I'm a big fan of Japanese notebook, in fact, Japanese paper in general. Brand like Apica(my personal favorite), Maruman, Kokuyo, Tomoe River and Midori. The paper is usually very refined, usually off-white in color, very FP friendly in that it does not feather or bleed-through and the writing surface is smooth, but not too smooth like ClaireFontaine. When they are lined, the lines are usually more subtle than European or American made, which give the handwritten page a more attractive look. Don't know the availability in Europe, but if they are available, I would suggest giving them a try.
As a short addition to Steven's notebook notes. I agree Moleskine paper bleeds - mine is a diary and I'd not buy another. The 1917 books are better for sure for bleed resistance. Build quality of these is beyond reasonable crit. But both these brands are quite pricey. (By my standards) So I checked some less expensive ones. From Morrisons supermarket I took a chance on a truly junky thing that tries to look like an A5 1917 n/book. Its covers are thin plastic sheet over hard board with sponge under making it feel soft. To my surprise it takes all my f.pens and inks without bleed or feathering although Ive not tried to provoke those with major inkspots or blots. Also the ruling is about 8mm spaced rather than the 6mm of the 1917 high quality books. Also a success was a thinner spiral bound book under the Campus brand. it too is wider ruled and has margins which I occasionally use. Its paper is whiter than the buff of the Morrisons books. I should add that these Morrisons books cost all of - £2 each! Decent paper in a crappy jacket. which is better than crappy paper in a glam. jacket. As a result (I'm on a tiny pension) I've now used a number of these supercheap A5 elastic-closing books because they're good to write on although the bind quality is... - dodgy? Hope this helps some with, like myself, less disposable income than ideal!
Does the Leuchtturm 1917 have numbered pages? I got one of those leather-bound notebooks with (I think) Khadi paper as a gift. I have a different cover, and it is amazing. However, the paper is not the greatest with fountain pens - a lot of bleedthrough and feathering. I have to write quickly with a fine nib to minimise the damage. I may buy another one of these notebooks and replace the paper with something more fountain pen-friendly (I'd use the Khadi paper for something else).
When you do your practice writing in the notebook at 15:03, did you line the pages, or use a guide? When I write on a blank page - I generally have a hard time keeping it all in a horizontal line!
Given that there is a growing community of fountain pen users, I wish in America that there would be more availability of fountain-pen friendly notebooks or paper in major shops. But I do appreciate online shops like Goulet Pens. So there is that. Thank you for the video.
How do you feel about the Clairefontaine Cloth Bound vs. Leuchtturm Leather Notebooks? I am considering one or the other; may buy both and then do a review myself, haven't seen a Single Good Review on the Leuchtturm. I use a Lamy Medium or Montblanc Medium Pen now.
Good video, and I have a question: I decided to get more into pen-and-paper writing, and purchased a Parker Vector medium nib. What is a good notebook or paper for writing a book? Basically something economical but thick. Thanks.
When is comes to notebooks, what have to you found to be most easy to write in over time? I seem to want my notebook to lay flat and have used spiral notebooks because of that, but see you using journals bound by stitching and such; also, do you feel they are more durable than the wire bound?
Just an extra note on the clothbound Clairefontaine in case you're interested: Does not have bookmark ribbon, does not have elastic closure band, does not really lay flat w/o effort, cover won't lay flat either when closed. Definitely not the best notebook/journal, but the paper is fine. I won't buy again though.
Hi, Loved your reviews of these notebooks, some of which used thicker paper but in a ‘notebook’ it depends entirely on what one uses to write as to the necessity of a thicker grade of paper, and very few write with a fountain pen in these. I have a wonderful leather bound hand made paper ‘notebook’, but it is the most frustrating book I have because none of the three open edges are trimmed so they give off a very fluffy dust which is not exactly ideal for fountain pens but just gorgeous! I have a refill also and the leather wrap is very similar to your two or three plain dark leather books. Everything on and about this is handmade with a real leaf on the cream coloured bag the book can be kept, even the box and packing is hand made including a lining paper which has straw in it. The name 'Natural Nkuku’ I bought a dozen roughly A5 notebooks which have a wonderfully thick ‘almost like card’ - and the paper a cream colour, having a button on the opening front flap/cover and a looped leather elastic on the back which hooks over the button . Unfortunately they have no makers name. Though they may have come from an Italian Boutique which has all kinds of writing stuff. Take care mrbluenun
They carry PaperBlanks at the supermarket here (NY, US), and I’ve found them to be pretty unfriendly to fountain pens - I’ve picked up a few because they are well-designed and attractive, but I have gel rollers set aside to use with them. I wonder if there’s a regional difference, or if it’s something that’s changed over time? Or personal sensitivity to show-through?
Sorry to annoy you, but I'm a student that uses loose leaf paper. Would you know any good loose leaf papers that don't allow bleeding? I usually use Noodler's Ottoman Azure with a Cross Townsend.
Hi Stephen. I currently use the Master size Leuchtturm1917 for my every day notebook. It is very expensive in Australia, however, about $55. Would you recommend anything else considering the money, or stick with it? It is VERY nice paper.
I just googled the tempo/tempi notebooks and I came across this web site. Would the amazing Italian notebook be the In Tempo line from Ciak? The notebooks look like the one you showed anyway...
Alright, I'll ask here. I've been looking into that Leuchtturm and some of the Clairefontaine stuff, but I was wanting to ask if you had any recommendations for a notebook for school. I'm sorry if this is a silly request, but I just recently got into fountain pens, and the common "composition books" I typically used for school are prone to bleed through quite a bit. BTW, I'm currently using a Pilot Metropolitan with the standard black and blue cartridges.
Interesting, have you tried cotton paper? I find it works really well with both fountain pens and my vintage Baby Empire Typewriter. One brand to really check out as a fountain pen writer is Original Crown Mill.
Great vid. what is the brand of the third set of notebook s. the magnetic closure ones. you didn't tell us you had a mini edc notebook. lol. I love that video.
I just bought a two pack of Moleskine volant soft cover notebooks (unlined; 5 x 8 1/4"). The paper is a nice, creamy off-white. Upon writing in one of them with a fine point pen loaded with MontBanc blue/black ink, I noticed a little bit of feathering and quite a bit of bleed through. I plan to try it with other pens and inks, but assuming I get the same results, I doubt I will be able to use both sides of the page, effectively cutting the effective number of useable sheets in half.
