Hiokooka Notebooks

[bunnspecial]

I've been looking the last few days for a journal/notebook with a few specific things in mind-a lay flat binding, a high page count, and either A4 or B5 sized(I'm not a fan of longer writing on A5, which is what a lot of the ones that seem to fit my other criteria are).

 

I was browsing on Amazon earlier this evening and came across these-320 pages(although of 100gsm paper-I might like something lighter with so many pages, but you can't have it all), softcover(which I'd actually prefer for this over hard) and available in A4, A5, and B5. The price almost seems too good to be true at $22 for A4 and $17 for B5.

 

I've found a few passing references in threads a year or so old on here that mention these in good light, but no formal reviews.

 

Basically I'm just looking for good solid FP friendly paper-something that will take ink and not bleed or feather even from a wet pen. I'm not looking for crazy sheen or other properties-basically I just want a good "neutral" paper(and Rhodia 80gsm is my benchmark/go-to paper for a lot of general use).

 

Has anyone used one of these? For the price I'm willing to take a gamble but would also like to know a bit more.

[LizEF]

I have no idea.  The reviews are mixed on FP friendliness.  (Link to product, for those interested.)  And, FWIW, right now, for me, the price is $19.99 and $18.89, depending on color (and no, I don't have Prime or any other special pricing thing).  My suspicion is that you'll experience a bit of spread, but it will probably be OK for finer nibs, not so much for broad / wet nibs.  But I'm guessing.

 

The last image in the image gallery is from a fountain pen user - using a stub.  FWIW.

 

[Paul-in-SF]

I was probably responsible for at least one of those references from a few months ago, I bought mine in May. Now I have gone through about 1/2 of one of them and I am much more enthusiastic than I was before, adding FP performance to my other enthusiasms about format and price. A few days ago I was writing with a Visconti Opera B nib with what I have been told is a very wet ink (Sailor Souboku), it certainly seemed to be gushing for me unless I kept the knob closed. I got nice shading and no bleed or spread that I can see here in this photo (forgive the apparent darkness of the paper in the photo, it is not dark at all, just barely off-white). The college-ruled lines are pretty faint so they don't obtrude. The soft cover is very nice, it has two ribbons and a pocket in the back cover, and it came with tab stickers for organizing sections if you want. Highly recommended by me, although I don't pretend to be an expert in paper. 

 

[inkstainedruth]

I was not familiar with this brand.  Any idea where they're made?  I couldn't find information on the Amazon link that LizEF provided.  

And I'm also curious as to how they compare quality-wise to the Miquelrius A-5 size 600 page journals I've been using for a number of years now, but have become increasingly difficult to find (the last time I ordered was from a vendor on Amazon -- thanks to someone on FPN who tipped me off) and I basically bought the vendor out (and several colors of covers were ALREADY sold out).  Initially, after trying a smaller one, I used to order directly from their US distributor, but now they're not even listing in Miquelrius' online catalog).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedrruth

[Paul-in-SF]

Yes, I have one that is still wrapped, and the sticker on the wrapper says Made in China. It also says the cover is actually leather, which surprises me for the price. The only branding on the notebook itself is the brand name (incidentally, it's spelled Hiukooka) debossed into the back cover at the bottom. I like the subtlety of that. 

[bunnspecial]

@Paul-in-SF Thanks for your comments, and yes you were one of the ones discussing them in older threads I'd found. I found the softcover really appealing in particular, and it being leather is a nice bonus.

 

@LizEF Thanks for you comments.

 

In any case, I've ordered two of these, so we'll see. I also just went for safe and bought web notebooks by Rhodia and Clairefontaine. I'll use them eventually too, even if not for this specific application.

 

Of course one of my fears too in these lower cost notebooks is that sometimes paper origin isn't fixed and a good batch doesn't mean all will be good. I'll certainly offer my thoughts when mine arrive on Sunday, though.

[LizEF]

10 minutes ago, bunnspecial said:

@LizEF Thanks for you comments.

You're very welcome!

 

10 minutes ago, bunnspecial said:

I'll certainly offer my thoughts when mine arrive on Sunday, though.

Looking forward to it!  (I have enough paper to (probably) last a lifetime, and yet, somehow, that doesn't keep me from shopping for more paper... )

[bunnspecial]

Well, it seems as though it arrived earlier than I expected. Actually I had a nice little stationary delivery from Amazon-3 A4 wirebound Rhodia notebooks that should serve me for a few months(orange cover, I prefer staple, but they were a good deal), a Clairefontaine A5 journal, and the A4 Hiubooka.

 

Initial impression is that this is a nice notebook. It's big and heavy-reminiscent of a textbook-but that's to be expected with this many pages of 100gsm A4. The whole thing is rather understated, and mine doesn't seem to have any indication of country of origin.

 

I've written a page and a half in it so far, and performance is good. I'm using my much-loved M nibbed 146(early 90s with a stiff two-tone nib and split ebonite feed) which is reasonably wet writing, and paired with DeAtrementis Cardinal Richelieu Ultramarine. Feathering is well controlled. If I'm being picky, there's an occasional bit of ghosting on the other side. I could probably write front and back, but I'm not for this reason. I find writing on the back uncomfortable(especially with the thickness of this one) and there are enough pages that I'm not too worried about it.

 

The paper is smooth, but not glassy smooth and has a tiny bit of tooth. I'd say it's a touch rougher than Rhodia 80gsm, but that's splitting hairs.

 

Overall, my initial impression is that these ~$20 notebooks seem a great value for what they offer and the paper quality.

[LizEF]

Thanks, @bunnspecial!  Appreciate your mini review.

[bunnspecial]

Wrote some more last night, and it seems I may have spoken too soon.

 

I've filled about 6 pages so far, which is unusually high for me but I had a lot to write in this particular one(and a whole lot more to go). The 146 I mentioned above ran out, so I grabbed another pen I had at hand-a Waterman 52 I'd recently inked for a sale listing(and would have to clean out anyway before shipping, so figured I might as well write it out). This of course is a wet writing pen with a moderately flexible nib, but I was using it mostly unflexed. The ink was Parker Super Quink Turquoise, a generally fairly well behaved ink.

 

It ghosted badly enough to almost be readable on the back, and I had a few spots of bleed-through to the next page. I'll photograph the back of the page a little later.

 

After writing this page, I switched again to a Parker 51 with an F nib and Skrip Brown, and all was well with nearly zero ghosting.

 

It would seem to me, on early testing, as though this is fine with moderately wet pens and inks, but won't stand up to "torture" with wet pens/inks and probably is not great for flex writing if that's your thing.

 

I'll likely be testing a wide stubby nib-something like a B or OB 149-sometime soon(I have an OBB 149 inked, so maybe that one) and I will report on how it does.

 

So I'm going to downgrade this one a bit to good with the right pen and ink, but don't expect to be able to use your wettest pens on it. I'm sure I'm going to be testing a lot more-not necessarily deliberate tests(at least until one of my other ones arrives) but more just "clean up" of pens I've had inked for way too long(as a side note too, I think it's worth mentioning that I filled this particular pen-a cedar blue double jewel Vac) back in like September and I've used it frequently but sporadically for grading, and it still starts right up. It's a new semester and time for a new grading ink, though.

[LizEF]

Thanks for the update, @bunnspecial.  Those of us who stick mostly to EF and F nibs have something of an advantage when it comes to paper, though EFs like their paper smooootooh.  Looking forward to how it goes as you continue to use it.  One problem with some papers is variation, even in the same batch or book.  But as long as it's not feathering, I may pick up one of these, if I can first figure out what I'd do with it.