How do you use metal ring notebooks?

[arcfide]

So, just a seriously curious question for those of you who prefer metal ring notebooks. Why and how? 

 

I can see the appeal of the "ever flat" design of a ring notebook, as well as the ease with which they can be folded back on themselves, particularly in larger sizes like A4. However, ring notebooks that have the traditional metal ring binding, especially with the thicker, double ring style, would always seem to me to impede the hand when writing on the back side of the page. Moreover, when stored, they would seem to consume more space and get stuck on things. 

 

So, for those of you who prefer that style of notebook, I am curious how you get around this, and what makes you prefer the ring style notebook to other options? Just genuine curiosity from someone on the other side looking to hear from the ring-bound aficionados. 

[ParramattaPaul]

I am left-handed.  Rings of any sort get in my way.  I remove the pages from 'ring binders' before writing on them.  That also solves another issue, writing on a stack which I find annoying.

[arcfide]

9 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I am left-handed.  Rings of any sort get in my way.  I remove the pages from 'ring binders' before writing on them.  That also solves another issue, writing on a stack which I find annoying.

 

So you just write with the individual pages on a writing surface? After that, what do you do to keep the pages together? 

[ParramattaPaul]

1 hour ago, arcfide said:

 

So you just write with the individual pages on a writing surface? After that, what do you do to keep the pages together? 

I put them back in the binder when I am finished with them. 

[arcfide]

1 hour ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I put them back in the binder when I am finished with them. 

 

Oh! I see, you're using a binder, not a notebook. I was talking about the ring-bound notebooks, or spiral notebooks, with non-removably bound pages. In order to remove pages from such a notebook you'd have to tear it out somehow. I misread your original comment and didn't catch "binders" instead of "notebook." 

[Karmachanic]

1 hour ago, arcfide said:

 

Oh! I see, you're using a binder, not a notebook. I was talking about the ring-bound notebooks, or spiral notebooks, with non-removably bound pages. In order to remove pages from such a notebook you'd have to tear it out somehow. I misread your original comment and didn't catch "binders" instead of "notebook." 

 

Then perhaps you should start a new thread with spiral/wiro bound in the title, as, to most, ring bound implies binder.

You'll probably get more response.

[sebastel23]

i don't like spiral bound notebooks, because the paper leaves slip if you don't fix them with the other hand.

however, i still use them ...

 

for the problem of the spirals while writing on the opposite side - i avoid the situation by flipping the backfolded notebook over vertically. of course, that means up and down are on different ends when turning the pages ...

 

[Karmachanic]

35 minutes ago, sebastel23 said:

for the problem of the spirals while writing on the opposite side - i avoid the situation by flipping the backfolded notebook over vertically. of course, that means up and down are on different ends when turning the pages ...

 

 

Or write on the right page only until the end, and then flip it.

[ParramattaPaul]

3 hours ago, arcfide said:

 

Oh! I see, you're using a binder, not a notebook. I was talking about the ring-bound notebooks, or spiral notebooks, with non-removably bound pages. In order to remove pages from such a notebook you'd have to tear it out somehow. I misread your original comment and didn't catch "binders" instead of "notebook." 

 

No, in fact I'm using and referring to an A5 William Hannah notebook.  Yes, the pages can be removed and re-inserted.  

 

As for spiral bound notebooks, I use them (A4 size) occasionally, primarily for the paper size.  Optionally,  I may tear out the pages as I need then and put those pages in a folder when I'm done, or 'just deal with it' and leave the pages in the notebook. Spiral bound and school (assignment) notebooks have never been a favourite. 

[arcfide]

7 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

 

Then perhaps you should start a new thread with spiral/wiro bound in the title, as, to most, ring bound implies binder.

You'll probably get more response.

 

Good idea. 

[XYZZY]

23 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I am left-handed.  Rings of any sort get in my way.  I remove the pages from 'ring binders' before writing on them.  That also solves another issue, writing on a stack which I find annoying.

 

I'm a left-handed overwriter and I abhor spirals and ring binders.  But my theory is that the issue isn't being left-handed, so much as being an overwriter, or a sidewriter. 

 

As a left-handed overwriter, the spiral is in the way when I'm writing on the right page.  If I was a right-handed overwriter then the spiral would be in the way when writing on the left page.

 

It's my understanding, though, that most right-handed people are underwriters.  I don't know if that's natural or if that's how they were encouraged/taught.  Whereas left-handed writers are a mix of under, side, and overwriters.  Maybe that's a matter of teachers giving up, letting each find their own way.

 

If not obvious, I'm using "spiral" loosely for any binding with a raised hump.  Spiral, ring or disc, good riddance to all.

[ParramattaPaul]

36 minutes ago, XYZZY said:

 

I'm a left-handed overwriter and I abhor spirals and ring binders.  But my theory is that the issue isn't being left-handed, so much as being an overwriter, or a sidewriter. 

 

As a left-handed overwriter, the spiral is in the way when I'm writing on the right page.  If I was a right-handed overwriter then the spiral would be in the way when writing on the left page.

 

It's my understanding, though, that most right-handed people are underwriters.  I don't know if that's natural or if that's how they were encouraged/taught.  Whereas left-handed writers are a mix of under, side, and overwriters.  Maybe that's a matter of teachers giving up, letting each find their own way.

 

If not obvious, I'm using "spiral" loosely for any binding with a raised hump.  Spiral, ring or disc, good riddance to all.

 

Right on all counts!

 

I was an over-writer.  Binding of any kind was the bane of my existence at school and later.  Over-writing is uniquely a left-handed feature born of a number of reasons.  One is being able to see what we just wrote. Another, is/was not smearing what we had just written.  Then too, getting our writing hand around a ring in a ring binder was another.  None of these are a problem for a right-handed person since we Roman (and Cryllic) alphabet users write left to right.

 

Hand, wrist, and finger pain is common for over-writers as well.  It was that, pain in my wrist and hand that motivated me to re-train myself to become an underwriter using a fountain pen to accomplish the task.  Three advantages came with success; one, no more hand/wrist pain during long writing sessions; two, page bindings were less of a problem; and three, my handwriting improved.