This may be a stupid question BUT I will ask anyways. I resentful bought parchment paper and a notebook full of parchment paper. I don't want to use a regular pen. I wanted a feather quill but I would prefer a fountain pen. Are fountain pens good on parchment paper or should I just buy a quill?
another informative video. I use the Rhodia N12 for daily notes. When I use my fountain pen i never have bleedthrough or feathering. The paper is so soft. By the way....how many languages do you speak? And your shirt sweater combo is excellent!
I can say from personal experience that Rhodia pads are absolutely stunning to write on. No feathering or bleed through, and the ink spreads smoothly, making the other side 100% usable. Also, I like the black and orange covers. :) Give them a try!
Could I have your opinion on Rhodia web notepad? Is the paper quality far better than Moleskine. In terms of less feathering. I'm asking because other reviewers happen only to talk good of products they happen to sell. This is not the case I have found with your reviews. ps I already have a few Moleskine notebooks and I'm looking for an equally price and maybe higher paper standard?
+Dee Dee I try to use paper everyone has access to, but that's also high quality and fountain pen-friendly paper. So, I've used Rhodia and now I'm using Clairefontaine.
+sbrebrown I love the little Clairefontaine notebooks. The little Rhodia ones are good too, but aren't as smooth as the CF. I order them from Goulet. They also come in larger sizes. I enjoy your videos! Thanks and keep up the good work.
Just started using a A5 Rhodia web book. It's beautifully made with a thick gorgeous to the touch fake leather cover and the standard place mark ribbon and back cover pocket. Feint ruled the paper is a pale cream and VERY smooth. I've tried Moleskin, Paperblanks etc this is better and will become my regular journal. I think I got it for £12 on Amazon. I will buy more! Recommended. PS- Have you tried the new Rhodia R A4 ? A bit yellow but like writing on glass :).
Moleskine is unusable for FPs especially if using certain inks (ink plays a major role too)..so far Clairefontaine Triomph paper I found is the best but is not available in notebooks. Rhodia webbooks were ok but had some fethering and show through while their white paper pads are good (their cream paper is so-so feathering and some whow through)...I need paper/notebooks that I can use on both sides and I use Platinum Carbon ink.
Thanks Joe, I have just ordered their Ambigram journal as, noting your helpful comments, it seems to have one of their best covers. I mainly use an EF nib which gives me no feathering on any paper, so I look forward to writing up my pencil mss in the P.P. Press journal.
Hi Stevemeister - have you ever used the "Moleskin Weekly Notebook"? It has the days of the week on the left hand side and a sheet of lines on the right hand side. When I visited my friend in Germany, her flat mate had this and I just feel in love - it is so practical and has since become my bible. I recommend it for a busy person who has to juggle several hats.
Have you ever used or heard of the company Parax? They make "stone paper" which is 80 percent stone and 20 percent polyethylene, which makes it tear-resistant, waterproof,it never turns yellow and means there is no bleed trough or feathering.
I have a leather journal with khaddi paper similar to your one, but I'm having a lot of trouble writing in it. I'm using a Sheaffer 100 medium nib with Waterman Absolute Brown ink, but there seems to be a lot of skipping every now and again. Do you think a broader nib would work better in terms of ink flow? Any advice would be appreciated, thanks :)
I have just got the A5 size of Clairefontaine`s card covered notebooks. Here in England they are called the Age Bag range. You can get them in 192 pages or 288 pages. The paper is beautiful white and is perfect for my Visconti pen and J. Herbin ink. So far, it`s the best notebook I`ve used. The covers come in different colours. It is even better paper than the Rhoda even though the gsm is the same. The paper in the Rhodia is not white so the Clairefontaine notebook paper looks better.
Linkinpain: If you live in the US then for a cheaper notebook I recommend the composition books made by National. I use the larger ones (8 3/8" x 11"), which cost $6, but the smaller ones (7 7/8" x 10") are, I think, under $5. (I find them listed on the Office Depot site for $4.19. All have 80 sheets.) The paper takes fountain pen ink much better than does Moleskine: no feathering at all, and no bleed-through with most pens. I have tried the Staples brand and find the feathering intolerable.
Very helpful video - explains my experience. I recently started to use fountain pens in place of roller balls. I inherited a Parker 45 with Fine nib and a new Lamy Studio with EF nib. I tried a Moleskine notebook with my rollerballs but bleed through was a big problem. But using the fountain pens in the same notebook it behaved like a totally different paper, no bleed through or feathering whatsoever. As Moleskines are sold locally I use their "extra-large" notebooks with same good results.
Hey I would like to ask what was the name of the second notebook the baby blue one and also I'm going to write a fanfiction and I was wondering if you got any ideas on what notebook I should use thank you for the amazing videos
I generally buy Rhodia paper in unlined A4-size pads (I'm in the US) by special order, and they are quite good. Writing with a broad Pelikan nib pretty much guarantees you will at least occasionally get some feathering. I hate feathering, but Rhodia isn't too bad in that way. Another good option for me has been 50-pound art paper pads, like for drawing artists. The paper is lightly textured but not too heavy, and you can buy it in many sizes up to big architectural drafting sizes.
......and while we're talking paper, I had a letter from Brian Grey during InCorWriMo and he used Tomoe River, a Japanese paper. My first thought was "why is he using Izal medicated toilet paper" which was very popular in UK municipal establishments in the 1970's. It's very thin but quite lovely. I'm waiting on a delivery from a fellow member of the FPN in the states. Have you used this yet?
You should get a Rhodia notebook! The paper is 90 gsm Clairefontaine paper, with little or zero bleeding and very little feathering. Writing on its paper with a fp is such a wonderfully sensual experience with my Sailor Pro Mega!
i have an a'zone notebook. was wondering if it will work? Sometimes it bleeds through a little. not a lot though. just a few dots. I'm using a visconti hs with a fine nib. my ink is a montblanc permanent black.
Thank you for this review - I live in the US and I love Moleskine and Leuchtturm1917, too! I use a light blue Leuchtturm1917 for my dream journal and it's an absolute joy to use. The pages have a bit of "give" and my fp nib sinks in beautifully, but there's hardly any bleed-through. I love a page with some signs of wear after it's been written on, so I don't mind the soft pages. They're resilient. Thanks again!
