point with the things (just how well do the individual sheets cope with being moved around in the binders, and will they eventually lose the tags that hold them in place?) has caused a problem for anybody.

 

If you're unsure what I'm on about, Ron Goulet mentions the things on his vlog here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEB3aLgvcHk

[jsolares]

Hi. I'm a bit surprised that there doesn't seem to be a review of the new Filofax refillable notebooks in here. I know that Filofax paper is hardly the Rhodia stuff, but it does look like a very nice format, even for those who are still mourning the Flex line. I'd be interested to see if what looks like a potential sticking point with the things (just how well do the individual sheets cope with being moved around in the binders, and will they eventually lose the tags that hold them in place?) has caused a problem for anybody.

 

If you're unsure what I'm on about, Ron Goulet mentions the things on his vlog here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEB3aLgvcHk

 

There have been some i think, bur not much probably because the paper is not at all good for fountain pen usage.

[dogpoet]

Really? Because all the reviews a search is turning up is for the ringbinders and the Flex things.

[jsolares]

Really? Because all the reviews a search is turning up is for the ringbinders and the Flex things.

 

Don't look only at reviews per se or this section only.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/71680-filofax/

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/227798-filofax-refills-poor-paper/

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/229891-filofax/

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/287942-filofax-a5-notebookand-arc-hole-punch/?p=3356177

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/219542-filofax-flex-review/

 

 

And from searching i found a link to this it's compatible with the filofax personal size, might get some for my montblanc organizer

http://www.jetpens.com/Raymay-Davinci-Refill-Pages-Bible-Personal-Size-6.5-mm-Ruled-100-Sheets/pd/11680

[dogpoet]

Thanks, but those are about the classic binders and the flex, and the refills for those. (As you say, there's plenty about those on here.) I was thinking of the vaguely moleskinney refillable notebooks that they started doing recently as a separate line, and that doesn't seem to have been written up on here at all. From that nice Mister Goulet's vlog*, the paper in these are a lot more fp friendly than the standard filofax refills (not sure about the pads and booklets for the Flex, which I assume these things are replacing), so I was a bit surprised they don't seem to have been mentioned yet.

 

Just to clarify, I'm on about these:

http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mNH9Xowwuc94tUicWEUe4CQ.jpg

rather than these:

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/uM3M40ITLRY/hqdefault.jpg

If the description isn't misleading they look like a really nice format, which is why I was a bit surprised by the lack of reviews, or even mentions that I could find. Sorry that wasn't clear.

 

No idea about the Rayman refills, though, I'm afraid.

 

*(No affiliation, obvs.)

Edited July 20, 2015 by dogpoet

[jsolares]

Ahh sorry about that, i was low on coffee and then ran with it XD, I wouldn't get your hopes up about the paper though, although it seems you could make your own as well just need the right punch, almost looks like arc.

Brian says a pilot metropolitan in fine nib is a safe bet, but that one is a safe bet on a lot of papers due to it's fineness.

 

I'm guessing because of those experiences i posted people haven't been flocking to this new product of theirs

 

Found this one for you, http://www.pentulant.com/2015/03/notebook-review-filofax-a5-notebook.html, seems if you like wet nibs it's a no go but if you really like the notebook i saw a video that the ARC punch is very similar, also looks a lot like their miraclebind and notepro

[Misfit]

I was hoping fountain pens are compatible with Filofax since the Goulets have a super reasonably priced set of small Filofax and Lamy Al-Star.

 

I've thought about buying a set but haven't yet.

[dogpoet]

jsolares, thanks. I'll have a look at the ARC, miraclebind and notepro as well.

 

Misfit, part of the reason I was looking for a review of these things is that it could be a different paper stock in them than the usual stuff from the classic binders: if the Goulets are carrying it has to be a bit better for fountain pens than those, right?

[Padawan]

I have been using Filofax Personal Organizer (format Personal #6847215) with FP for abt 15 years.

Replacing refills certainly

In brief:

1) Filofax Diary refills: no problems, issues, etc with FP filled the following inks:

a) Parker Quink Blue (cartridge & bottle),

b Waterman Serenity Blue (cartridge & bottle),

c) MB Royal Blue (bottle),

d) Sailor Blue-Black (bottle),

e) Platinum Blue-Black (cartridge)

f) Pilot iroshizuku tsuyu-kusa (bottle).

 

g) Parker roller-ball refill (not FP) is a disaster due to terrible bleedthrough.

 

2) From time to time I buy 'ruled notepaper' refills (#133051, #133015). Its behavior in various combo with FP inks is rather strange:

inks a, b, c are gathering in drops during writing and leaving rather faint line after log long drying.

inks d, e, f, (g) behave flawlessly.

 

All a/m materials were bought from respective OD/resellers - so no fakes.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Padawan

[Bex66]

Wow, Padawan....I will have to try one of those inks. I'm not a blue-black fan, but I'm happy to convert if it will work on my Filofax (A5 size). Which would you say is the absolute best, and what pens do you use?

 

I used to work for Filofax, back in the 80s, and have used one on and off ever since. I love their organisers. The only thing that has turned me away from them has been not being able to use them with my FPs. I've never found a pen/ink combo that has worked, even with extra fine nibs and dry inks. I always get dreadful feathering and bleed-through, or the weird droplet-fine line thing that you describe. It's simply not a pleasant experience writing on the paper.

With Filofax owning Yard-o-Led, I hoped they would change their paper ( possibly to something fine and light, maybe Japanese) but it didn't happen. I would've been a very happy bunny.

