Address book

[Tim Apple]

So I am in the market for an address book. I was hoping for suggestions? Or if there are methods people use to keep a section in their journal for addresses. I don't want it for my email address book online. But this is a group of addresses of people I plan on corresponding with via snail mail and I would like to carry around with me easily.  Thanks ahead of time. 

[LizEF]

I recommend something with moveable pages - so you can find people easily.  The smallest such thing I can think of (for easy carry) is the pocket sized Filofax notebook.  The paper isn't the most FP-friendly, but with the punch (overly expensive, but at least it's a one-time purchase), you can punch your favorite FP paper (though you'll want the heavier stuff, not 52gsm Tomoe River) and make the notebook more friendly.

 

I have one of these and recently converted it to this purpose (using its original paper and Sailor Souboku in a PenBBS fine nib - that's not so fine).  This works well for me.  I'm pondering trying out cutting the paper to a fraction of the height of the notebook, and staggering the pages so they overlap a little, but each is only large enough for one person's entry (some people have lots of contact methods, so they use more of a page, others are just an address).

 

If you aren't worried about moveable pages, then you could try some of the mini notebooks out there: Apica make adorable little A7 and B7 notebooks; lots of folks make pocket and passport size notebooks; and there are just lots of mini notepads, bound in various ways - check out pretty much any online fountain pen store that carries a decent supply of paper.  I'd guess A6 is the largest size you want, and A7 is about as small as most folks would want.

[TheRedneckHippie]

I love anything Paperblanks and they have some lovely 4"x5" address books. Everything I've ever gotten from them is fountain pen friendly and great quality. I still have journals I bought and wrote in 20 years ago and they look just like when I first bought them. 

 

For something portable and compact, I bought a cheap little credit-card-sized "accordion" one that is NOT fountain pen friendly and isn't really pen friendly at all, so I just use a pencil. That ended up being better - it only holds about two dozen addresses so I can erase and replace as needed. Amazon has one just like it for seven bucks, but I got mine for way less than that (can't remember where - maybe Ebay?). 

[Tim Apple]

On 12/7/2021 at 1:50 AM, TheRedneckHippie said:

Paperblanks and they have some lovely 4"x5" address books.

These are really nice. 

[Runnin_Ute]

I am using a Field Notes for most of my addresses. I do have my Franklin planner which has ring bound pages in basically A5/half letter.

 

I don't want to carry all that just to look up a single address most of the time, the Field Notes is small, pocket size goes anywhere. Down side? Somebody moves you either have to have used pencil so you can erase, or line out the information and re-write it. It might start alphabetical, but it won't stay that way.  A7 might hold as many as two addresses per page. Only 12 or 13 lines in my Apica CD5.

[airstairesc]

Paperblanks is very FP-friendly. Their journals are also great. I have their Mini address book which I keep at my desk and this is for snail mail friends; each entry section is roomy enough for mailing address, email address, and phone number.

 

I also keep a more slender pocket-sized address book that is made by Graphic Image, which has a terrible, cramped layout but one just makes it work. I keep mailing addresses here as well but it's where I keep phone numbers. I got this after I lost my phone and didn't have anyone's numbers memorized. Originally, the idea was to record everyone's number in my little book, then delete them from my phone so that I would have to refer to the book. I do not do that, but I am diligent about writing in every useful number into the book. Oh, and the Graphic Image paper is strictly in the ballpoint and pencil zone. Both fountain pen and gel pens cause bleedthrough.

 

Another pocket option is Leuchtturm's Mini A7 size. It's a ruled notebook but you could DIY and create an address book. Maybe devote a page to each contact, also including details like birthdays, favourites, etc. There's 170 pages in the Mini A7.

[A Smug Dill]

7 hours ago, airstairesc said:

Paperblanks is very FP-friendly. Their journals are also great.

 

I beg to differ. Amazon Australia has been offering a lot of Paperblanks products at very significant discounts in the past 18 months, and on account of the apparently great pricing and the lovely covers, my wife and I ended up with more than 80 of them. My wife got mostly the journals with 120gsm paper, whereas I thought I preferred the Flexis line with the 100gsm paper. Too late I discovered that Paperblanks 100gsm paper is awfully susceptible to bleed-through. Some inks perform better than others, of course, but if I use a pen with ‘normal’, moderate ink flow, at least four-fifths of the 400 inks I have would bleed through the pages. I had to tune a set of pens to make their nibs especially dry, just so I can use those Flexis journals without being totally repulsed by the outcome.

[airstairesc]

8 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

I beg to differ. Amazon Australia has been offering a lot of Paperblanks products at very significant discounts in the past 18 months, and on account of the apparently great pricing and the lovely covers, my wife and I ended up with more than 80 of them. My wife got mostly the journals with 120gsm paper, whereas I thought I preferred the Flexis line with the 100gsm paper. Too late I discovered that Paperblanks 100gsm paper is awfully susceptible to bleed-through. Some inks perform better than others, of course, but if I use a pen with ‘normal’, moderate ink flow, at least four-fifths of the 400 inks I have would bleed through the pages. I had to tune a set of pens to make their nibs especially dry, just so I can use those Flexis journals without being totally repulsed by the outcome.

 

Oh no, that's really unfortunate. I'm sorry to hear that. I actually haven't tried the 100gsm paper, just the address book and the Hardcover Wrap journals with ruled paper. Is your 100gsm Flexi also ruled?

[A Smug Dill]

2 hours ago, airstairesc said:

Is your 100gsm Flexi also ruled?

 

I have some blank Flexis journals as well, but most of them are ruled, yes.