The QVH lovely. Both this and the RWB boast very smooth 90gsm Clairefontaine lined paper. I tested both the RWB and the QVH with my Pelikan M800 Tortoise with a juicy B nib with Diamine Twilight ink. No feathering or bleed through on either notebook. Both have elastic closing bands, ribbon page marker and back pocket. RWB conforms to A5, QVH is made in USA so is a little longer and wider. QVH has white paper RWB book has ivory. QVH has 80 pages while the RWB has 96.
The Italian one is a graphia I just ordered mine like 20 min ago from the journal shop for 35£ plus shipping. It caught my eye and I knew I had to have it. Looking forward to getting it but not looking forward to the probably 2-3 week wait...
Er, yes - I'm also in the last UK generation that dipped pens into inkwells in primary school, and we had handwriting lessons. Interesting that the quality of school notebooks "back in the day" gave no bleed through with that ink. We moved on to fountain pens in high school - I think we were about 14 before biro's were permitted for schoolwork.
Stef, here in the US I just picked up a new (dated 2012) set of 3 ruled moleskine softcover notebooks made in Vietnam. Ample bleed -through, only one side can be used, really. I use a Parker fine nib. Maybe when they moved production from China to Vietnam slight changes were made to paper quality.......?
I have their Flanders Notebook. The paper is actually rather lovely, a rich buttery hue with generous line spacing. The rules are a feint grey and makes for a stunning finish to a page of writing. You get the most unbelievably fine lines shooting from your writing. I am loath to call it feathering, because it really isn't a negative thing but actually looks beautiful (and is barely noticeable). Gilt edging is rubbish, however - too sparkly and glitter like. Cover is ok, but not great.
I imagine top brands would inspect each pen (assuming we're talking about the $400+ pens) before selling them. And if not, I'm sure they will replace the nib if you email them saying it's defective.
Hi Stephen--I can't tell you how delighted I am that I discovered your video reviews: I'm very new to the hobby, and found it all a bit dizzying and arcane. (I'm waiting for my two Jinhaos and Noodler's Flex to be delivered.) So I would like to thank you and encourage you to make more. Also, do you mind if I ask what kind of accent you have?
I just got the Rhodia "webbie" A5 size a few days ago. I`m using a Lamy Safari with a left hand nib and a Parker IM with a medium nib with Pelikan brilliant black ink. I love the Rhodia book. It gives me no feathering or bleed through with the two pens I mentioned above. There is a little indenting or shading on the other side but as you mentioned in the video you get that with a great deal of papers. I have always used Moleskine but the Rhodia is far better in my opinion.
My best results with ANY paper, pen AND writing style/pressure is on Rhodia. Whether it be 80g pad stock, or the new 85g paper in the Webnotebook. I just picked up a Clairefontaine cloth bound notebook yesterday. The paper is 90g/white/lined. Writing experience is smooth & color comes through purely. However it promotes some skipping & trouble starting once in a while. It also promotes a finer line than on Rhodia. No feathering/bleedthrough. I like Rhodia best. Interested in Leuchtturm though!
Id be surprised if thats not a CIAK. In 2000 a brand "InTempo" brought CIAK under its umbrella. They also have Mood, Vistaplan, Weekly and Cartesio under the larger brand name of InTempo. Think about how their is Clairefontaine and the bigger brand of Exacompta Clairefontaine. If your notebook isn't a CIAK then it has to be one of the others under the InTempo brand umbrella. Hope this helps!
hey, i just got a sheaffer extra fine nib pen and i use it for school in my composition notebooks, it is very prone to feathering, and when i turn the page, its not completely bleeded through but i can visibly see what i wrote on the previous page, what can i do to prevent this?
I absolutely love the Paperblanks Embellished Manuscrips series. My favourite is the Albert Einstein version, it is silver to dark grey and it even has a portrait of Albert on the back, wich can be seen rather clear just at the right angel of light. There is also a Sigmund Freud version available which might be interesting for you. Edgar Allan Poe has a great colour. And the paper is good, so it is really usable, no bleed through or feathering with my relatively normal wet pens. So for that and the looks ist is worth the money.
ThePhoton1 I also love paperblanks. Its not perfect with all inks. I wish I could get a paperblank with rhodia or clairefontaine paper in it. Its hard enough to find the blanks though. My favorite is the moroccan 'leather' one but I probably have 10 of them. Great looking books.
You really owe it to yourself to try Rhodia pads. The paper is by Clairfontaine and the quality is superb. Here in the US, they seem to be very popular with fountain pen users. I have several in different sizes and I've found nothing better.
Great video. I like the Rodia notebooks too, but they are not very common in The Netherlands. Also no big problems with using the Moleskines. When I just discovered your videos on TH-cam I thought you were from the UK, because I couldn't hear any Dutch accent.
Definitely pick up the Rhodia Webnotebook. I have a Rhodia reversebook, which uses the same paper, and it's so nice I am kind of afraid to write in it. They are comparable to Moleskines price-wise.
Great vid. I got a small Smythson notebook (The Panama model) as a gift. Amazing notebook. Super thin paper that does not feather nor bleed through (well it didn't do either for me when I was using a broad nib Diplomat pen)! I highly recommend it.
I love the Rhodia webnotebook. The one with the dot grid. Frankly, I don't even want to go back to my Stillman & Birn sketchbooks after feeling that paper. It's just yummy.
I'll use my Parker 45 and Aurora black ink to give my best handwriting - but with trepidation - at 85 my aunt's handwriting, even with a biro, is still so neat and stylish it's intimidating.
I use Kokuyo Campus notebooks, A5 and B5 sizes. I love them Excellent paper, and the lines have little dots to help you keep your columns nice and straight. I'm in the US, but I really like A series and B series paper. I sometimes use Tomoe River for letter writing. It's super nice. Very thin, but, not just no feathering, but the crispest lines I've ever seen.
I have the same problem you have with that indian notebook with all my nice notebooks... I'm terrible at keeping journals, I tend to hold past entries against myself (what does that mean mr. psychologist? :P)... so I wind up just having a page of one journal entry and never write in them again.
I like using fountain pens most in some of the more decent composition and spiral notebooks. Someone mentioned Mead notebooks, and I agree. Some of the nicer Topflight notebooks work well too. I love moleskines, but when I've tried writing in them with fp it looks terrible. I use black parker quink ink. The ink looks really faint, blotchy, and ugly on moleskine paper, like the paper absorbs the ink too deeply or something. I prefer using pencils with moleskines.