 

Off to look at some more ink! Yay

[whych]

@Bex66

Filofax diary inserts are hit and miss - some years they are better/more FP friendly than others, but on the whole not very good. Most feather and bleed through.

The Collins inserts are better.

If you use A5, print your own inserts on FP friendly paper. There are lots of templates you can use on the Internet (look at http://philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk/)

 

If you are using the Flex covers, you are free to use any brand you like for the insert.

[Bex66]

Hi Whych

Thanks for your suggestion. Yes, I've seen Philofaxy's blog and am seriously considering getting my diary printed (especially as Filofax don't quite do the perfect diary for my purposes). I have an A5 Filofax not the flex system, so it will need punching. I have the cheap hole punch, but it's pretty rubbish and tends to chew up at least 2 holes on each sheet.

I need to investigate whether a print shop will print and punch, and whether they will cut the paper to A5 -unless anyone can recommend an FP friendly, light , but not sheer (to use both sides) print paper that is available in A5. The HP one seems popular, but I can't find it in A5. All this has to a reasonable price, too...

 

Otherwise I'll have to stick with a ballpoint for diary purposes (but it's not good! )

[Bex66]

Oh, by-the-way, my Filofax retailer (who used to be a client when I worked for Filofax) thinks the Flex system is being discontinued, as is the mini sized organiser. She has had a few annoyed customers!

[Orthostylos]

I too, did love Filofax and must have about 4 Personal, or Slimline binders, and 2 A5 Binders I just found in storage. The paper is very expensive and not FP friendly at all. I can just get away with the VP and fine nib, but even that has some feathering.

 

I will try to resurrect some by trying the Raymay Davinci (Tomoe River) refill pages, and see it that is a go.

They are expensive also, but if they work well with my fountain pens, may be worth it.

[inotrym]

Oh, by-the-way, my Filofax retailer (who used to be a client when I worked for Filofax) thinks the Flex system is being discontinued, as is the mini sized organiser. She has had a few annoyed customers!

 

 

OMG!!! Thanks for the heads up. I need to get a couple of spare A5 flexes for backups.

[Padawan]

Hello Bex66!

a) Parker Quink Blue (cartridge & bottle) - Parker Sonnet "F" nib,

b Waterman Serenity Blue (cartridge & bottle) - "Pilot MR" DIN standard = International cartridge + Euro M nib, TWSBI Diamond 580 F

c) MB Royal Blue (bottle) - Montblanc 149 M, TWSBI VAC700 F

d) Sailor Blue-Black (bottle) - Sailor 1911 (Profit) Realo M,

e) Platinum Blue-Black (cartridge) - Platinum President M

f) Pilot iroshizuku tsuyu-kusa (bottle) TWSBI Diamond 580 F.

 

I implemented option "f" today - nothing to complain about.

[dogpoet]

Update on this: I've got hold of an A5 refillable notebook, and it's great. The paper is a lot less absorbent than any of the refills I've seen for the binders (can't comment on the Flex stuff), apart from some unlined paper that came in a Chinese pseudox I ordered a while back. The binder itself if obviously trying to do moleskine, and there's a few dividers and a ruler mixed in with the paper, presumably to prove it is too a filofax. Not used it enough as yet to be sure how the pages stand up to repeated removal and replacing, but so far it seems to be working well. The only potential issue that I've spotted so far is that I doubt it can be overstuffed like one of the ringbound binders.

[Bookman]

I watched Brian Goulet's video on this notebook. He warns the viewer about the paper's being borderline FP-unfriendly. It's a matter of personal preference whether a marginally-friendly paper is friendly enough. It was friendly enough for his purposes. I liked the concept of the notebook, especially the dividers in conjunction with the not-completely-closed holes that facilitated moving sheets and everything else around.

 

 

In fact it was this hole that made the difference and caused me to buy the notebook. I carry a small notebook in a trouser pocket, and so I chose the pocket version (4.13 x 5.67).

 

I don't consider the FP-unfriendliness of the Filofax paper to be borderline. Bleed-through is a deal-breaker, even if I don't plan to write on both sides. Feathering is a deal-breaker. I've used only three inks—Visconti Blue in an Esterbrook J #9550, Waterman Serenity Blue in a Estie 9668, and Sheaffer Skrip Black in a Sheaffer Skripsert F—and I've gotten partial bleed-through and feathering on every page from all three inks.

 

I've seen references to a Filofax hole punch in discussions about substituting one's own FP-friendly paper for Filofax. Unless it punched a hole like the one in the photo, I wouldn't be interested.

[inotrym]

Filofax make their own punch that is compatible with the Notebook, NotePro and MiracleBind series.

The punch is heavy and solid and the holes are clean and match perfectly the sample of your picture.

The bad thing is that you can only feed two sheets at a time.

[Bookman]

Filofax make their own punch that is compatible with the Notebook, NotePro and MiracleBind series.

The punch is heavy and solid and the holes are clean and match perfectly the sample of your picture.

The bad thing is that you can only feed two sheets at a time.

 

Using A4 Rhodia dot paper; one of the notebook's dividers as a template for the sheets and the holes; a cutting mat and rotary cutter, which cut through six Rhodia dot-pad sheets at a time ; a standard one-hole punch, punching six sheets at a time; and a pair of scissors to cut the channels from the holes to the paper edges, I swapped out all the sheets in my Filofax pocket notebook in a short period of time. It's too bad I paid for so many Filofax sheets that, unused, went into the recycle bin. But it had to be done. Now my Filofax pocket notebook is 100% FP-friendly.

Edited December 23, 2015 by Bookman