I recently got the Leuchtturm 1917 A5 notebook. It is beautiful, perfect in look and with it`s contents page, page numbers and stickers it is perfect but the paper is terrible for fountain pens. You get so much bleed through when using a medium or fine nib that the reverse of the page is impossible to use. I use the Rhodia webbie. The paper is great. If you could take the paper from the Rhodia and put it in the Leuchtturm 1917 you would have the perfect notebook.
I have used a Leuchtturm1917 large red notebook. It has performed miserably. Just about any ink bleeds through, not just so that it ruins the other side of the page, but the words I write takes on a spotty appearance: the points where it as bled to the other side are visible on both sides. It was expensive, too. grrrr.
2020 Im sure youve acquired the both I would favor them however you yourself would have to deal with your broad and up nibs taking a minute to dry as these are resistant pages so a that would be my word of caution..... (had you not acquired them already.....)
Although this seems to contradict my previous comment I appreciate what you wrote. I've been asked to write up a lengthy manuscript of family history for an elderly relative, so I'm going to buy a Paperblanks journal which, from the video, will give me the most pleasing final appearance, not another Moleskine.
Very nice review. I've been using Moleskines, Leuchtturn1917, Quo Vadius, Rhodia, Clairefontaine Basic, and Stillman & Birn for my journaling. I used exclusively Moleskines up until a few years ago when it seemed like the Moleskine paper quality went down. I seemed to notice this when the lines became more pronounced. I've used and still am using the Leuchtturn1917 for some of my journals. It is a step up from he Moleskine in quality. These also have additional features not mentioned such as a few index pages at the beginning, numbered pages, a place for the date at the top of each page, and perforated pages at the end. The Rhodia Webbie, Clarefontaine Basic, and Quo Vadius Habana are far superior to any journal I have used. It has to do with the Clairefontaine paper and smoothness of this paper with fountain pens. I prefer the Habana to the others but would use the others in an instant. I've recently started purchasing sketchbooks to journal in and have found that the Stillman&Birn to be excellent in accepting fountain pen. These will lay flat like the other journals and will not show echo or bleed through. The Epsilon series plate surface is not a smooth as a Clairefontaine paper but does not resist the pen movement. I'm now starting on the Gamma series sketchbooks with the ivory vellum surface. This paper does have some feedback when using fountain pens but is easy on the eye with the ivory paper color. I would recommend using any journal with Clairefontaine paper. The smoothness of the paper is like writing on butter. The paper does not echo or bleed through. The Stillman&Birn sketchbooks are just a little less expensive but are equal in not showing echo or bleed through.
This is wonderful information. The world of paper is so tied to the writing experience and one must be informed to attain full benifit. To get the Rhodia or not is a great question. My response is that it is worth a try. All of my writing experience is with the Rhodia and I hope to try others down the road. Bottom line is that the Rhoda feels good to me and far better then the bulk notepads I used to purchase. I see almost no bleed through and feathering is a bit new to me so I can't comment at this time. What I am looking for is an A 4 that is not bright white as that harsh white makes my eyes water. I would love to find great paper that is yellow and try different ink colors from there staring with a wonderful and impassioned blue and perhaps go to an off white with a dark green ink. Personally, I would never writ with black ink. Thanks for the great video.
Ohhh wow! this is good to know before spending the money!!! Thank You! I am primarily looking for 1. Good Personal Journal (Nice leather, That lays flat) 2. Same for work 3. Good quality, but not fancy notebooks to take notes on everything from Pens and inks to meetings. Suggestions?? Anyone??
Stephen, Khadi is hand-spun and hand-woven cloth made out of cotton. It's been here in India along with Bangladesh & Pakistan for centuries. It was popularized by Mahatma Gandhi during 'Swadeshi' movement, a part of independence struggle, in order to boycott imported goods and use goods produced only in (Undivided) India. What you were referring to is a remnant of that but nevertheless Khadi is never used for paper. It's just Hand-made paper mostly made in villages as a part of empowerment initiative for rural people.
i use the molsekine sketching notebook (A5 size) with my waterman exception (fine) pen. the notebook's paper is among the heaviest i used so far, ca. 170gr, and it is just great.
@sbrebrown Oh, that's good to know. I'll check out the Leuchtturm next time! :) One brand I've always wanted to try out is Earthworks Journals. Check it out - the quality looks amazing, and apparently the paper handles fountain pen ink quite well. A bit pricey, though!
I think Moleskines are great because they're not leather but they look like it =) Although I wish they were thicker though. I love thick notebooks =D It's nice to see I'm not the only book/pen nerd in the world =P
I'm a big fan of Japanese notebook, in fact, Japanese paper in general. Brand like Apica(my personal favorite), Maruman, Kokuyo, Tomoe River and Midori. The paper is usually very refined, usually off-white in color, very FP friendly in that it does not feather or bleed-through and the writing surface is smooth, but not too smooth like ClaireFontaine. When they are lined, the lines are usually more subtle than European or American made, which give the handwritten page a more attractive look. Don't know the availability in Europe, but if they are available, I would suggest giving them a try.
I have used Midori and Tomoe River: they are nice papers!
As a short addition to Steven's notebook notes. I agree Moleskine paper bleeds - mine is a diary and I'd not buy another. The 1917 books are better for sure for bleed resistance. Build quality of these is beyond reasonable crit. But both these brands are quite pricey. (By my standards)
So I checked some less expensive ones.
From Morrisons supermarket I took a chance on a truly junky thing that tries to look like an A5 1917 n/book. Its covers are thin plastic sheet over hard board with sponge under making it feel soft. To my surprise it takes all my f.pens and inks without bleed or feathering although Ive not tried to provoke those with major inkspots or blots. Also the ruling is about 8mm spaced rather than the 6mm of the 1917 high quality books.
Also a success was a thinner spiral bound book under the Campus brand. it too is wider ruled and has margins which I occasionally use. Its paper is whiter than the buff of the Morrisons books. I should add that these Morrisons books cost all of - £2 each! Decent paper in a crappy jacket. which is better than crappy paper in a glam. jacket. As a result (I'm on a tiny pension) I've now used a number of these supercheap A5 elastic-closing books because they're good to write on although the bind quality is... - dodgy?
Hope this helps some with, like myself, less disposable income than ideal!
Does the Leuchtturm 1917 have numbered pages?
I got one of those leather-bound notebooks with (I think) Khadi paper as a gift. I have a different cover, and it is amazing. However, the paper is not the greatest with fountain pens - a lot of bleedthrough and feathering. I have to write quickly with a fine nib to minimise the damage. I may buy another one of these notebooks and replace the paper with something more fountain pen-friendly (I'd use the Khadi paper for something else).
I see you have switched over to Rhodia for your more recent reviews. Could you kindly tell us why?
When you do your practice writing in the notebook at 15:03, did you line the pages, or use a guide? When I write on a blank page - I generally have a hard time keeping it all in a horizontal line!
Given that there is a growing community of fountain pen users, I wish in America that there would be more availability of fountain-pen friendly notebooks or paper in major shops. But I do appreciate online shops like Goulet Pens. So there is that. Thank you for the video.
How do you feel about the Clairefontaine Cloth Bound vs. Leuchtturm Leather Notebooks? I am considering one or the other; may buy both and then do a review myself, haven't seen a Single Good Review on the Leuchtturm. I use a Lamy Medium or Montblanc Medium Pen now.
Good video, and I have a question:
I decided to get more into pen-and-paper writing, and purchased a Parker Vector medium nib. What is a good notebook or paper for writing a book? Basically something economical but thick. Thanks.
nice review
by the way which red ink you wrote with on the left paage 8:30
is it diamine red dragon
When is comes to notebooks, what have to you found to be most easy to write in over time? I seem to want my notebook to lay flat and have used spiral notebooks because of that, but see you using journals bound by stitching and such; also, do you feel they are more durable than the wire bound?
Nice review... do you use your notebooks for anything OTHER THAN testing inks and pens... like taking notes, perhaps, or writing...?
I use them for work too
Just an extra note on the clothbound Clairefontaine in case you're interested: Does not have bookmark ribbon, does not have elastic closure band, does not really lay flat w/o effort, cover won't lay flat either when closed. Definitely not the best notebook/journal, but the paper is fine. I won't buy again though.
Hi,
Loved your reviews of these notebooks, some of which used thicker paper but in a ‘notebook’ it depends entirely on what one uses to write as to the necessity of a thicker grade of paper, and very few write with a fountain pen in these.
I have a wonderful leather bound hand made paper ‘notebook’, but it is the most frustrating book I have because none of the three open edges are trimmed so they give off a very fluffy dust which is not exactly ideal for fountain pens but just gorgeous! I have a refill also and the leather wrap is very similar to your two or three plain dark leather books. Everything on and about this is handmade with a real leaf on the cream coloured bag the book can be kept, even the box and packing is hand made including a lining paper which has straw in it. The name 'Natural Nkuku’
I bought a dozen roughly A5 notebooks which have a wonderfully thick ‘almost like card’ - and the paper a cream colour, having a button on the opening front flap/cover and a looped leather elastic on the back which hooks over the button . Unfortunately they have no makers name. Though they may have come from an Italian Boutique which has all kinds of writing stuff.
Take care
mrbluenun
They carry PaperBlanks at the supermarket here (NY, US), and I’ve found them to be pretty unfriendly to fountain pens - I’ve picked up a few because they are well-designed and attractive, but I have gel rollers set aside to use with them. I wonder if there’s a regional difference, or if it’s something that’s changed over time? Or personal sensitivity to show-through?
Sorry to annoy you, but I'm a student that uses loose leaf paper. Would you know any good loose leaf papers that don't allow bleeding? I usually use Noodler's Ottoman Azure with a Cross Townsend.
Maybe Rhodia pads and tear out the sheets?
Hi Stephen. I currently use the Master size Leuchtturm1917 for my every day notebook. It is very expensive in Australia, however, about $55. Would you recommend anything else considering the money, or stick with it? It is VERY nice paper.
I prefer Rhodia for the paper.
I just googled the tempo/tempi notebooks and I came across this web site.
Would the amazing Italian notebook be the In Tempo line from Ciak? The notebooks look like the one you showed anyway...
Alright, I'll ask here. I've been looking into that Leuchtturm and some of the Clairefontaine stuff, but I was wanting to ask if you had any recommendations for a notebook for school. I'm sorry if this is a silly request, but I just recently got into fountain pens, and the common "composition books" I typically used for school are prone to bleed through quite a bit.
BTW, I'm currently using a Pilot Metropolitan with the standard black and blue cartridges.
Interesting, have you tried cotton paper? I find it works really well with both fountain pens and my vintage Baby Empire Typewriter. One brand to really check out as a fountain pen writer is Original Crown Mill.
Yes, I do have Crown Mill too: a very nice paper!
Great vid. what is the brand of the third set of notebook s. the magnetic closure ones. you didn't tell us you had a mini edc notebook. lol. I love that video.
I just bought a two pack of Moleskine volant soft cover notebooks (unlined; 5 x 8 1/4"). The paper is a nice, creamy off-white. Upon writing in one of them with a fine point pen loaded with MontBanc blue/black ink, I noticed a little bit of feathering and quite a bit of bleed through. I plan to try it with other pens and inks, but assuming I get the same results, I doubt I will be able to use both sides of the page, effectively cutting the effective number of useable sheets in half.
Have you ever tried Peter Pauper Press journals ? - they look to be very well bound - but the paper quality is unknown to me.
This may be a stupid question BUT I will ask anyways. I resentful bought parchment paper and a notebook full of parchment paper. I don't want to use a regular pen. I wanted a feather quill but I would prefer a fountain pen. Are fountain pens good on parchment paper or should I just buy a quill?
Slightly esoteric question here, but how is the line width on the Leuchtturm when compared to the Moleskine? Are they similar or disparate?
another informative video. I use the Rhodia N12 for daily notes. When I use my fountain pen i never have bleedthrough or feathering. The paper is so soft. By the way....how many languages do you speak? And your shirt sweater combo is excellent!
I am probably suffering from badspeakeritis but are you saying "Paper Blacks"? at the 10:10 mark?
No, Paper Blanks.
I can say from personal experience that Rhodia pads are absolutely stunning to write on. No feathering or bleed through, and the ink spreads smoothly, making the other side 100% usable. Also, I like the black and orange covers. :)
Give them a try!
Could I have your opinion on Rhodia web notepad? Is the paper quality far better than Moleskine. In terms of less feathering. I'm asking because other reviewers happen only to talk good of products they happen to sell.
This is not the case I have found with your reviews.
ps I already have a few Moleskine notebooks and I'm looking for an equally price and maybe higher paper standard?
Thanks: Yes, Rhodia is a class up from Moleskine. The paper is smoother abd it feathers a lot less.
What paper would you recommend for A4 folder refills? Which do you use for your lecture notes etc (your everyday writing paper)? Thanks.
+Dee Dee I try to use paper everyone has access to, but that's also high quality and fountain pen-friendly paper. So, I've used Rhodia and now I'm using Clairefontaine.
+sbrebrown I love the little Clairefontaine notebooks. The little Rhodia ones are good too, but aren't as smooth as the CF. I order them from Goulet. They also come in larger sizes.
I enjoy your videos! Thanks and keep up the good work.
Just started using a A5 Rhodia web book. It's beautifully made with a thick gorgeous to the touch fake leather cover and the standard place mark ribbon and back cover pocket. Feint ruled the paper is a pale cream and VERY smooth. I've tried Moleskin, Paperblanks etc this is better and will become my regular journal. I think I got it for £12 on Amazon. I will buy more! Recommended.
PS- Have you tried the new Rhodia R A4 ? A bit yellow but like writing on glass :).
Moleskine is unusable for FPs especially if using certain inks (ink plays a major role too)..so far Clairefontaine Triomph paper I found is the best but is not available in notebooks. Rhodia webbooks were ok but had some fethering and show through while their white paper pads are good (their cream paper is so-so feathering and some whow through)...I need paper/notebooks that I can use on both sides and I use Platinum Carbon ink.
I have NEVER found anyone who says moleskin is any good for fountain pens. And its overpriced even if it were a good paper. Won't buy it... ever.
Thanks Joe, I have just ordered their Ambigram journal as, noting your helpful comments, it seems to have one of their best covers. I mainly use an EF nib which gives me no feathering on any paper, so I look forward to writing up my pencil mss in the P.P. Press journal.
Hi Stevemeister - have you ever used the "Moleskin Weekly Notebook"? It has the days of the week on the left hand side and a sheet of lines on the right hand side. When I visited my friend in Germany, her flat mate had this and I just feel in love - it is so practical and has since become my bible. I recommend it for a busy person who has to juggle several hats.
Have you ever used or heard of the company Parax? They make "stone paper" which is 80 percent stone and 20 percent polyethylene, which makes it tear-resistant, waterproof,it never turns yellow and means there is no bleed trough or feathering.
I have a leather journal with khaddi paper similar to your one, but I'm having a lot of trouble writing in it. I'm using a Sheaffer 100 medium nib with Waterman Absolute Brown ink, but there seems to be a lot of skipping every now and again. Do you think a broader nib would work better in terms of ink flow? Any advice would be appreciated, thanks :)
It's possible that the pen is a bit dry or has baby's bottoms syndrome.
Ahh ok, I've seen you're video on how to remove baby's bottom. I'll look into that. Thanks
I have just got the A5 size of Clairefontaine`s card covered notebooks. Here in England they are called the Age Bag range. You can get them in 192 pages or 288 pages. The paper is beautiful white and is perfect for my Visconti pen and J. Herbin ink. So far, it`s the best notebook I`ve used. The covers come in different colours. It is even better paper than the Rhoda even though the gsm is the same. The paper in the Rhodia is not white so the Clairefontaine notebook paper looks better.
Sounds great!
I second the Clairefontaine Age Bag. I've been using them for journaling for years. Here in Spain they are 3-5 euros.
Linkinpain: If you live in the US then for a cheaper notebook I recommend the composition books made by National. I use the larger ones (8 3/8" x 11"), which cost $6, but the smaller ones (7 7/8" x 10") are, I think, under $5. (I find them listed on the Office Depot site for $4.19. All have 80 sheets.) The paper takes fountain pen ink much better than does Moleskine: no feathering at all, and no bleed-through with most pens. I have tried the Staples brand and find the feathering intolerable.
"What is feathering?"
Try to write with a fountain pen on a napkin and you will understand.
That's my explanation. :-)
Very helpful video - explains my experience. I recently started to use fountain pens in place of roller balls. I inherited a Parker 45 with Fine nib and a new Lamy Studio with EF nib. I tried a Moleskine notebook with my rollerballs but bleed through was a big problem. But using the fountain pens in the same notebook it behaved like a totally different paper, no bleed through or feathering whatsoever. As Moleskines are sold locally I use their "extra-large" notebooks with same good results.
Hey I would like to ask what was the name of the second notebook the baby blue one and also I'm going to write a fanfiction and I was wondering if you got any ideas on what notebook I should use thank you for the amazing videos
Leuchtturm1917. That's a gid all purpose notebook.
Thanks I'll check it out
Keep up the great videos
I generally buy Rhodia paper in unlined A4-size pads (I'm in the US) by special order, and they are quite good. Writing with a broad Pelikan nib pretty much guarantees you will at least occasionally get some feathering. I hate feathering, but Rhodia isn't too bad in that way. Another good option for me has been 50-pound art paper pads, like for drawing artists. The paper is lightly textured but not too heavy, and you can buy it in many sizes up to big architectural drafting sizes.
......and while we're talking paper, I had a letter from Brian Grey during InCorWriMo and he used Tomoe River, a Japanese paper. My first thought was "why is he using Izal medicated toilet paper" which was very popular in UK municipal establishments in the 1970's. It's very thin but quite lovely. I'm waiting on a delivery from a fellow member of the FPN in the states. Have you used this yet?
You should get a Rhodia notebook! The paper is 90 gsm Clairefontaine paper, with little or zero bleeding and very little feathering. Writing on its paper with a fp is such a wonderfully sensual experience with my Sailor Pro Mega!
i have an a'zone notebook. was wondering if it will work? Sometimes it bleeds through a little. not a lot though. just a few dots. I'm using a visconti hs with a fine nib. my ink is a montblanc permanent black.
Thank you for this review - I live in the US and I love Moleskine and Leuchtturm1917, too! I use a light blue Leuchtturm1917 for my dream journal and it's an absolute joy to use. The pages have a bit of "give" and my fp nib sinks in beautifully, but there's hardly any bleed-through. I love a page with some signs of wear after it's been written on, so I don't mind the soft pages. They're resilient. Thanks again!
The QVH lovely. Both this and the RWB boast very smooth 90gsm Clairefontaine lined paper. I tested both the RWB and the QVH with my Pelikan M800 Tortoise with a juicy B nib with Diamine Twilight ink. No feathering or bleed through on either notebook. Both have elastic closing bands, ribbon page marker and back pocket. RWB conforms to A5, QVH is made in USA so is a little longer and wider. QVH has white paper RWB book has ivory. QVH has 80 pages while the RWB has 96.
The Italian one is a graphia I just ordered mine like 20 min ago from the journal shop for 35£ plus shipping. It caught my eye and I knew I had to have it. Looking forward to getting it but not looking forward to the probably 2-3 week wait...
Er, yes - I'm also in the last UK generation that dipped pens into inkwells in primary school, and we had handwriting lessons. Interesting that the quality of school notebooks "back in the day" gave no bleed through with that ink. We moved on to fountain pens in high school - I think we were about 14 before biro's were permitted for schoolwork.
Stef, here in the US I just picked up a new (dated 2012) set of 3 ruled moleskine softcover notebooks made in Vietnam. Ample bleed -through, only one side can be used, really. I use a Parker fine nib. Maybe when they moved production from China to Vietnam slight changes were made to paper quality.......?
I have their Flanders Notebook. The paper is actually rather lovely, a rich buttery hue with generous line spacing. The rules are a feint grey and makes for a stunning finish to a page of writing. You get the most unbelievably fine lines shooting from your writing. I am loath to call it feathering, because it really isn't a negative thing but actually looks beautiful (and is barely noticeable). Gilt edging is rubbish, however - too sparkly and glitter like. Cover is ok, but not great.
I imagine top brands would inspect each pen (assuming we're talking about the $400+ pens) before selling them. And if not, I'm sure they will replace the nib if you email them saying it's defective.
Hi Stephen--I can't tell you how delighted I am that I discovered your video reviews: I'm very new to the hobby, and found it all a bit dizzying and arcane. (I'm waiting for my two Jinhaos and Noodler's Flex to be delivered.) So I would like to thank you and encourage you to make more. Also, do you mind if I ask what kind of accent you have?
What fountain pen would you recommend for lefties? I don't write with an inverted hand therefore you the problem with fountain pens.
You should get a Rhodia. They use 90gsm clairfontaine paper. They're great!
I just got the Rhodia "webbie" A5 size a few days ago. I`m using a Lamy Safari with a left hand nib and a Parker IM with a medium nib with Pelikan brilliant black ink. I love the Rhodia book. It gives me no feathering or bleed through with the two pens I mentioned above. There is a little indenting or shading on the other side but as you mentioned in the video you get that with a great deal of papers. I have always used Moleskine but the Rhodia is far better in my opinion.
What would be the best notebook for jotting down notes all day long in class?
My best results with ANY paper, pen AND writing style/pressure is on Rhodia. Whether it be 80g pad stock, or the new 85g paper in the Webnotebook. I just picked up a Clairefontaine cloth bound notebook yesterday. The paper is 90g/white/lined. Writing experience is smooth & color comes through purely. However it promotes some skipping & trouble starting once in a while. It also promotes a finer line than on Rhodia. No feathering/bleedthrough. I like Rhodia best. Interested in Leuchtturm though!
Id be surprised if thats not a CIAK. In 2000 a brand "InTempo" brought CIAK under its umbrella. They also have Mood, Vistaplan, Weekly and Cartesio under the larger brand name of InTempo. Think about how their is Clairefontaine and the bigger brand of Exacompta Clairefontaine. If your notebook isn't a CIAK then it has to be one of the others under the InTempo brand umbrella. Hope this helps!
hey, i just got a sheaffer extra fine nib pen and i use it for school in my composition notebooks, it is very prone to feathering, and when i turn the page, its not completely bleeded through but i can visibly see what i wrote on the previous page, what can i do to prevent this?
I wish you would get a rhodia pad, just so that I could hear your opinion on it. I've heard good things though.
I've got the little paper blanks book, absolutely love it, going to purchase a larger one soon.
I absolutely love the Paperblanks Embellished Manuscrips series. My favourite is the Albert Einstein version, it is silver to dark grey and it even has a portrait of Albert on the back, wich can be seen rather clear just at the right angel of light. There is also a Sigmund Freud version available which might be interesting for you.
Edgar Allan Poe has a great colour.
And the paper is good, so it is really usable, no bleed through or feathering with my relatively normal wet pens. So for that and the looks ist is worth the money.
My experience with PaperBlanks is very good too.
ThePhoton1 I also love paperblanks. Its not perfect with all inks. I wish I could get a paperblank with rhodia or clairefontaine paper in it. Its hard enough to find the blanks though. My favorite is the moroccan 'leather' one but I probably have 10 of them. Great looking books.
You really owe it to yourself to try Rhodia pads. The paper is by Clairfontaine and the quality is superb. Here in the US, they seem to be very popular with fountain pen users. I have several in different sizes and I've found nothing better.
Great video. I like the Rodia notebooks too, but they are not very common in The Netherlands. Also no big problems with using the Moleskines. When I just discovered your videos on TH-cam I thought you were from the UK, because I couldn't hear any Dutch accent.
Definitely pick up the Rhodia Webnotebook. I have a Rhodia reversebook, which uses the same paper, and it's so nice I am kind of afraid to write in it. They are comparable to Moleskines price-wise.
OMG ! the Brian Goulet's tribute !! Nice !He's about to become a superstar !!
Ironically enough, they seem to be based in the UK.
Sounds quite interesting, thanks both of you for sharing, I'll try to get some!
Great vid. I got a small Smythson notebook (The Panama model) as a gift. Amazing notebook. Super thin paper that does not feather nor bleed through (well it didn't do either for me when I was using a broad nib Diplomat pen)! I highly recommend it.
Really enjoying learning about fountain pens, Thanks
Glad to hear that!
I love the Rhodia webnotebook. The one with the dot grid. Frankly, I don't even want to go back to my Stillman & Birn sketchbooks after feeling that paper. It's just yummy.
Just ordered the Quo Vadis Habana journal/ notebook from Amazon. I'll be comparing it to the Rhodia Web book and I'll let you know how it goes :)
I'll use my Parker 45 and Aurora black ink to give my best handwriting - but with trepidation - at 85 my aunt's handwriting, even with a biro, is still so neat and stylish it's intimidating.
:) I caught the other tip you showed, using the lined under paper - That's an awesome tip I'm going to try it, thanks again :)
I use Kokuyo Campus notebooks, A5 and B5 sizes. I love them Excellent paper, and the lines have little dots to help you keep your columns nice and straight. I'm in the US, but I really like A series and B series paper.
I sometimes use Tomoe River for letter writing. It's super nice. Very thin, but, not just no feathering, but the crispest lines I've ever seen.
Many people love Tomoe river! I must admit it's a little too thin for me, but I understand its appeal.
What do you recommend for writing a journal/essay book?
I have the same problem you have with that indian notebook with all my nice notebooks... I'm terrible at keeping journals, I tend to hold past entries against myself (what does that mean mr. psychologist? :P)... so I wind up just having a page of one journal entry and never write in them again.
I like using fountain pens most in some of the more decent composition and spiral notebooks. Someone mentioned Mead notebooks, and I agree. Some of the nicer Topflight notebooks work well too.
I love moleskines, but when I've tried writing in them with fp it looks terrible. I use black parker quink ink. The ink looks really faint, blotchy, and ugly on moleskine paper, like the paper absorbs the ink too deeply or something. I prefer using pencils with moleskines.
You just "happen" to forget the name of the brand of notebook that you bought in Amsterdam
I been using notebooks from the dollar store... lol. Wish I could use vellum.
will read through the comments tomorrow in case this question has already been answered, but what is the brand of the spiral notebook?
At what time stamp?
sbrebrown 17:30
James Stanley Ah, no clue. It's very heavy paper at 120 gsm, but I don't know what brand it is.
Do you wright in Dutch everyday at the university?
I recently got the Leuchtturm 1917 A5 notebook. It is beautiful, perfect in look and with it`s contents page, page numbers and stickers it is perfect but the paper is terrible for fountain pens. You get so much bleed through when using a medium or fine nib that the reverse of the page is impossible to use. I use the Rhodia webbie. The paper is great. If you could take the paper from the Rhodia and put it in the Leuchtturm 1917 you would have the perfect notebook.
I have used a Leuchtturm1917 large red notebook. It has performed miserably. Just about any ink bleeds through, not just so that it ruins the other side of the page, but the words I write takes on a spotty appearance: the points where it as bled to the other side are visible on both sides. It was expensive, too. grrrr.
2020 Im sure youve acquired the both I would favor them however you yourself would have to deal with your broad and up nibs taking a minute to dry as these are resistant pages so a that would be my word of caution..... (had you not acquired them already.....)
WHY WAS THERE A BALLPOINT ON YOUR DESK?
Although this seems to contradict my previous comment I appreciate what you wrote. I've been asked to write up a lengthy manuscript of family history for an elderly relative, so I'm going to buy a Paperblanks journal which, from the video, will give me the most pleasing final appearance, not another Moleskine.
Very nice review. I've been using Moleskines, Leuchtturn1917, Quo Vadius, Rhodia, Clairefontaine Basic, and Stillman & Birn for my journaling. I used exclusively Moleskines up until a few years ago when it seemed like the Moleskine paper quality went down. I seemed to notice this when the lines became more pronounced.
I've used and still am using the Leuchtturn1917 for some of my journals. It is a step up from he Moleskine in quality. These also have additional features not mentioned such as a few index pages at the beginning, numbered pages, a place for the date at the top of each page, and perforated pages at the end.
The Rhodia Webbie, Clarefontaine Basic, and Quo Vadius Habana are far superior to any journal I have used. It has to do with the Clairefontaine paper and smoothness of this paper with fountain pens. I prefer the Habana to the others but would use the others in an instant.
I've recently started purchasing sketchbooks to journal in and have found that the Stillman&Birn to be excellent in accepting fountain pen. These will lay flat like the other journals and will not show echo or bleed through. The Epsilon series plate surface is not a smooth as a Clairefontaine paper but does not resist the pen movement. I'm now starting on the Gamma series sketchbooks with the ivory vellum surface. This paper does have some feedback when using fountain pens but is easy on the eye with the ivory paper color.
I would recommend using any journal with Clairefontaine paper. The smoothness of the paper is like writing on butter. The paper does not echo or bleed through. The Stillman&Birn sketchbooks are just a little less expensive but are equal in not showing echo or bleed through.
Thanks for the input!
This is wonderful information. The world of paper is so tied to the writing experience and one must be informed to attain full benifit. To get the Rhodia or not is a great question. My response is that it is worth a try. All of my writing experience is with the Rhodia and I hope to try others down the road. Bottom line is that the Rhoda feels good to me and far better then the bulk notepads I used to purchase. I see almost no bleed through and feathering is a bit new to me so I can't comment at this time.
What I am looking for is an A 4 that is not bright white as that harsh white makes my eyes water. I would love to find great paper that is yellow and try different ink colors from there staring with a wonderful and impassioned blue and perhaps go to an off white with a dark green ink. Personally, I would never writ with black ink. Thanks for the great video.
Thank you. G. Lalo does make off-white paper, but it's laid.
Ohhh wow! this is good to know before spending the money!!! Thank You! I am primarily looking for
1. Good Personal Journal (Nice leather, That lays flat)
2. Same for work
3. Good quality, but not fancy notebooks to take notes on everything from Pens and inks to meetings.
Suggestions?? Anyone??
Aren't LT1917 from Hamburg?
Stephen, Khadi is hand-spun and hand-woven cloth made out of cotton. It's been here in India along with Bangladesh & Pakistan for centuries. It was popularized by Mahatma Gandhi during 'Swadeshi' movement, a part of independence struggle, in order to boycott imported goods and use goods produced only in (Undivided) India.
What you were referring to is a remnant of that but nevertheless Khadi is never used for paper. It's just Hand-made paper mostly made in villages as a part of empowerment initiative for rural people.
Manan Desai Interesting, I did not know that!
i use the molsekine sketching notebook (A5 size) with my waterman exception (fine) pen. the notebook's paper is among the heaviest i used so far, ca. 170gr, and it is just great.
Hi sbrebrown, I believe that unknown italian notebook is by CIAK.
@sbrebrown Oh, that's good to know. I'll check out the Leuchtturm next time! :)
One brand I've always wanted to try out is Earthworks Journals. Check it out - the quality looks amazing, and apparently the paper handles fountain pen ink quite well. A bit pricey, though!
Purchase one of each book, to show & teach.
I’m enjoying your TH-cam channel.
Cheers ☕️☕️😎
Dave Brown.
Australia 🇦🇺.
Great overview. Thanks.
Glad you liked it.
Is your passion for fountain pens etc. driven by the nature of your job? What do you do for a living?
I think Moleskines are great because they're not leather but they look like it =) Although I wish they were thicker though. I love thick notebooks =D It's nice to see I'm not the only book/pen nerd in the world =P
who's the maker of graphia